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I got to see Spinal Tap II before almost anyone else. Which is pretty much as good as being in it. So take that Chris Addison.
I'd almost got to do a remote podcast with the band, but in the end they couldn't make it work, so instead I got invited to a screening in a posh London hotel along with some other comedians and some people who looked like they were in bands (but there's no way I can identify who they were for you). Nina Conti and Kerry Godliman who are both in the film were there too. Chris Addison has swanked off to the American premiere. Nice to see UK actors in the film, even if it would have been much nicer if one of them had been me. Though as Kerry pointed out, it was a pretty difficult gig improvising with these legends, cos you would worry that if you said anything you might step on something brilliant that they were about to say.
I don't think I could have done it.
Kerry really held her own though and was very funny. Nina was a bit underused, but still great. And Chris Addison was there.
I am just being a jealous bitter man, but if anyone from
the 2004 Edinburgh flat should have been in that film it should have been... well probably Colin or Fergus... then Chris.. then me. If only I'd killed them all with poisoned mushrooms when I had the chance.
Incidentally that 2004 flat was about five doors down from the flat we stayed in this year and equally nice, but I am pretty sure that the two days of the rent I paid this year would cover the entire month of 2004. Even though this year's flat was smaller. Though to be fair, even though Colin and Fergus were children, unlike my own children, they did pay their way. And I a glad I am not married to Chris Addison (though if I was I might have got to go to the US premiere).
There was the chance that Spinal Tap II would be a huge mistake and soil the memories of the first movie (which is my personal favourite film of all time) and there was literally no chance that it would be as good as the original.
There was less plot and fewer jokes and the band (and maybe the actors) had less energy than they did 40 odd years ago for some reason. It leant into the stuff from the first film a little bit, but needed to and didn't over do it. Nothing went up to 11.
I am not sure it was entirely necessary to do another film, but then it's not really necessary to do any films and McKean, Shearer and Guest can do no wrong for me. And even if they do something that isn't as good as the best thing in the world then it's still worth doing. It just about stayed on the right side of self-indulgence, but if those guys can't self-indulge then who can. I've written a blog about myself every day for 23 years. How dare I accuse anyone of self-indulgence.
It was more poignant than the original, of course, about aging and moving on and being pulled back and I sometimes felt sad for the characters (and maybe the actors). Harry Shearer is 81 for goodness sake (I still can't get over the fact that he's in an Abbott and Costello film, which just seems impossible). The buzz after the screening was very, very positive. Given the original film did not get the recognition it deserved for a good few years, it's terrific that there is this opportunity to let these old fuckers (the band or the actors? Not sure) know how loved they are.
The original film has had such a profound effect on comedy in the last 45 years. And even though I'd have been shit in it and too scared to talk, it would have been a dream come true just to be a part of this. I'll take getting the invite to the low-key UK screening and sitting next to some rock stars who (from the stuff I overheard them saying) couldn't have been more like Spinal Tap if they'd tried.
Due to the tube strike Catie and me had to power walk/jog from Soho to St Pancras to make it (just) in time for our train. If I hadn't known about a short cut through the hotel I don't think we'd have got there (the tube strike had closed some of the entrances). Good exercise though. And aptly Spinal Tapesque. Lowkey celeb event, followed by having to run through a slippery wet London to get the 10.14pm train home.
