Spinal Tap II: The End Continues director Rob Reiner has revealed the hilarious line that guest star Paul McCartney came up with while filming the comedy sequel.
Reiner has said in a new interview that McCartney’s sense of humour shone through when he provided commentary on Spinal Tap’s song “Big Bottom”.
During a faux documentary interview scene in the film, McCartney describes the couplet, “My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo/ I love to sink her with my pink torpedo,” as “like literature, really”.
“He came up with that,” Reiner told The Times. “We didn’t feed them anything.”
The film reunites the characters Nigel Tufnel, David St Hubbins and Derek Smalls (played by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, respectively) as their fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap prepares for a farewell concert in New Orleans.
The new film is a direct sequel to 1984’s This is Spinal Tap, with Reiner once again returning to portray documentary maker Marty DiBergi.
McCartney appears alongside fellow guest stars Elton John, Questlove, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Reiner said none of them needed convincing, adding: “Everyone wanted to be a part of this.”
McCartney’s appearance was inspired by a real-life meeting with the film’s cast when they were playing in adjacent studios, which was turned into a scene in the film.
“He just stopped by and said, ‘Hey fellas, play us a tune,’” Reiner said.
Reiner pointed out that McCartney, like the fictional Spinal Tap, is extending his music career for longer than many artists would.
“I asked him, ‘What is it with all these bands that keep going? Is it that you just love to play?’” Reiner said. “He said, ‘Yeah, that and the drugs.’”
The film, releasing on 12 September, has received mixed reviews from critics. The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey wrote in her two-star review that the sequel is startlingly unfunny.
“Even the pacing feels off, with punchlines either delivered far too late or far too early (oddly enough, it might be McCartney who has the best timing in the film),” writes Loughrey. “Then again, could a film in which a band of elder statesmen consider a loose collection of half-baked thoughts to be art itself be a satire of how some music legends like to conduct themselves? Maybe. But then you’d think under those circumstances I’d be laughing more.”
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues in cinemas from 12 September.
