Legends in their own minds. Left to Right: Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls.

A sure sign of a bona fide classic? When, 30 years after its release, a film can lure patrons to a darkened theater and keep them laughing for an hour and a half straight. That happened recently in Durham, North Carolina. The film: Director Rob Reiner's 1984 classic, This Is Spinal Tap. The event: The Carolina Theatre's annual Escapist Film Festival, a silver screen ode to cinematic gems of yesteryear. Visit carolinatheatre.org.