Editing This Is Spinal Tap (section)

==Home media==
''This Is Spinal Tap'' was first released on [[VHS]] in 1984 by Embassy Home Entertainment, and in 1994 as part of the [[The Criterion Collection|Criterion Collection]] on [[LaserDisc]] under the title ''This Is Spinal Tap: Special Edition''. It has also been released twice on [[DVD]].

The first DVD release was a 1998 [[The Criterion Collection|Criterion]] edition in letterbox format which used supplemental material from the 1994 Criterion [[LaserDisc]] release. It is the only [[Double-sided disk|double sided DVD]] in their catalogue, and it is now [[out of print]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.criterion.com/shop/browse?popular=out-of-print |title=Out of Print |website=The Criterion Collection |access-date=July 4, 2022}}</ref> It included an [[Audio commentary (DVD)|audio commentary]] track with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer; a second audio commentary track with Rob Reiner, Karen Murphy, Robert Leighton and Kent Beyda; 79 minutes of deleted scenes; ''Spinal Tap: The Final Tour'', the original twenty-minute short they shot to pitch the film; two trailers that feature Rob Reiner showing a film about cheese rolling (because "Spinal Tap" itself was still in the editing room); a TV promo, ''Heavy Metal Memories''; and a [[music video]] for "Hell Hole". Sales of this edition were discontinued after only two years and the DVD has become a valuable collector's item. Much of this material had appeared on a 1994 [[CD-ROM]] by [[The Voyager Company]] that included the entire film in [[QuickTime]] format.

In 2000, [[MGM Home Entertainment]] released a special edition with more or less the same extras from the Criterion edition, plus a new audio commentary track with Guest, McKean and Shearer performing in character throughout, commenting on the film entirely in their fictional alter-egos, and often disapproving of how the film presents them; 70 minutes of deleted scenes (some of which were not on the Criterion DVD); a new [[short subject|short]], ''Catching Up with Marty Di Bergi'' (where it is revealed that the members of Spinal Tap were very disappointed in Di Bergi for making a "hatchet job" of their film); the ''Heavy Metal Memories'' promo and six additional TV promos; music videos for "Gimme Some Money", "Listen to the Flower People" and "Big Bottom"; and segments of Spinal Tap appearing on ''[[Joe Franklin|The Joe Franklin Show]]''. The special features were produced by [[Automat Pictures]]. However, this version of the film was missing the subtitles that appear throughout the film (for example, introducing band members, other personnel, and location names) and did not include the commentaries from the Criterion edition. The MGM DVD is missing the subtitles burned into the film; they have been replaced with player generated subtitles.

A 25th Anniversary Edition [[Blu-ray Disc]] release was released on July 28, 2009. It includes all bonus features from the MGM DVD, plus an interview with Nigel about Stonehenge, as well as the performance of "Stonehenge" from the band's Live Earth performance. It does not include the commentaries from the Criterion Collection DVD, even though MGM had stated that they would be included in the earliest press release for the Blu-ray version (most likely due to legal issues), and does not feature a "create your own avatars" element teased in publicity. However, this version does restore the subtitles that introduce band members/locales/events/etc. that were missing from MGM's DVD. The alternative, Region B, UK edition of this version additionally features a new hour-long documentary featuring famous fans, the "Bitch School" promo, the EPK for the "Back From The Dead" album, an interview with the late Reg Presley discussing the influence of the Troggs tapes on the film, and the first hour (ending with an abrupt edit) of ''The Return Of Spinal Tap''. It does however lose the Di Bergi short and the Joe Franklin clip.

Sometime in the 2000s a workprint version of the film was uploaded online. This version is 270 minutes long. It includes many scenes never released in any home media release.

Concurrent with the announcement of ''Spinal Tap II'', the sequel's distributor [[Bleecker Street (company)|Bleecker Street]] would acquire all domestic distribution rights for the first film from its filmmakers and [[Creative Arts Agency|CAA Media Finance]] in March 2025, with the company hosting all distribution going forward, including home media.<ref>[https://www.screendaily.com/news/bleecker-street-acquires-us-rights-to-spinal-tap-ii-and-original-1984-cult-classic/5202878.article Bleeker Street Acquires US Rights to "Spinal Tap II" and Original 1984 Cult Classic]</ref>