150 Greatest Movie Performances Of All Time

Part one (150-121)

By Total FilmDec 8th 2008

19. 133. Christopher Guest - Nigel Tufnel, This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Christopher Guest owns improv comedies. So much so, many believe he – not Rob Reiner – directed Tap.

A forgivable oversight perhaps, given his Nigel Tufnel is the idiot-savant star of the rockumentary, whose most infamous utterance (“The numbers all go to 11... it’s one louder, isn’t it?”) made it into the OED in 2002.

Born in New York to a British diplomat, Guest nails not only the flat Estuary accent but also the tantrums, demands and skin-tight skeleton t-shirt of a washed-up rock star.

Greatest Moment: On a piano lament: “This piece is called ‘Lick My Love Pump’.”

Also See: Count Tyrone Rugen (The Princess Bride), Harlan Pepper (Best In Show)

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