“Electric Apricot: Quest For Festeroo” (2006)
The band Primus’ founder, Les Claypool, directed this mockumentry that follows a jam band similar to The Grateful Dead as they journey to a fictional music festival called Festeroo. The band, Electric Apricot, is made up of four characters, and while it is not a real band, its performances are extremely convincing. Shot documentary style, the film explores the culture surrounding music’s jam band scene in a humorous fashion.
“This is Spinal Tap” (1984)
Written by the king of mockumentaries, Christopher Guest, “This is Spinal Tap” is the fictional story of a filmmaker trying to make a documentary on the British heavy metal band Spinal Tap. In the film, the over-the-hill members of Spinal Tap take themselves and their mediocre music too seriously. The entire film is one big satire on heavy metal and musicians from the 80s.
“The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash” (1978)
Masterminded by Monty Python’s Eric Idle, this made-for-TV movie is a mockumentary that follows The Rutles, who intentionally resemble The Beatles. The four band members undergo similar experiences as the actual Beatles. They change and spoof famous Beatles songs like “All You Need is Cash.” The fictional band first appeared in a skit on “Saturday Night Live” in the late 70s, which inspired the film.
