8 essential Rob Reiner films to watch to pay tribute: from This is Spinal Tap to When Harry Met Sally

There are few American filmmakers who will leave behind a legacy quite as remarkable or wide-ranging as Rob Reiner. The director, who has died aged 78, was the man behind many of the most beloved films of all time, working in – and excelling in – a vast array of different genres and styles.

The son of another Hollywood legend, the iconic comedian and filmmaker Carl Reiner, Reiner junior first became known to a wide audience for his Emmy-winning role as Mike "Meathead" Stivic in the hit '70s sitcom All in the Family, before embarking on a directing career in 1984 with his debut film, the cult comedy classic This is Spinal Tap.

With that film be began an incredible streak of hits that saw him master the coming-of-age flick (Stand By Me), the fantasy adventure (The Princess Bride), the romcom (When Harry Met Sally...), the horror genre (Misery) and the courtroom drama (A Few Good Men) – with pretty much everything he touched in the '80s and early '90s turning to gold.

Critical and commercial hits were in shorter supply from the late '90s onwards, but he continued to be a well-regarded and admired figure in the industry. He made what turned out to be his final film earlier this year – perhaps fittingly a legacy sequel for his very first feature – and also continued to act in a number of projects, most recently showing up in a memorable recurring role in the fourth season of The Bear.

Announcing his death – and that of his wife of more than 35 years, Michele – a family statement read: "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."

The news has understandably prompted a host of heartfelt tributes from many of Hollywoods biggest names, and it seems likely that many fans will be honouring his incredible life and career by revisiting one or two of the many gems he gifted American cinema.

With that in mind, we've gone into our archives to share our reviews of eight essential Reiner films, which you can find below.

This is Spinal Tap (1984)

This brilliantly crafted and completely on-target satire of the rock 'n' roll industry is filmed in mock documentary style, with every rock-music cliché savagely lampooned for maximum hilarity, as director Rob Reiner follows a fictitious British heavy metal band on tour.

The Stonehenge-inspired production number is a showstopping highlight, but there's also immense pleasure to be had in the details, particularly the unbelievably crass song lyrics. Christopher Guest and Michael McKean are perfect as the group's incredibly stupid lead guitarist and singer, and Reiner's unsurpassed spoof never hits a false note. This pop send-up landmark has deservedly become a cult classic. – Alan Jones

The Sure Thing (1985)

A delightful comedy from director Rob Reiner that should have made John Cusack a star. He's superb as a beer-guzzling, sex-obsessed freshman who travels from his eastern college to California during the holidays to meet up with a beautiful girl who's a 'sure thing'. However, during a series of misadventures he ends up on the road with clean-living Daphne Zuniga, and that's where the fun really begins.

Both the leads are enjoyable to watch, and this seems like a virtual blueprint for Reiner's later When Harry Met Sally..., but with even more charm. Watch out for a young Tim Robbins as the driver with whom no one should ever hitch a ride. – Joanna Berry

Stand By Me (1986)

Rob Reiner’s bucolic, nostalgic drama is widely agreed to be one of the most successful adaptations of a story by horror master Stephen King – in this case, a novella called The Body from his primarily non-supernatural collection of stories, Different Seasons. It's a likeable but hard-centred picaresque set in 1950s Oregon that blends the themes of childhood friendship, parental pressure and the loss of innocence into a Boy Scout-style roving adventure.

The bookish Wil Wheaton leads a gang of friends (subtly played by the likes of Corey Feldman and River Phoenix) on a rural camping odyssey to find the fabled body of a missing boy. Each of the group is something of a social misfit, and their problems at home are deftly revealed and resolved against some rollicking action sequences (involving an oncoming train, a leech-infested swamp and a vicious junkyard dog) on the way to an eventual showdown with bullies. – Andrew Collins

The Princess Bride (1987)

Rob Reiner has always been careful to avoid typecasting as a director, so following the warm nostalgia of Stand by Me, he opted for this curious but ultimately charming fable. The film opens with Peter Falk reading the story to grandson Fred Savage (from TV's The Wonder Years), and this ironic distancing continues throughout the movie.

Although the requisite monsters, giants and swordfights are present and correct for the children, Reiner also ensures there are plenty of quiet chuckles for adults. That's largely thanks to the efforts of an eclectic cast, which includes Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, This Is Spinal Tap's Christopher Guest, Mel Smith and Peter Cook. An unexpected delight for all the family. – John Ferguson

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Essentially concerned with the several meetings and partings of two college graduates over a decade or so, as life and love take their toll, this romantic comedy argues the question of whether men and women can ever have friendship without sex. The teaming of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal is perfect, while supporting stars Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby are outstanding and add a welcome suggestion of edge.

With its glitzy New York locations and beguiling soundtrack of popular standards, the movie offers a glamorised excursion into Woody Allen territory, and is a triumph of expert and irresistible escapist entertainment. The fake-orgasm-in-a-deli set piece propelled Ryan into stratospheric stardom, but there are numerous other pleasures to be found in Nora Ephron's Oscar-nominated screenplay and Rob Reiner’s astute direction. – Robyn Karney

Misery (1990)

This superb adaptation of Stephen King's bestseller from director Rob Reiner deals with the trappings of celebrity, fanatical devotion, artistic dilemmas and the worthiness of commercial fiction within a psychological suspense context.

Kathy Bates deservedly won an Oscar for her monstrously scary performance as novelist James Caan's Number One Fan, turning from caring nurse to insane Baby Jane torturer after learning he's killed off her favourite literary character. While not a true-blue horror movie, Reiner's adept exercise in chilling claustrophobia nevertheless contains numerous jolts, with the sledgehammer hobbling scene certain to evoke screams of revulsion. – Alan Jones

A Few Good Men (1992)

The ultimate rebel Jack Nicholson has a ball playing the ultimate establishment figure in this star-laden, rather old-fashioned courtroom drama. In fact, Nicholson's role as the obsessive, hard-nosed marine officer is little more than a scene-stealing cameo – the two leads are Tom Cruise and Demi Moore, who play naval lawyers trying to discover the truth behind the death of a recruit.

It's crisply directed by Rob Reiner, who once again shows that he is comfortable with numerous styles of film-making, and, if it becomes a little talky at times, the climactic fireworks between Nicholson and Cruise make for compulsive viewing. The fine supporting cast includes Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak and JT Walsh, and there's also a chilling cameo from Kiefer Sutherland. – John Ferguson

The American President (1995)

This gleaming, witty and irresistible romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner often harks back to the films of Frank Capra and was one of several White House-based movies made in the wake of Bill Clinton's election. Shot on an impressive full-size mock-up of the White House's business and domestic quarters, the picture stars Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd.

Recently widowed and the father of a young daughter, Shepherd is in need of female company at official functions. Eco-lobbyist Annette Bening fits the bill and, after he dances with her in public, the press go into speculative overdrive.

The script makes fun of the president's isolation (it's almost impossible for him to make a personal phone call or even buy a bunch of flowers) and Douglas gives a commanding performance that is far removed from his earlier roles in films such as Fatal Attraction and Falling Down. Bening is also terrific, combining the politically correct attitudes of the 1990s with Lauren Bacall's slinky sophistication and Jean Arthur's bubbly wit. The odd cliché apart, this is perfect entertainment. – Adrian Turner

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.