# The greatest comedy of all time, according to Jack Black: “That’s the gold standard”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-greatest-comedy-of-all-time-according-to-jack-black-thats-the-gold-standard/
- Published: 2026-10-29T16:57:52+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-29T17:36:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jack-black-greatest-comedy-movie-of-all-time/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Jack Black calls *This Is Spinal Tap* comedy’s gold standard.
- The 1984 mockumentary follows a fictional British rock band.
- Improvised dialogue and musical performances helped shape its humour.

## Summary

Jack Black has named Rob Reiner’s 1984 film *This Is Spinal Tap* the greatest comedy of all time, saying its influence changed comedy. He made the choice in a 2006 interview when asked about music comedies, but argued the film’s appeal goes far beyond that genre.

The mockumentary follows fictional British rock band Spinal Tap, played by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, as a filmmaker documents their album release and mishaps. Reiner planned set-pieces such as the miniature Stonehenge and an amplifier that goes up to eleven, while much of the dialogue was improvised; the film’s songs also draw on the cast’s musical ability.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.