Top 5 Funniest Christopher Guest Mockumentaries

by Rusty

1) This is Spinal Tap
2) Waiting for Guffman
3) Best in Show
4) A Mighty Wind
5) For Your Consideration*

* I haven’t seen this one yet. I’ve ranked it there according to the general feedback I’ve heard/read about it.

34 Comments

  1. Yes, I know Guest didn’t produce/direct Spinal Tap. And yes, I know that these are ranked in order of their release.

    Comment by Rusty — March 7, 2007 @ 10:44 am

  2. Agreed.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 11:03 am

  3. I liked Best in Show better than Guffman, and possibly better than Spinal Tap. Spinal Tap has great, classic moments, but a lot of meandering, boring parts as well.

    Comment by BTD Greg — March 7, 2007 @ 11:29 am

  4. I’d agree with BTD Greg that Spinal Tap should be second (third, maybe?) on the list. The first few are really close. There is a bit more space toward the bottom of the list.

    Comment by RoastedTomatoes — March 7, 2007 @ 11:35 am

  5. It depends: if we are including extra DVD footage (like the “This Bulging River” number from Waiting for Guffman, or the “Indian Arrowheads” scene from Best in Show) than I would bump Spinal Tap from the top spot.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 11:55 am

  6. I’ve only ever seen A Mighty Wind. I can’t believe anyone would bump Spinal Tap from the top spot, though.

    Comment by Susan M — March 7, 2007 @ 11:59 am

  7. Spinal Tap just has too many perfect moments:

    - At the beginning, Marti DiBergi trying to fold his arms and them falling to his side
    - Eleven
    - Lick My Lovepump
    - “What’s wrong with being sexy?”
    - 12 inches rather than 12 feet
    - cold sores
    - getting lost on their way to the stage
    - countless others

    Comment by Rusty — March 7, 2007 @ 12:00 pm

  8. Spinal Tap just has too many perfect moments:

    - the cucumber wrapped in aluminum foil setting of the metal detector at the airport.
    - smell the glove!!!

    Comment by mike d. — March 7, 2007 @ 1:02 pm

  9. yes, yes, and recording in “Doubly.” And Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 1:03 pm

  10. Waiting for Guffman is my favorite. I’ve not see that many of his. This is Spinal Tap was fun, but I felt it drug on a tad long. A lot of my friends and family love Best in Show but I had a harder time getting into that one.

    Comment by clark — March 7, 2007 @ 1:04 pm

  11. But Spinal Tap is the movie people laugh about and quote forever. At least, I know more quotes and stories from that movie than any other, and I haven’t even seen it.

    Comment by Susan M — March 7, 2007 @ 1:16 pm

  12. Susan,
    I’m without speech.

    Comment by Rusty — March 7, 2007 @ 1:36 pm

  13. Popularity Quality. Watch Waiting for Guffman (and the deleted scenes, which are half the movie) and Spinal Tap the same weekend. See which is more fun.

    Comment by RoastedTomatoes — March 7, 2007 @ 1:48 pm

  14. Word up, Rusty.

    I hereby announce a new fund: “Buy Spinal Tap on DVD for Susan.” Anyone interested, email me at getsusanspinaltap — at — gmail dotcom

    And yes, I am completely serious.

    And yes, that’s a real email address.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 1:48 pm

  15. Oops. My not-equal sign vanished in the last comment. Popularity is not equal to Quality.

    Comment by RoastedTomatoes — March 7, 2007 @ 1:49 pm

  16. RT, no question that the deleted scenes are fantastic (in my opinion, better than the theatrical movie). But is that a fair basis for comparison?

    Spinal Tap has Stonehenge. There’s no analogue in Waiting For Guffman.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 1:51 pm

  17. RT,
    That’s why this post is called “funniest” not “most popular” and I stand by my ranking. Of course Guffman is funny (I haven’t seen the extras yet, but of course those aren’t the film…they’re extras), but it’s just not as good as Spinal Tap.

    SG,
    Yeah, I’m in.

    Susan,
    You have a DVD player, right?

    Comment by Rusty — March 7, 2007 @ 1:54 pm

  18. Lord, Rusty, good call — maybe she doesn’t have a DVD player. She has a PS2 though, so I’m holding out hope.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 2:00 pm

  19. I have a DVD player. We actually just bought Spinal Tap a week or two ago. I haven’t watched it yet.

    Comment by Susan M — March 7, 2007 @ 2:10 pm

  20. Who has time to watch DVDs when there’s so much horrible tv to keep up with? I should start a weekly Criminal Minds write up.

    Comment by Susan M — March 7, 2007 @ 2:13 pm

  21. Too late!! We just bought another one for you, Susan.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 2:13 pm

  22. Awesome. You guys rule.

    Comment by Susan M — March 7, 2007 @ 2:15 pm

  23. I love Stonehenge. Too true.

    Comment by RoastedTomatoes — March 7, 2007 @ 2:31 pm

  24. I’ve seen all of these films and I agree with Rusty’s ratings completely.

    Plus, you need to include the extras on the Spinal Tap DVD to be fair. The audio commentary is done with Nigel, et al in character, and it is absolutely hilarious.

    If you remember, Spinal Tap’s album couldn’t get more black. None more black. Even since Spinal Tap the mockumentary form couldn’t get more good. None more good.

    Comment by Brian G — March 7, 2007 @ 3:35 pm

  25. I have to throw in a vote for “A Mighty Wind”, although I’m sure that those not old enough to have followed the 60’s folk movement would not enjoy it as much. I would also tip my hat to the first rock mockumentary that I saw, “The Rutles”, which I think inspired Rob Reiner to make Spinal Tap.

    Comment by larryco_ — March 7, 2007 @ 5:11 pm

  26. I’m truly amazed there are folks who would actually consider putting anything besides This Is Spinal Tap at #1 on this list. That’s not sarcasm or me trying to be witty - I’m completely serious. I’ve seen the others except for #5 and they’re good and everything, but they trail Spinal Tap by several nautical miles in terms of greatness.

    Comment by Brian V — March 7, 2007 @ 6:57 pm

  27. Brian V, right on. All you have to do is start talking about how happy those children were, as they danced around Stonehenge, and I start laughing.

    Comment by Supergenius — March 7, 2007 @ 7:04 pm

  28. I’d put Best in show above Guffman and then put For Your Consideration above A Mighty Wind. I tried really hard to like Wind but there was just too much going on for most of the characters to get any development at all; thus all of them suffered for it.

    Great. Now I’ve got to get a cold so I can stay home from work, spend all day in bed, and watch them all over again.

    And maybe I’ll throw in “What’s Up, Doc?” for good measure.

    Comment by Chad too — March 7, 2007 @ 7:41 pm

  29. I liked “A Mighty Wind”, but you just can’t touch the total quotability and perfection of “Spinal Tap”

    I haven’t seen #2 or #5 though, so take my opinion with a pile of salt.

    Susan- a weekly write up of terrible television would be AWESOME- we watch Criminal MInds now- and it truly is terribly wonderful!

    Comment by tracy m — March 7, 2007 @ 10:50 pm

  30. Best In Show is #2. I’m reminded of the time when I sent my mother in law to best in show along with a friend. We had told them that it was the funniest thing we’d seen in a while. They walked out. Oops.

    Comment by a random John — March 8, 2007 @ 12:13 pm

  31. Dinner with Andre action figures.

    But Best in Show is my favorite, then This is Spinal Tap.

    I have seen For Your Consideration. It is great - but I think the best parts were the extras, which made me question the editing choices.

    Ricky Gervais is fantastic (as usual) and will hopefully be included in the family of players from now on.

    And can I just say how much I heart Catherine O’Hara & Parker Posey?

    Comment by Jennifer — March 8, 2007 @ 4:31 pm

  32. I haven’t seen For Your Consideration. As for the rest of them, I’m not sure if Best in Show is absolutely the funniest of the movies, but Christopher Guest’s character was pulled off really beautifully. That’s definitely my favorite Christopher Guest character.

    Comment by Allison — March 9, 2007 @ 10:04 am

  33. I loved Mighty Wind, but couldn’t get into Best in Show, although they feel like the same movie.

    Hey, Wha Happen?

    Comment by cantinflas — March 9, 2007 @ 3:45 pm

  34. I have a special place in my heart for Spinal Tap, so it will always be number one. It was my first date with my husband!

    Also, I bet I’m one of the few people who has ever seen Spinal Tap in a small club in San Francisco LIVE!! Live, I tell you, LIVE! And yes, they brought out the little Stonehenge! :-)

    Susan, watch Tap.

    Comment by meems — March 10, 2007 @ 12:40 am