The 10 rock comedies

Earlier than Spinal Tap, better than The Beatles. Eric Idle and Neil Innes chart the career of the Pre-Fab Four - Ron, Dirk, Stig (the quiet one) and Barry (the noisy one) - from early gigs at the Rutland Cavern and Hamburg's 'Der Rat Kellar' to the enormodrome of America's Che Stadium, named after the Cuban guerrilla leader, Che Stadium. 'A Hard Day's Rut'; 'Ouch!'; 'Cheese and Onions' - the hits never start for four lads far from home, and far from talented. Key events are covered, from their discovery by manager Leggy Mountbatten, through Ron's misheard claim that The Rutles were 'bigger than Rod' (Stewart) to their swansong Let it Rot , released simultaneously as a film, an album and a lawsuit. Will they ever reform? 'I hope not' says Mick Jagger. (But they did, and Archeology knocked spots of Anthology ...)

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Ersatz supply-teacher Jack Black instructs private school kids to 'raise the goblet of rock' and embark upon a journey which will 'test your head, your mind... and your brain too'. Younger viewers thrill to the sight of nerdy 11-year-olds storming a talent contest, while their ageing hippy parents laugh knowingly at references to the keyboard solo from 'Roundabout'. A generation-straddling rocktastic treat.

3 Head (1968)

Take four fun-loving Monkees, stick them in a cabin with Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, chuck in a tape recorder and a bag of Acapulco gold... and marvel at the self-destructive madness that follows. Head-spinning highlights include our heroes throwing themselves off a bridge to 'The Porpoise Song' and turning into dandruff on Victor Mature's head. Co-star Frank Zappa looks sane by comparison.

4 Fear Of A Black Hat (1994)

The superior predecessor to Chris Rock's overrated CB4 . Rusty Cundieff's scrappy, low-budget gem remains the definitive rap parody. Niggaz With Hats defend themselves against charges of racism ('Don't shoot till you see the whites'); violent exploitation ('We're anti-violent - anyone says different, I'll bust a cap in their ass'); and sexism ('A ho' will fuck anybody, but a bitch will fuck anybody... except you'). Word.

5 Gonks Go Beat(1965)

The warring communities of Beatland and Balladisle are taught to work in harmony by space aliens. No, not a documentary, but a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet which unites Kenneth Connor, Lulu, Terry Scott and Ginger Baker on screen for the first (and only) time. Side-splittingly terrible stuff, of which all involved must soon have been thoroughly ashamed.

6 Rock'n'roll High School (1979)

Hailed in the rock-pic bible Hollywood Rock as 'Perfection... every joke is funny, every frame is shot according to God's will'. American youths are inspired by the music of The Ramones to blow up their school. God bless Roger Corman! See The Ramones performing in your bedroom! Hear Dee Dee mumble the word 'pizza'! Laugh as Western Civilization crumbles!

7 A Mighty Wind (2003)

The creators of This Is Spinal Tap take on folk. Learn how the New Main Street Singers invented their unique 'neuftet' sound. Swoon as Mitch and Mickey find 'A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow' after years of surgical supplies and psychiatric care. Stroke your beard as The Folksmen conclude, 'To do then now would be very retro. Although to do then then was very... nowtro.'

8 Airheads (1994)

Metal wannabes The Lone Rangers ('How can you pluralise Lone Rangers?') hijack a radio station armed with a demo tape and water pistols. Directed by Michael Lehmann ( Heathers ) and featuring (among others) Steve Buscemi and Tap mainman Michael McKean. 'Question: Who'd win a wrestling match between Lemmy and God? Answer: Trick question! Lemmy is God!'

9 Wayne's World 2 (1993)

Wayne and Garth mount Waynestock. Included largely because of its use of a 'weird naked Indian' to mock Oliver Stone's humourless The Doors (tag line: 'No one here gets out awake'). Also fun are Ralph Brown's vivid memories of Woodstock ('It rained all morning, then cleared up in the afternoon - that's it') and Christopher Walken moving in a mysterious way. Again.

10 Never Too Young To Rock (1975)

Howl through the tears as Britain becomes a totalitarian state in which rebel glam rockers are forced to perform in secret. Look, there go The Rubettes on the back of a lorry! Crikey, here's Mud performing 'Tiger Feet' in the middle of a truck-stop food-fight! Blimey, this is worse than Cliff Richard in Take Me High! Hilarious without ever actually being funny.

11 This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Too good for the top slot, so there's only one position left - the number that Tap has made its own. The ne plus ultra of mockumentary cinema has given us a catchphrase for every occasion: 'none more black'; 'bizarre gardening accident'; 'patron saint of quality footwear'. 'When I look at some of the early stuff we did,' muses pipe-smoking bassist Derek Smalls, 'It was just ... stupid'. Genius!