(Left) ‘Nightbitch’ director Marielle Heller. (Right) 1992’s ‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Preview:
Director Marielle Heller is developing a live-action ‘FernGully’.
It’ll be a remake of the 1992 animated movie.
Amazon MGM Studios is backing the project.
1992’s Environmental-themed ‘FernGully’ wasn’t exactly a big hit upon its original release –– it made $32 million worldwide against a $24 million budget. But in the decades since, it has earned a place in at least some cinemagoers’ hearts.
That’s surely what Amazon MGM Studios will be hoping for as it sets ‘Nightbitch’ filmmaker Marielle Heller to write and direct a live-action update.
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And let’s not forget that the studio will also be aiming to replicate the success seen by the likes of Disney and DreamWorks Animation, which have seen several re-imaginings of their cartoon output do good business at the box office in the last few years.
1992’s ‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
The original film followed the magical inhabitants of an Australian rainforest as they fight to save their home, which is threatened by logging and a polluting force of destruction called Hexxus.
We don’t yet know what elements Heller –– who has written and will direct the new film –– is retaining.
When will the new ‘FernGully’ be in theaters?
Amazon MGM Studios has yet to say anything about the movie’s potential release date (and we notice it wasn’t mentioned as part of the company’s CinemaCon presentation), so we’ll have to wait and see on that front.
1992’s ‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has achieved EGOT status.
He’s now the 21st person to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.
Robert Lopez is the only double-EGOT winner.
You would be forgiven for thinking that he was already there given his career to date, but thanks to a Grammy win as one of the producers on ‘Music by John Williams,’ a tribute to the storied career (and the director’s longtime friend and collaborator), Steven Spielberg has joined the EGOT club.
For those thinking, “EWhat?” it means those who have won the four major awards, an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.
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Spielberg becomes the 21st person to achieve the illustrious status (see more below).
But despite his many awards, Spielberg has some way to go to compete with ‘Frozen’ co-songwriter Robert Lopez, who has managed to win them all at least twice.
When will Spielberg’s next movie arrive?
The director has his latest movie, sci-fi thriller ‘Disclosure Day’, due on June 12 this year.
Emily Blunt in ‘Disclosure Day’, directed by Steven Spielberg. Photo: Universal Pictures.
(L to R) Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
(L to R) Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
More than 40 years ago, Rob Reiner made his feature directorial debut with ‘This is Spinal Tap,’ a faux documentary – or a mockumentary – about the final American tour of an aging, dysfunctional, and generally tacky British heavy metal act called Spinal Tap. Featuring Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer as the three main members of the group, and Reiner himself as filmmaker Marty Di Bergi, who is ‘directing’ the doc, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ not only was a brilliantly funny satire of documentaries but an acidic look at the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle that is required viewing for heavy rockers to this day.
Four decades and many projects later for all involved, the venerable metal squad returns in ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,’ in which the band – due to a contractual glitch – have to reunite for one last show despite not speaking with each other in 15 years. It’s a difficult lift to try and recapture the absurdist magic of the original film, and Reiner and company don’t quite do that. But they manage to pull together a bunch of funny moments and create an affectionate and warm tribute to the ‘band’ that will leave fans smiling.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
As in the first film, the ‘story’ is only a loose thread on which to string together the various sketches and character bits that paint a portrait of the now elderly group (and their even more elderly wigs). Following the original documentary, Spinal Tap saw a resurgence in their career that they managed to milk for another 25 years – until one day, 15 years ago, lead singer David St. Hubbins (McKean) suddenly stopped talking to guitarist and co-founder Nigel Tufnel (Guest) for reasons unknown to everyone, even Nigel.
David now writes hold music and plays with a mariachi band in Morro Bay, California, while Nigel runs a ‘cheese and guitars’ shop in Northern England and bassist Derek Smalls (Shearer) is the proprietor of a London glue museum. But due to the management contract now held by Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), daughter of late Spinal Tap manager Ian Faith (the late Tony Hendra), the band is obligated to play one more show. Can they pull it together, and will we find out why David ceased communicating with his elementary school pal Nigel?
The answers are revealed — and really don’t matter (the latter revelation is especially perfunctory and ill-staged). The real joy of ‘Spinal Tap II’ is seeing these comedians once again don the personas of this permanently addled, perpetually mediocre musical act. There are lots of nods to the original film: for instance, the band can’t find a new drummer – Questlove and Metallica’s Lars Ulrich are among those they approach — because all are terrified of joining the nearly dozen who have died in the past. Instead of his amps going to 11, Nigel now has a cheese grater hidden in the back of his guitar for a mid-concert snack and an ever-expanding collection of floor pedals.
(L to R) Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
Their new PR consultant (Fran Drescher’s Bobbi Flekman passes on returning in a brief cameo), an obnoxious blowhard played by Chris Addison, reckons that the best thing would be for one of the members to die onstage during the concert. That bit touches on the film’s underlying idea: when is enough enough? In an era where audiences are taking out second mortgages to go to one ‘farewell’ concert after another from aging rock legends, should these guys know when to stop?
Don’t think too deeply about that, because the film doesn’t. Reiner stages it just like the first one, with ‘candid’ footage of the band’s misadventures cut between interview sessions conducted by the rather clumsy Mr. Di Bergi. It fits pretty seamlessly with the first one stylistically, but the reversals and some – not all – of the jokes seem a bit tired. Still, the ones that land are often still hysterical, and despite what we said above, there’s something fun and comfortable about seeing these lads go at it once again.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
‘Spinal Tap II’ really belongs to McKean and Guest, with Shearer and Reiner there as steady support along with a boatload of cameos. It’s Guest who is perhaps the most surprising, as the befuddled Nigel displays another side to his personality that finds him yearning to be back in his cheese shop with his wife. McKean’s David still suffers from lead singer disease, most noticeably when Paul McCartney sits in with the band during rehearsals and offers some advice on how to strengthen a song – advice which David does not take kindly to (“He has a toxic personality,” sneers the frontman later about the affable, soft-spoken musical deity).
McCartney seems to enjoy being in on the joke, and there is a moment in that sequence where you can palpably feel McKean, Shearer, and Guest’s amazement that they’re jamming with a Beatle. The same goes for Elton John, who shows up late in the film but also proves a good sport in a twist on one of the first movie’s most famous sequences.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest in ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Photo: Bleecker Street.
We went into ‘Spinal Tap II’ thinking that Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer couldn’t pull it off, and that it would be a flat-footed debacle. That’s hardly the case. As we noted earlier, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a sort of lightning-in-a-bottle scenario, and at times ‘Spinal Tap II’ labors too hard to recapture that vibe. But we would also be lying if we said that this rusty but pleasant contraption of a film didn’t tap into our sense of nostalgia more than once – just like the bands it still sends up.
‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’ receives a score of 80 out of 100.
(L to R) Chris Addison, Kerry Godliman, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
What is the plot of ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’?
Some 40 years after his film ‘This is Spinal Tap’ chronicled a doomed U.S. tour by an over-the-hill British metal band, film director Marty Di Bergi creates another documentary of the band’s reunion and final show.
Who is in the cast of ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’?
(L to R) Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
And on the returning side of things, two more cast members from the original movie will be back: Tracie Thoms, will reprise her part as Lily, the handbag-loving best friend of Hathaway’s Andy Sachs, and Tibor Feldman is on to once again play Irv Ravitz, the chairman of Runway’s parent company Elias-Clark.
(L to R) Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Adapted by Aline Brosh McKenna from Lauren Weisberger’s novel and directed by David Frankel, the original follows Andy Sachs (Hathaway), a recent journalism graduate who moves to New York City and lands a job as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the powerful and demanding editor-in-chief of high-fashion magazine Runway, with Blunt as Emily, Priestly’s primary aide.
Andy initially struggles with the high-pressure environment and Miranda’s relentless demands but gradually adapts, gaining confidence and style. As she becomes more involved in her work, she faces personal challenges, including a strained relationship with her boyfriend, Nate (Adrian Grenier), and ethical dilemmas about the fashion industry’s values.
The movie was a hit, earning close to $125 million in the US and more than $326 million worldwide. Streep was nominated for an Oscar along with costume designer Patricia Field.
What would the new movie be about?
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in 2006’s ‘The Devil Wears Prada .’
With the cast all back for this one, the sequel’s plot would reportedly pick up the story with Priestly still the head of Runway, but the magazine has endured the financial headwinds of contemporary publishing and is in a diminished state.
Blunt’s one-time assistant would now be an executive at a luxury brand conglomerate that advertises with Runway.
Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Grenier won’t be back, but we do know that Branagh will be playing Miranda Priestly’s husband, which as anyone who has seen the first film knows, is not an easy gig given the hard-charging, perfectionist character’s style.
Behind the scenes, McKenna has written the new script and Frankel is once again calling the shots.
What else is happening in the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ world?
Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
In addition to the sequel, a musical adaptation with an original score by Elton John, is playing in London’s West End.
Novak’s work has been more behind the scenes of late, though he did have a role in TV series ‘Poker Face’ this year, and he’s a contributor to a documentary about comedian Mitch Hedberg.
Kenneth Branagh is the first new addition to the cast of ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’.
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are all back for the sequel.
Writer Aline Brosh McKenna and director David Frankel are also returning.
The last time we reported on the sequel to 2006 comedy drama ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ it was still lurking in development, without a full commitment from the cast to return.
As per the Instagram post below, the sequel is now in production, meaning that it’ll be on screens next year, just in time for the 20th anniversary of the original.
(L to R) Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Adapted by Aline Brosh McKenna from Lauren Weisberger’s novel and directed by David Frankel, the original follows Andy Sachs (Hathaway), a recent journalism graduate who moves to New York City and lands a job as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the powerful and demanding editor-in-chief of high-fashion magazine Runway, with Blunt as Emily, Priestly’s primary aide.
Andy initially struggles with the high-pressure environment and Miranda’s relentless demands but gradually adapts, gaining confidence and style. As she becomes more involved in her work, she faces personal challenges, including a strained relationship with her boyfriend, Nate (Adrian Grenier), and ethical dilemmas about the fashion industry’s values.
The movie was a hit, earning close to $125 million in the US and more than $326 million worldwide. Streep was nominated for an Oscar along with costume designer Patricia Field.
What would the new movie be about?
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in 2006’s ‘The Devil Wears Prada .’
With the cast all back for this one, the sequel’s plot would reportedly pick up the story with Priestly still the head of Runway, but the magazine has endured the financial headwinds of contemporary publishing and is in a diminished state.
Blunt’s one-time assistant would now be an executive at a luxury brand conglomerate that advertises with Runway.
Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Grenier won’t be back, but we do know that Branagh will be playing Miranda Priestly’s husband, which as anyone who has seen the first film knows, is not an easy gig given the hard-charging, perfectionist character’s style.
Behind the scenes, McKenna has written the new script and Frankel is once again calling the shots.
What else is happening in the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ world?
Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
In addition to the sequel, a musical adaptation with an original score by Elton John, is playing in London’s West End.
That one follows an airman whose reconnaissance mission over Soviet territory goes awry, forcing him to crash-land and survive in Russian wilderness while evading capture or rescue.
It also stars Ryan Reynolds and Maria Bakalova, and is reportedly going to be released in September, though there has been little promotion for it so far.
Finally, there is a movie, currently called ‘Atonement’ (which may change given the slightly well known 2008 drama), which sees a troubled marine seeking to reconcile with the survivors of an Iraqi family he and his unit fired on back in 2003, that one, with Reed Van Dyk in the director’s chair, is in pre-production.
When will ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ be in theaters?
The sequel is currently scheduled for a May 1st, 2026 release, which should make fans of the original, who have anticipated a follow-up, happy.
(L to R) Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
(L to R) Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Preview:
Disney is in early development on a ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ sequel.
Writer Aline Brosh McKenna is scripting the new movie.
Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt may return, but Anne Hathaway is yet to be confirmed.
One of the movies where there is lot of chatter about a potential sequel, but little actual forward movement, has just shifted into more likely territory.
According to Puck (and since confirmed by the likes of Deadline), original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna is writing the script, with producer Wendy Finerman aboard and director David Frankel in talks.
While Streep and Blunt, are reportedly close to a potential deal to return, Hathaway (who has been outspoken about not being convinced it could work) is not yet, But the trio recently reunited at the SAG awards and made plenty of references to the original.
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What was the story of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’?
(L to R) Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Adapted by McKenna from Lauren Weisberger’s novel and directed by Frankel, the 2006 original follows Andy Sachs (Hathaway), a recent journalism graduate who moves to New York City and lands a job as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the powerful and demanding editor-in-chief of high-fashion magazine Runway, with Blunt as Emily, Priestly’s primary aide.
Andy initially struggles with the high-pressure environment and Miranda’s relentless demands but gradually adapts, gaining confidence and style. As she becomes more involved in her work, she faces personal challenges, including a strained relationship with her boyfriend, Nate (Adrian Grenier), and ethical dilemmas about the fashion industry’s values.
What would the new movie be about?
Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Assuming the cast can be all be convinced to return (is that truckloads of cash being driven to their respective homes we hear?), the sequel’s plot would reportedly pick up the story with Priestly still the head of Runway, but the magazine has endured the financial headwinds of contemporary publishing and is in a diminished state.
Blunt’s one-time assistant would now be an executive at a luxury brand conglomerate that advertises with Runway.
We’ll have to see if this one actually makes it out of the development phase, but Disney is rarely one to let an opportunity like this go to waste.
What else is happening in the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ world?
Vanessa Williams in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ musical. Photo: Prada West End Instagram Account.
In addition to the sequel, a musical adaptation with an original score by Elton John, has just launched previews in the UK, kicking off in Plymouth ahead of a planned West End run.
Vanessa Williams is playing the Miranda Priestly role, and a first look at her on stage (well, rising on to it) is online via the production’s Instagram page.
Of course, Tap being Tap (the band that is famously seen getting lost in the labyrinthine corridors of a Cleveland venue, and saw their Stonehenge set pieces constructed to slightly smaller scale than imagined), it hasn’t exactly worked out like that.
Still, production company Castle Rock has announced that the follow-up is now officially in production in New Orleans, as Reiner starts aiming to marshal that madness that comes when you have Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer making music together.
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What was the story of ‘This is Spinal Tap’?
(L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.
To give its full title, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a mock doc following the titular heavy metal band around as they tour their new album. The comedy that ensues includes them securing second billing to a puppet show and much talk of the fates to befall various former drummers.
The film stars McKean, Guest and Shearer as the main members of the band, David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls, and while there was an outline for each scene and certain points that had to be hit, a lot of the movie was improvised by the cast.
Reiner appeared on screen as Marti DiBergi, the filmmaker following the band around to document their few triumphs and many disasters.
Released in 1984, it makes regular appearances on or atop Best Comedy lists and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry and deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress.
Since the original film, there has been a DVD sequel, ‘The Return of Spinal Tap’, and an album, ‘Spinal Tap: Back from the Dead’ arrived in 2009.
The band has also toured a few times, but this marks the full reunion of Reiner with his stars.
What’s the story of the ‘Spinal Tap’ sequel?
(L to R) Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.
Almost nothing has been revealed about the new movie, though the official announcement carries the following logline: “after a 15-year hiatus, England’s loudest and most punctual band reunite for one final concert.”
Here’s what Reiner says about the new movie:
“I recently spoke to Marty DiBergi who said that he was more than happy to take a sabbatical from his position as a visiting Professor’s Assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts to once again document Spinal Tap to ensure their place in the pantheon of Rock and Roll.”
Who else is in the new movie?
Sir Paul McCartney, in Studio 2 Abbey Road in ‘If These Walls Could Sing.’ Credit: Mary McCartney.
Given Tap’s wide influence on music (albeit in a comedy sense), it’s perhaps not surprising that a variety of famous faces from the world of music would want to cameo. We can expect to see the likes of Elton John, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood show up, though the hope is that the cameos don’t detract from the main trio.
The ‘Spinal Tap’ sequel (could it be called ‘This is Spinal Tap… Again’? –– Rob, call us, we’ll figure out a payment plan for that idea) has yet to announce a release date.
Scene from ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie.’ Photo: AMC Theatres.
Preview:
Taylor Swift’s hugely successful ‘Eras Tour’ film is headed to Disney+.
It’ll include five songs not heard on previous versions.
The movie will start streaming exclusively on the service from next month.
It might not feature a 13 anywhere, but Taylor Swift has still found an impactful date for the news to break that her ‘Eras Tour’ concert film has found a new permanent home on streaming.
Actually, it’s more Disney’s schedule than Swift, since the entertainment behemoth used the day of its investors’ earning call to announce that ‘The Eras Tour’ will be streaming exclusively on Disney+ from next month.
Still, it marks the same day that Swift re-starts the tour, this time in Japan.
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What was The Eras Tour?
Scene from ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie.’ Photo: AMC Theatres.
It’s more accurate to say, “what *is* The Eras Tour?” given that it’s continuing around the world.
After kicking off last year on March 17th in Glendale Arizona and taking in huge chunks of the States, the tour wrapped up its 2023 run in São Paulo, Brazil on November 26th.
According to data from live music trade publication Pollstar, the tour has become the highest-grossing concert tour in history, becoming the first ever to make $1 billion. So successful was it that it earned more than the next two-highest ranked tours of the time combined (that would be Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen).
The previous record holder was Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ tour, which took years to accomplish that. So it’s less “goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and more, “Goodbye Elton John”…
As for the movie, it has also been a big hit for Swift, earning $261.1 million worldwide since its release in theaters on October 13th last year. The singer-songwriter chose to bypass the studios for the theatrical release, striking a deal with theatre chain AMC that saw her pocket more of the profit.
What will be new for the Disney+ release of ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’?
Scene from ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie.’ Photo: AMC Theatres.
The new, Disney+ cut of the movie will feature five songs that didn’t show up in either the theatrical or video on demand release. We already know that “Cardigan” is one of them, but all involved are staying quiet as to the others.
It’ll likely prove a boost for Disney’s streaming service, which saw a 1.3 million subscriber loss after it raised prices in the last year.
Here’s what Disney boss Bob Iger had to say about the new release:
“‘The Eras Tour’ has been a true phenomenon that has and continues to thrill fans around the world, and we are very excited to bring this electrifying concert to audiences wherever they are, exclusively on Disney+.”
When will ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ land on Disney+
Swifties (and anyone else who is interested) will be able to see the movie on Disney+ from March 15th.
Scene from ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie.’ Photo: AMC Theatres.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie:’
(L to R) Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.
Preview:
Director Rob Reiner says he’s preparing to shoot the ‘Spinal Tap’ sequel in February.
Stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer will all reprise their roles.
Reiner is likening the tone to Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Waltz’ documentary.
‘Spinal Tap’ fans, prepare to set your excitement dial to 11. Why so? After years of teasing and talking about it, the team behind the legendary mockumentary are officially getting the band back together on big screens for a sequel.
At least, that’s what director Rob Reiner –– who also appeared in the original as faux documentarian Martin “Marty” Di Bergi –– is saying, when asked for an update on the sequel.
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What was the story of ‘This is Spinal Tap’?
(L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.
To give its full title, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a mock doc following the titular heavy metal band around as they tour their new album. The madness that ensues includes them being second billing to a puppet show, a Stonehenge prop designed to entirely wrong specifications and much talk of the fates to befall various former drummers.
The film stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer as the main members of the band, David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls, and while there was an outline for each scene and certain points that had to be hit, a lot of the movie was improvised by the cast.
Released in 1984, it makes regular appearances on or atop Best Comedy lists and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry and deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress.
Since the original film, there has been a DVD sequel, ‘The Return of Spinal Tap’, and an album, ‘Spinal Tap: Back from the Dead’ arrived in 2009.
The band has also toured a few times, but this marks the full reunion of Reiner with his stars.
“We’re making a sequel. We’re going to start shooting in the end of February and everybody is back.”
Reiner hinted that the plan for the film is to mimic the style of Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Waltz,’ the legendary concert film that documented the farewell tour of the Canadian American rock group The Band.
And from the sound of it, it’ll be a farewell to the Tap. At least, for now. Here’s what Reiner said:
“You don’t want to overstay your welcome. This is like stand-up — you leave them wanting. You go off on a big laugh and go out. The worst thing you could do is just load it up with, even if they’re funny things, they may be tangents and things that take away from the drive of the film.”
In the same interview, Reiner revealed that the likes of music icons Paul McCartney and Elton John would make an appearance in the new movie, representing just two people in the industry who are big fans of the original.
When will the next ‘Spinal Tap’ be in theaters?
While the movie had been scheduled for March 19, 2024, the actors’ strike put an end to that. As it stands, the film does not have a release date set.
(L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.
Premiering on Disney+ beginning December 16th is the new documentary ‘If These Walls Could Sing,’ which chronicles Abbey Road Studio, the London recording studio made famous by The Beatles and many other musical artists.
Directed by Mary McCartney, the film looks at the 90-year history of Abbey Road Studio including the recording of The Beatles albums, scoring ‘Star Wars,’ and the 90’s Britpop movement.
In addition to being a documentary filmmaker, director Mary McCartney is also an accomplished photographer, and cooking show host with her Discover+/Food Network series, ‘Mary McCartney Serves It Up.’ She is also the daughter of Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, who in addition to being a musician was also an accomplished photographer and cookbook author herself.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Mary McCartney in an extended interview about her work on ‘If These Walls Could Sing,’ the history of Abbey Road, interviewing her father, Elton John’s love for her dad, Jimmy Page’s contribution to ‘Goldfinger,’ how Indiana Jones saved the recording studio, and having to record the Gallagher Brothers from Oasis separately.
Sir Paul McCartney, in Studio 2 Abbey Road in ‘If These Walls Could Sing.’ Credit: Mary McCartney.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Mary McCartney about ‘If These Walls Could Sing.’
Moviefone: To begin with, obviously you and your family have a long history with Abbey Road Studios, but how did this documentary come together and as a filmmaker why did you want to tell this story?
Mary McCartney: Well, up until doing this documentary, I was a portrait photographer and a photographer doing exhibitions and books. So, I was approached. A natural progression from photography is to move into directing and I’ve been directing more short pieces. Then I was invited by John Battsek from Ventureland, who is an Oscar nominated documentary director, he messaged me one day and said, “Have you thought of directing documentaries?” I was like, yes, I have. Then he said, would you please direct the documentary of the 90-year history of Abbey Road?
If I’m honest, if you can believe it, my first reaction was to say no, because I thought it’s a bit too close to home. Then I had a little word with myself and I thought, yes, I will do this. It’s an amazing opportunity. I love Abbey Road and I’ve been going there since I was born. Even before I was born, probably in my mother’s tummy. There was so much I did not know about the studio, and I didn’t even know that it had a 90-year history. So, it has been a complete adventure and a pleasure to do this.
MF: In addition to the amazing interviews you conducted for the movie, you also include a lot of archive footage. Can you talk about the challenges of finding all the material you needed for the documentary?
MM: So, originally it was like, “Will you direct the documentary about the history of Abbey Road?” I was like, okay, yes. Then they were like, “We’ll make the archive completely available to you.” So, I thought I was going to go into this Aladdin’s cave of pictures and footage. Then I soon realized, which I should have known, is there isn’t very much footage because one of the golden rules is when you’re recording musicians and artists, producers and engineers, they’re locked in the space and it’s creative. You don’t want people filming you and distracting you.
I soon realized that any archive footage we had, we’d have to make work. I think we worked really hard to make it look like there was a lot of footage, but actually it was scarce and we built it up through, as you say, audio interviews, photographs, and what film we could find.
So, then going onto the interviews, the interviews had a lot of importance placed on them because I really needed to capture the essence and emotion of the studio through those interviews. That’s where my kind of career as a photographer came in because I have this bag of tricks. It created a nice environment for the person we’re interviewing. A lot of them, the majority of them, we were actually able to film at the studio, in Studio One, Studio Two or Studio Three.
I think that really helped with the feel of it. Also, I just really tried to make it very relaxed and casual. I think that’s one thing that I’m really happy with in the documentary is that it is very conversational. They’re relaxed and I think it really allows the viewer to connect. I want to draw the viewer in and make them feel that by the end of watching it, that they’ve been in Abbey Road, that they feel that the essence of Abbey Road in their hearts.
MF: Seeing how you are Paul McCartney’s daughter, and all the musicians you interviewed love and respect your dad, do you think that helped with conducting the interviews?
MM: I think it did. I was slightly nervous because I haven’t interviewed people before and one of my habits is interrupting people. I get overexcited in conversation. I butt in and I kind of talk over people, so I really had to rein myself in. But you are right. I hadn’t really met Jimmy Page before. I know Elton John, but not that well. But then they’d end up saying, “Oh your dad.” My voice wasn’t going to be in it. So, it was funny in the end I gave into it and it became part of the feel of ‘If These Walls Could Sing.’
‘If These Walls Could Sing’ director Mary McCartney taking photos at Abbey Road. Photo: Mary McCartney/Tim Cragg.
MF: The documentary starts with your narration and home photos of you and your family at Abby Road with your pony Jet, who the Wings song was written about. Can you talk about the choice as a filmmaker to really personalize the movie?
MM: Once you’ve got a project like this, you’re really making it for the viewer. I’ve grown up in London so I go past that crossing on a regular basis and it’s always got people taking photographs on it, but it has more than this feeling of, tourists have come here to take their pictures. It’s more like when I look at some of those people, it feels like a family pilgrimage. It feels like a really heartfelt reason and it feels quite emotional. They’re there by the wall and at the crossing but they can’t go into the studio.
So, I actually did think this was a real opportunity to bring this into people’s homes. I still get that feeling when I walk through the doors at Abbey Road. I did all the beauty shots there and I still walk in and it’s like you get this feeling of “There’s something special here.” It makes you feel good. It makes you want to up your game.
MF: One of the many things I love about your dad is how unassuming he is. In the movie, he picks up a guitar and starts playing ‘Blackbird,’ and acts like it is no big deal. What was it like for you to interview your own father?
MM: It’s a little nerve-wracking because interviewing anybody or photographing anybody, it’s like what mood are they going to be in? How are they going to be feeling on that day? So, I create the space that when they walk in, it’s going to feel good, but I can’t say what’s happened to them or if somebody annoyed them over breakfast. So, you want someone to arrive in a good mood because otherwise it’s difficult to be interviewed if you’re not feeling it.
So, I set the studio, I had his Hofner bass, and I had a piano. When he walked in it had this feeling for him to be like, “I’m in Abbey Road.” It ignited some memories for him. The funny thing is, I had the acoustic guitar next to him and I was like, “Look, I really want to include ‘Blackbird,’ so if you feel like you could pick it up and just play some of it, but no pressure.”
So he does, but my sound recordist had put a little square of carpet under his foot because when you’re interviewing you don’t want to hear people tapping their feet on the wooden floor in the studio. So, my dad is also a bit of a rebel and if you tell him he can’t do something… so he was like, “Why have you got this under my feet?” Then he was really happy. He was like, “Oh, and it’s in the documentary.” It’s like, “Oh, I’m just going to have to move this so you can hear my foot tap.” So, it was sort of quite sweet.
He was in a really good mood and he loves Abbey Road. I think it’s one of the most relaxed interviews I’ve ever seen him do because he was really happy to talk about it. The people that he’s worked with there over the years, he loves and he really admires the technical brilliance of the space. I feel like that really comes across. He wanted to tell the world his feelings about Abbey Road. He was happy to reminisce.
(L to R) Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison in Disney+’s ‘The Beatles: Get Back’
MF: I get goosebumps every time Paul mentions The Beatles. Do you have that same reaction or are you somewhat desensitized to the whole Beatles-thing?
MM: I knew partly any of the stories that I’ve put into the documentary. I think a lot of kids, like my kids don’t pay attention to what I do. I’ve taken pictures of the Queen, but they don’t go, “Mom tell us about when you went to the palace.” For some reason you just don’t until you become an adult and you leave home, I think then I’d question Dad more about his life and career. But I learned a lot through making this documentary, which is why I’m really happy that I did it.
I didn’t realize that they had done all of their albums except one at Abbey Road. I didn’t realize that they had used all the different spaces. One of the interesting things about Abbey Road was that they had done comedy recordings there in the early sixties. They had a whole sort of special effects area for radio shows. So, those worked their way in on ‘Yellow Submarine.’ It just pieced together a whole area that I didn’t know about.
MF: Can you talk about filming George Martin’s son, Giles Martin and having him play the original studio tracks for ‘A Day in the Life?’
MM: Well, Giles Martin was a dream to interview because he worked so closely with his father and he’s been remastering a lot of The Beatles albums. He did the ‘Love’ album as well with his dad. So, he’s the total expert, but also he’s very eloquent. He was really able to explain a lot of the story about Brian Epstein, the manager, bringing in all of those kind of bands and singers then.
He was a real dream to interview. He’s also a producer, so I was like, do you think we can get hold of the original Beatles master tapes? So, we filmed him and it’s great just to be able to see and hold those tapes with the original handwriting on them. It was really magical.
Then, he’s pulling up the orchestral pieces, or the vocals, or the drums, and he knows it so well. He can just tell you the stories behind it. Again, it just really brings it alive and helps shows the recording process. So, within this, it is very important to show the recording process. It’s a recording studio and that’s a moment where the viewer can really see the mixing levels and feel how it comes together to be the finished piece.
MF: The documentary also chronicles how the film industry, and especially Lucasfilm helped save Abbey Road after The Beatles stopped making records. Can you talk about that?
MM: The really interesting thing I hadn’t realized is at a dramatic point in the documentary when they came across hard times, when all of the classical recordings had dried up, and it was like, “What are we going to do with this huge space of Studio One and do we have to make it into a car park or close it down altogether?” Then Ken Townsend, the manager, found out that a movie stage was closing down outside of London and quickly got a movie screen projector and he got the contract to do ‘Star Wars,’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ Even to this day, all the ‘Harry Potter’ films were done there. So, dramatic moments like that, I knew nothing about those things.
A load of major films are done there. One of the highlights for me in this process was interviewing John Williams. He’s an absolutely incredible and awe-inspiringly talented. There’s a really funny coincidence moment because I was interviewing him at a studio in Los Angeles and then completely coincidentally, and it shows at the end credits, Ringo Starr came in the back of my interview at the end and walked into the interview. So, that was quite a funny moment, which I put on the title credits. Ringo’s interview had been done months before in London, at Abbey Road. It was a complete coincidence he was there.
I really didn’t know so many things, and through this process, I kind of became an expert, learning exactly what the history of Abbey Road and everyone that ever record there was. Then I thought, which stories do we pluck out? Because there’s no way of putting everything in.
MF: The film reveals that Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin was actually a session musician on Shirley Bassey’s recording of ‘Goldfinger’ for the James Bond movie of the same name. Can you talk about how you discovered that fun fact?
MM: It was one of my favorite moments. I think in dissecting the story, I wanted to put in stories of session musicians and what that meant because I didn’t know that Elton John started his career as a session musician at Abbey Road playing piano on different people’s tracks, which is in the documentary.
Then I found out Jimmy Page, who’s a legend as well, had recorded with Shirley Bassey on ‘Goldfinger’ for the Bond movie. So, I interviewed him and then intercut it perfectly with Shirley Bassey’s story. I think that’s one of my favorite moments in documentary because it’s so dramatic and fun. Because there’s this famous story of how she had to hold that note for so long and then Jimmy Page was like, “She collapsed on the floor at the end.” So, to get him telling that story was incredible.
MF: You also were able to find footage of Shirley Bassey telling her side of the story. Was that hard to find?
MM: Yes, but I had to find that. I knew this folklore story that Shirley Bassey had held this note and collapsed, but we had no proof of it. We hadn’t found that interview at this point. I was like, I really want to put this in the documentary, but how do we do that? Then, what we did have access to, which was incredible, is all the handwritten recording sessions, which were all sort of filed little bits of paper from Abbey Road. So, we could go to the ‘Goldfinger’ sessions and it had Jimmy Page down as one of the session musicians.
So, it was a very well researched documentary. I had a really good research team. I had a great editor and it’s my first foray into directing and a feature length piece. The chemistry between the team was amazing. So, I’ve definitely got a bug to do more.
(L to R) Composer John Williams and Harrison Ford at Star Wars Celebration 2022.
MF: It’s well documented that brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher from Oasis no longer speak to each other, was it difficult scheduling their interviews at Abbey Road? You had to record them separately, correct?
MM: Yeah, they were recorded completely separately. My understanding is they do not speak to each other. They’ve parted ways but they still work together I think in a way. They’ve released documentaries. So, I felt it was important to have both of their voices and I was very happy that I had them both. I think even though they’re not together in the documentary, the section about Oasis has a warmth and it’s about the music and it’s about the stories. So, there’s a real warmth to it and they’re brothers, I would love for them to make up.
But in the meantime, I think it really shows that Britpop moment. It shows how Abbey Road really facilitated the artists first and foremost. They brought in couches and things. They had a hangout chill area for when Liam Gallagher was waiting to sing. They have this canteen and bar at Abbey Road, so there’s sort of really nice little area to hang around in. But I really wanted to get both of their voices. They’re both very funny and they’ve got a good sense of humor. It really brings up that moment alive, and they are really influenced by The Beatles. So, again, it ties it all together.
MF: Finally, Elton John’s segment in the movie really feels like a love letter to your father. Can you talk interviewing him and what he told you about how your dad influenced and changed his life?
MM: I mean, Elton was really great on the day he arrived and he seemed really like he wanted to tell the story, and he wanted to do it because he tells an anecdote about when he was recording in Abbey Road Studio Three. It was quite funny because each person I would interview would be like, “We were recording and then your dad would come in and say hi.” He obviously was quite social, kind of nosing his way into different people’s sessions.
But Elton said, “Your dad came in and was like, do you want to hear my new song?” And he just sat at the piano and played ‘Let It Be.’ Elton says in the documentary, it just really inspired him and it was just such a special moment that he’s held and has been so meaningful to him to this day. So, I think in doing this interview, it was his opportunity to say that out loud and in a way, say it to the audience, but also say it to my dad.
He was like, “I want him to really know how much that meant to me and how much that really meant to me within my career, and how it sort of creatively inspired me.” It’s quite heartfelt, isn’t it? I couldn’t have expected that before. I had no idea what mood he would be in or what he wanted to say.
Abbey Road, a detail photo of a tape machine from ‘If These Walls Could Sing.’ Photo: Mercury Studios/Tim Cragg.
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