Ask any cinephile when the greatest run of filmmaking was achieved, whose body of work represents the most staggering and unbroken list of culturally redefining masterpieces, and I’d wager most would immediately refer to Rob Reiner, who tragically died alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, on Dec. 14. The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner and a household name as an actor from his role on the generationally defining sitcom “All In The Family,” Reiner’s directorial resume, from “This is Spinal Tap” in 1982 through “The American President” in 1995, is unimpeachable and eclectic. His films transcended genre, from fantasy epic “The Princess Bride,” to courtroom drama “A Few Good Men” and his sensibilities shaped popular entertainment in a way few ever have, as he spun for the world cinematic stories told with the care and consideration of a grandfather sharing a bedtime yarn to a sick child, with an actor’s flair and a twinkle in his eye.
Reiner told stories that mattered to him without glibness or irony but with a faith in people that seeped through the seams of every project he directed. He made us care for idiot rockers, rhyming giants, and bonehead kids in search of a dead body; always portraying a world broken and in pain, yet one that, given enough time and love, is on the long, broken road toward healing. A staunch and outspoken liberal, Reiner never shied away from trumpeting what he believed and defending those who needed an ally, making films about the radicalization of Christian Nationalism and advocating for LGBTQ rights. Over the course of more than 60 years in front of and behind the camera, Reiner wielded an insurmountable faith in people, in their goodness; a sentiment shared with two-time collaborator Stephen King, a fellow New Englander with an imperviousness to cynicism and a chronic humanist streak embedded in his work. His films were political without being preachy, impassioned without falling into hyperbole; they were earnest and true to him, his heart laid bare. They seemed to be an extension of the man himself; born from a yearning to spin popcorn stories that yield wellsprings of meaning and compassion. Even meeting and falling in love with Michele Singer Reiner changed the ending of “When Harry Met Sally” from a somber concession toward loneliness into an impassioned declaration of love that will live on for all time. His work touched every person you know in ways both large and small, and I can only hope that even in the aftermath of Rob and Michele’s cruel and senseless deaths, the smoldering core at the center of his humanity remains potent, accessible, and pure as long as his movies are treasured, shown, and shared.
Rob Reiner’s final three feature films, “LBJ,” “Shock and Awe” and “Spinal Tap 2” were all filmed in and around New Orleans. In that time, hundreds of local film crew members worked and collaborated with him and Michele, sharing stories and laughter, and the joy of making movies meant to touch the world. While audiences mourn a pair of legendary filmmakers, they mourn colleagues and friends.
These are their memories of Rob and Michele.
David Bush (Script Supervisor – “Spinal Tap 2”): Like many of the characters he played, Rob was loud. An outsider might confuse his volume for anger or recklessness, but everyone who worked with him knew better. During the shoot for Spinal Tap II, he invited us (the New Orleans crew) to a free screening of “God & Country,” a documentary he produced about the manipulation of Christian faith under the guise of conservative politics. Given his well-earned reputation as a yeller and his identity as a vocally liberal Jewish American, one might have expected Rob’s handling of the topic to be condescending, crass, or even cruel, but both the movie and the subsequent Q&A with leaders of the local Christian community demonstrated tremendous respect, nuance, and tact. Like a football coach, Rob was unapologetically enthusiastic, but he was also thoughtful, compassionate, and most importantly, authentic. Fortunately for all of us, this came through not only in his films but also in his presence.
“On set, Rob and Michele functioned as an extraordinary creative team. Their collaboration was as mutually supportive, seamless, and efficient as any producing/directing pair I’ve ever heard of.”
Lucia Bellanger Koski (Assistant Production Coordinator – “Spinal Tap 2”): Every single morning, when Rob and Michele would come into the office, the way he would greet everybody was to go, “Hello, how are you?” And that voice, his accent, it was so pure and funny and cracked us up. Then, every day, when they would leave, he’d make that same loop again and say, “See ya tomorrow.” It still blows my mind that I was able to work on a Rob Reiner movie, and I will cherish that forever. I really will.
Richie Adams (Main and End Titles Designer – “LBJ”): So many of his films, “Stand By Me”, “The Princess Bride”, “A Few Good Men” were the background of my childhood, and among the movies that made me fall in love with cinema.
As a title designer, I got the privilege to work with him on LBJ. He was a great filmmaker and will be sorely missed.
Mark Terry (Art Director – “Spinal Tap 2”): Rob could steal the breath out of a room. He just had this way of walking into any space, and all eyes and attention were drawn to him. He set the tone for the day and knew what he wanted. He didn’t put up with bull & expected everyone to bring their A-game.
While making ST2, we were asked to alter Tap’s original touring skeleton. On the backside, it has the female figure’s “cheeks’ along with some revealing lingerie incorporated. In the film, you can see the end result of it farting, and it puts out a visual gas. Well, Rob had this additional idea of hearing it fart on the day. Fast forward to the shooting day, it unfortunately did not work as intended (which occasionally happens), and the sound of the fart was not playing. Rob starts screaming, “WHERE IS THE FART?!?! I CAN’T HEAR THE FART?!?! I ASKED FOR A FART?!?!” Marty DiBergi quickly turned into Max Belfort (Rob’s character from “The Wolf of Wall Street”).
That was by far the funniest day on set, and I’ll remember it forever. Rob’s passion for excellence met with his comedic inevitability, and we got to see both turned to 11 that day. Brilliant.
Brent Caballero (Extras Casting Director – “Spinal Tap 2”): Rob was an amazing collaborator in that not only was he great in communicating his vision, but he was also extremely grateful to the entire staff at Caballero Casting for the job we did. Our efforts did not go unnoticed by Rob, which was more valuable than any compensation we received for those efforts.
Allen Parks (Gaffer on “LBJ”, Shock and Awe”, and “Spinal Tap 2”): I can tell you that Rob loved New Orleans and didn’t want to work anywhere else. He cherished the friends that he and Michele made amongst the New Orleans crew and stated so, strongly, at the premiere of “Spinal Tap 2” in New Orleans, that it was the best crew that he had ever worked with. That is the reason he returned repeatedly.
Matt Kutcher (Special Effects Supervisor – “Spinal Tap 2” and “Shock and Awe”): Rob and his bride were a force to be reckoned with. They were as talented as they are smart. Both of them were true legends. We were fortunate enough to do a couple of projects with them over the year, “Shock and Awe” and “Spinal Tap 2.” Although their legacies will live on, their presence will be missed deeply. Our sincere condolences go out to the family and their unimaginable grief.
Rick Childress (Stand-In – “Spinal Tap 2”): I stood in for each of the main characters, along with some of the others, including Elton John, but most often I stood in for Mr. Reiner. It was easily the best set I’ve ever worked on. Though Mr. Reiner was typically very busy, in the few moments we were able to chat, he was very open and gracious. I’m still not fully reconciled to his and Michele’s deaths.
Garin Sparks (Medic – “Spinal Tap 2,” “Shock and Awe,” “LBJ”): My friend and I went to one of the soft openings of “Shock and Awe,” which was my first film working with Rob and Michele. Once the Q&A was over, I snuck up and surprised them; they had no idea I was coming all the way from New Orleans. The looks on their faces were priceless and proud. Rob and I shared our usual fist bump, and Michelle looked at us like the grown kids we were.
Thank you, Rob and Michele, for everything. And thank you, Rob, for being the Grandpa I lost too early in life. I’ll never forget you two.
If you worked with Rob and Michele on any New Orleans productions and would like your story included, please email jeremy@myneworleans.com.
