UHF

Rating:
Summary: "Complainers? We don't need no stinkin' complainers!"
Review: How can you resist a movie where they throw poodles out of windows, let kids drink from fire hoses, where Conan hacks people apart because some people turned a book in late? The movie does have its slow parts, but the spoofs and skits are absolutely hilarious. I won't tell you all of them because then you won't go and rent or buy this great movie. This movie is really good if you are a Weird Al fan, like REALLY off-the-wall humor, parodies, something that can make you laugh. Some people hate this movie, but I think it's because they're trying to see it as a movie. UHF is not really trying to be a movie, it's trying to be more of a collage of parodies. Anyway, see it for yourself. There's no telling how many stomach muscles you'll burst watching this hilarious film.

Rating:
Summary: WE GOT IT ALL ... ON UHF!!!
Review: One of our local TV stations is UHF 62 ... and they like to show this film "UHF" about channel 62 ... that's where I first caught it, one lazy Saturday afternoon ...

One either likes Weird Al's sense of humor or one doesn't ... I don't suppose there's a whole lot in between ... I started listening to Weird Al on Dr. Demento, while I worked an overnight shift, back in 1980. Who could forget "Another One Rides the Bus" and "It's Still Billy Joel to Me"? ...

Weird Al fans: you're gonna love it ... anyone expecting high-brow humor ... you're in for one big disappointment ... I love it for what it is ... a campy, goofy spin that only Weird Al Yankovic could create ...

From the opening scenes of Indiana Jones and the idol, which is an Oscar BTW, to the cheese-covered Twinkie hotdog, to Michael Richard's (Seinfeld, Fridays) animated goofy janitor-turned-children's-show-host, to the Beverly Hillbillies MTV video spoof, a rubber Rambo body suit, the very lovely Fran Drescher, an alien TV station programmer (Tony Geary, 80's heartthrob for many of the ladies, "Luke" of General Hospital if you can believe it!), a midget cameraman, this film has definitely got it ALL ...

There's "Wheel of Fish", the new TV game show, a clown hit with a frying pan on the kids show, a perfectly restored Root Beer and brown metallic Nash Metropolitan automobile, a discount funeral home with a salad bar, Spatula City where your 10th spatula is FREE! (WOW!), the competition, Channel 8 with evil guys, learning life's lessons with a new mop, and a GREAT music video as bonus material on the DVD ("We Got It All on UHF!") ... whew!

OK, so it's not cinematic gold ... so what? ... it's fun ... if you've ever heard Weird Al's "I Ran Over the Taco Bell Dog" then you can appreciate his twisted sense of humor ... hey, relax, take a break and enjoy some low-brow humor ... it's great!

"Badgers? We don't need no stinking Badgers!!!" (The film is dedicated to Trinidad Silva who passed away in a car accident during filming in 1988 - too sad).

Rating:
Summary: Funny but sorta sick
Review: WHOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Since 1989, Weird Al's UHF has only appeared on VHS. But in summer 2002, fans will be rushing out to get the DVD version. Why you may ask?! Well, the VHS version isn't the easiest thing to find at your local mall. This is either because it was a best seller or it really STUNK! Well, Weird Al didn't expect it to be a best seller. He said " It's just an excuse to be funny." For those of you who haven't seen this, UHF is about this guy with a huge imagination that goes and inherits a tiny UHF station. He makes all sorts of wacky shows starring his friends like Karate Master Kuni who is famous in this movie for saying STUPID! YOU SO STUPID! Anyway, this movie's sorta sick because the gags are usually stupid and full of body humor. Still, most of the gags are quite funny. Probably the funniest TV show in this movie is Raul's Wild Kingdom featuring a man who tortures animals. This movie is OK for kids 11 and over.

Rating:
Summary: An outrageous, hysterically funny movie ¿ "Weird Al" style
Review: Assailed by film critics upon its release in 1989 'UHF' has acquired a huge cult following in the years since. It has been unavailable for purchase for several years because the film company that produced the movie went bankrupt. This DVD edition is every fan's dreams come true and was definitely worth the waiting.

If you're a fan of "Weird Al" Yankovic then chances are you have seen this movie as many - or more - times as I have. If you're not a fan of "Weird Al" but are willing to take a risk then this offbeat film just might make you one. Yankovic and Jay Levey, who directed, concocted this bizarre and side-splittingly funny look at the operations of a UHF station, as "Weird Al", the station's manager, would run it. For everyone who remembers those UHF channels that would run practically any type of show to attract viewers this is priceless entertainment. Yankovic and Levey devised loads of TV and movie spoofs that begin slowly but soon come at you with machine gun pacing. There are also several in-joke references to fondly remembered campy television and sci-fi films scattered throughout, such as; the station's chief engineer Philo, played wonderfully by Anthony Geary of 'General Hospital' fame, has a lab that continuously emits the familiar sound of the radar from 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea'. When "Weird Al" first meets Philo, he is asked to help Philo test his "interociter" - a device used in the 50's sci-fi film 'This Island Earth'.

The shows that the station airs are equal parts amusing and insanely absurd. "Wheel Of Fish", "The Wonderful World Of Phlegm", "Wide, Wide World Of Tractor Pulls" and the uproarious "Town Talk" that takes many welcome pokes at Geraldo Rivera. Michael Richards (Kramer of television's "Seinfeld") creates one of cinema's most memorable eccentric characters as Stanley Spadowski, host of "Stanley Spadowski's Clubhouse", the station's most popular program. Many of the movie's biggest laughs happen when his program is onscreen. Other highlights worth mentioning are Emo Philips as an accident prone high school shop teacher; Fran Drescher (of TV's "The Nanny") as the station's newscaster; Victoria Jackson, of Saturday Night Live fame, as the long-suffering girlfriend of "Weird Al"; Gedde Watanabe (of TV's "E.R.") as the hilarious Kuni. The most noteworthy cast member though is the veteran actor Kevin McCarthy who hams it supremely as R. J. Fletcher, a rival station owner who is so-o-o-o evil - but you just know he's going to get it in the end!

Yankovic and Levey wisely keep 'UHF' short, clocking in at a little more than ninety minutes, making it an excellent time filler. It's a movie that you can safely watch with the whole family as well because it is completely free of vulgarity - though there are some gags that might be considered a bit tasteless. But that's the risk all fans of "Weird Al" are willing to take to see and hear his unique brand of humor.

Some final notes: the DVD has several special features including commentary by Yankovic and Levey, with cameo appearances by Emo Philips, Michael Richards and Victoria Jackson. Also included are some production stills, promotional materials stills, deleted scenes and a music video of the song 'UHF'. Cult radio personality Dr. Demento can be spotted as a whipped cream eater in a TV spot for the UHF channel - but you'll have to look fast.

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious cult classic with great DVD treatment
Review: I love this movie, I've seen it over 100 times and I never stop laughing, and finally after years of dealing with the pitiful EP VHS copies UHF gets the format it deserves, and with plentiful extras. First of all the animated menus are entertaining with Al interacting with the selections, the widescreen side has a short behind the scenes featurette, audio commentary by Al, Jay Levy, and others, the UHF music video with lots of music video parodies, 2 trailers and a ton of production photos. You have to flip the disc over to the pan and scan side for a very funny deleted scenes documentary hosted by Al, where he introduces and commentates on each of the scenes, and even fast forwards through the slow paced ones. A must have for all Weird Al fans!

Rating:
Summary: Oh Al ... You silly boy!
Review: When I worked in a video store some years ago, a customer came in asking for something "silly and mindless." This was the first film that came to mind. He took it home, and when he came back, he thanked me, saying it was exactly what he was looking for.

Yes, Al's little cult film is quite worth the price of admission. Not the best or most original plot line ever written, but that's like saying you'd buy Weird Al's albums for the artistic value of them. No, you buy them to laugh - and this movie, though slightly dated at this point, is funny. The parodies still make me chuckle, even after all these years. It helps if you're old enough to remember some of the stuff he's parodying, but, I think younger people might get a kick out of it. The ensemble cast of top notch character actors (most notably Michael Richards, Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson and Kevin McCarthy - even General Hospital's Anthony Geary has a pretty big part!) does a great deal to make this movie worth watching.

Rating:
Summary: Great use of the DVD format.
Review: Say whatever you like about the movie "UHF," which is, admittedly, slapsticky and unoriginal at times, but this DVD is great! Yankovic delivers brutally honest and hilariously funny critiques of deleted scenes and the movie itself through the running commentary feature. Hearing Al complain about unflattering shots of himself, mistakes in filming (a detached left arm turning into a right arm) beating a joke to death, low-budget special effects, bad acting, and making scenes unnessecarily long (ie the scene in the beginning with all the traffic signs) is incredibly amusing. There are also several amusing "easter eggs" hidden in the DVD menus and Al himself hams it up in the menus as well. Other features include the original UHF music video, a 1989 Behind the Scenes featurette, and selected deleted scenes. Oklahoma residents might especially appreciate the DVD for the explanation during the Commentary of where each scene was filmed in the Tulsa area. I highly recommend this DVD to all Weird Al fans. Even if you didn't like the movie (or especially if you don't), you will enjoy Al's criticism of it and the additional material.

Rating:
Summary: UHF: "The most important DVD release. Ever."
Review: This is a repost of my review from the IMDB site, but since my feelings on the movie haven't changed between then and now, hey.

Many folks find themselves laughing out loud at Al's latest song or video -- at least, the first time they experience it. They might later claim he's stupid or not funny, afraid possibly of being labeled a fan. They might avoid UHF in the belief that it's just an extended Al video.

Their loss.

'UHF' is one of those movies that had a miserable, worthless existence in the theater, shunned by the masses. The recognition of its genius was slow to arrive, but the movie did eventually find cult status on video and cable. The reason, simply: It's hilarious.

Part Naked Gun and part Al video, with plenty of sight gags, this is the kind of movie that only Al could make. "Wheel Of Fish" and "Conan the Librarian" are funnier than they have any right to be, and just wait until you see "Raul's Wild Kingdom".

The cast of 'UHF' seems almost prescient in retrospect; Fran Drescher and Michael Richards made memorable co-stars before they struck gold on network TV. Richards, especially, is hilarious as janitor-turned-TV host Stanley Spadowski. He's brilliant, better than anyone else in the movie and better even than the material he's given.

Although ostensibly a dig at TV, 'UHF' actually lampoons movies and commercials far more effectively, with hilarious send-ups of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', 'Ghandi' and 'Rambo: First Blood Part II'.

But enough. I've already wasted too many words describing a movie that just needs to be seen. If you absolutely hate Al, or 'Airplane'-type movies, then avoid 'UHF'. Anyone else who just wants to laugh (a lot) needs to give it a look.

Rating:
Summary: Some of the best Special Features ever!
Review: Any Weird Al fan should know what this movie is about, but incase you don't let me tell you. In UHF Al Yankovic plays George Newman a jobless loser whose uncle win a TV station in a game of poker, and puts George in charge of it. The rest of the plot involves George becoming an instant success and trying to save the station.
This may not sound like the greatest plot but it has a ton of hilarious jokes. It kind of reminded me of the same style of comedy as Airplane!
While the movie is funny where this DVD really shines is the special features. Al Yankovic and director Jay Levey provide one of the funniest, most informative commentaries you'll find on any DVD. It also has deleted scenes narrated by Al himself. It has over 200 production stills! And of corse like any great disc this DVD a couple of easter eggs, which I'll let you find yourself.

Rating:
Summary: You Know, For Kids.
Review: I like Wierd Al. I've listened to his songs since I was a kid. I remember when UHF came out many years ago and wanting to go see it, but not being able to. Recently, the movie has come up several times in conversations I have had with people. References to "Wheel of Fish" and "Ghandi II" in UHF were specifically mentioned. So, a few weeks ago I went with a friend on a search to find this movie and watch it.

UHF wasn't anything like I expected it to be. I hate saying this because I like Wierd Al, I really do, but there were a lot of parts in the movie that were just painful to watch. Now, I realize that if I was a twelve-year old kid who didn't watch 100 movies a year like I do know, I would probably find UHF to be hilarious. Now, a lot of stuff in the movie isn't funny at all and is just plain dumb. The dialogue is terrible. The sets look like something stolen from an Ed Wood picture and often the lightening messes up the picture.

The movie does, however, have some redeeming qualities. Wierd Al does a decent job of acting in the movie, especially considering what type of movie it is. Victoria Jackson has a small role and I still think she's a classy lady to watch. But if you really are looking for a reason to watch UHF, there's only one: Michael Richards (you know, he played Kramer on Seinfeld). In the plot of the movie, Richard's character literally saves the UHF station run by Wierd Al's character. However, Michael Richards also saves the movie UHF. There is no movie without him. He is it's true star. This was Richards several years before he found fame playing Kramer and he is just as hilarious here as he was on Seinfeld. In many ways his character in UHF is the proto-Kramer. As bad as other parts of the movie are, UHF is worth watching, if for not any other reason, just for Michael Richards' performance. It's a Grade A comic performance.