UHF [DVD]

“Weird Al” Yankovic has had an unpredictably successful career. His parodies have proved to be massively popular (including a Star Wars spin on the song “American Pie” ). A lot of fans may or may not be aware that he has a Hollywood production movie that was released back in 1989, possibly because it was a box-office failure. Granted, it was released in the summer, running up against real blockbuster successes as Lethal Weapon 2, Ghostbusters II, Batman, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (among many others) so that probably contributed to its flop.However, in the years since, this film has achieved a massive cult following, prompting MGM to finally release a DVD Special Edition in 2002, which was out of print for a few years after that. Now here we are, 25 years after the film’s initial release, and UHF has finally received the home video release it deserves: in glorious, high-definition blu-ray, complete with tons of bonus features to boot. Before I get too technical about this, let’s get into the film itself.*Minor Spoilers Ahead*George Newman (played by Weird Al himself) is an avid daydreamer whose imagination seems to get him fired from every job he gets, along with his best friend Bob (David Bowe). He also seems to have trouble being on time to dates with his girlfriend, Teri (Victoria Jackson), always an hour late to each meeting. Soon after, he attends a party where his well-off Aunt Esther and Uncle Harvey Bilchik (Stanley Brocl.) Harvey wins the rights to a UHF station called U62 in a high-stakes poker game, and Aunt Esther offers a job to George to manage the station.George and Teri arrive at the station and meet an eccentric engineer named Philo (Anthony Geary), who lives at the station, constantly testing new gadgets for no obvious reason. The station secretary, Pamela Finklestein (Fran Dreschner) tells George that the mailman accidentally delivered a package that was meant for Channel 8, and George insists on delivering the package to the owner, Mr. R.J. Fletcher, who turns out to be a cynical maniac who kicks George out of Channel 8’s station almost immediately.As George and Bob begin to manage the station, their ratings quickly decline, due to the fact that they have no interesting shows on television (including the supposedly kid-friendly “Uncle Nutzy’s Clubhouse”) and George almost gives up hope, offering the Clubhouse show to the station janitor, Stanley Spadowski (Michael Richards). Minutes later, Stanley turns the kids of the show into excited little tykes, and “Stanley Spadowski’s Clubhouse” is an instant hit.As the ratings begin to rise for the station, George and Bob create bizarre, new shows to air on their station (including “Bowling for Burgers,” “Wheel of Fish,” and “Conan the Librarian.”) This only makes the station’s popularity even more massive, peaking the station at number one, above Channel 6- which catches the unforgiving eye of R.J. Fletcher.Later, Uncle Harvey receives a call notifying him that none of the horses he bet on recently had won the race, and that he owes $75,000 to a mob boss named Big Louie. Mr. Fletcher offers to buy U62 from Harvey to turn into a parking lot, and Harvey instantly accepts. When Aunt Esther hears of it, she convinces Harvey to give George two days to raise the $75,000 needed to save the station, and Stanley hosts a telethon to sell shares so they can reach their goal to pay Harvey’s debt to Big Louie.Unlike other comedies that try to be funny through stupidity, this film actually is quite successful at its attempt to do so. Of course, that may be in part to my fandom of Weird Al’s music, but it makes one wonder how popular this film would be now if he hadn’t become a musical success. The film is just so quotable, and I cannot stop from bursting out with laughter at almost each and every quotable moment in the film. “UHF” also succeeds at parodying many famous portions of scenes from classic films, including Gone with the Wind, Rambo, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.Of course, my favorite aspect about this comedy is how quotable it is. I could fill up pages of quotes from this film that I laugh at no matter how many times I hear them. From combining a mortuary with “Toys-R-Us,” to an entire warehouse store dedicated to selling only spatulas, “UHF” is filled to the brim with comedic references and running jokes that it makes some of the most classic comedies look like droll, boring dramas. The plot can become so hilariously ridiculous that you almost forget about it, simply laughing at the stupidity of it all. If you haven’t seen this gem of a cult classic, I highly recommend it: just try not to take it too seriously.More fun than a Twinkie-wiener sandwich, “UHF” is a lost gem that deserves recognition as one of the funniest parody films ever made. Weird Al Yankovic is simply brilliant in this film, and the supporting cast makes it that much better. Some of the jokes and references are so stupidly hilarious, I guarantee that if you watch the film, you will never forget it, nor regret it.

My wife is deaf, so the English subtitles were the essential part. A cult classic; what else is there to say? If you've never seen it, it's a venue for Weird AL to show short parodies on, well, all kinds of stuff! Highly recommended.

For anybody out there who had heard of this feature film starring the legendary Weird Al and wondered if it was an insaney, zany, all around crazy as his music, let the Indiana Jones spoof that starts this movie put your mind at ease. Al fills the fedora once worn by Harrison Ford, only instead of whipping the gun out of the hand of the man who attempts to shoot him like in the original, Al whips his entire arm off. The rest of the dream sequences sees Al's character George Newman (Al) outrunning the giant boulder through various locations after trying to steal an Oscar, which is sadly the closest this movie will ever get to an Academy Award. Well screw the Academy, this movie is a hilarious joy ride of creative comedy with that 90s flavor akin to Wayne's World.The rest of the movie includes commercials for wacky Morticians, Twinkie Weiner Sandwiches, a trailer for Ghandi II, a rock ballad for the Beverly Hillbillies, Fran Drescher (yes, that Fran Drescher) reporting the News (still more reliable than Fox), a librarian warrior named Conan, depressing descriptions of the eternal feud between a certain cartoon coyote and roadrunner, a Wheel of Fish, flying poodles, lesbian Nazi hookers, the voice of Figment, aliens, a Rambo-style rescue scene complete with bad-guys incapable of aiming, badgers, they've got it all! Including that slimy corporate douchebag villain you all love to hate, especially since they've become all too realistic these days, and a girlfriend who could've been cut from the movie without really changing a thing.What's really surprising about this movie is Al himself. You'd think he'd be hamming it up like a yodeling porkchop wrapped in bacon, but the title of Ham Master actually goes to Michael Richards, who plays Channel 64 star Stanley Spadowski. Instead, Al is surprisingly restrained while still having his ingeniously goofy moments. It actually helps make the character super relatable. Overall this movie is insanely hilarious, insanely clever, insanely quotable, insanely well casted, and just flat out insane. If you're tired of what's on the TV right now, then don't touch that dial! They've got it all on UHF!Oh yeah, and the soundtrack's awesome too! But, c'mon, it's got Weird Al. That's just kinduv' a given.

Not a serious movie obviously. A succession of comical sketches more than a "real" movie. Entertaining, yes.You have to be aware of the pop culture in the 80s to understand better this film. The spoof that parodies the Geraldo talk show is one of the best moments. I guess they never pretend to make a piece of art with this one. IMPORTANT NOTICE: In the Shout Factory version, subtitles in english and spanish available. Also is dubbed in latin spanish too.

Quit looking for something else to watch. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE!

We owned this movie on VHS 20 years ago when my sons were growing up. It is one of their favorite movies, although when they would show it to their high school friends on movie night, some just didn't get it. Well, there's no accounting for taste. Anyways, I just bought 3 copies to be delivered to each of my adult sons homes as a Valentines Day gift. Still is funny.

Being a huge fan of Weird Al Yankovic (yes, that's right, -vic, not -vich or -vitch or anything else people have made up in their heads), I ordered this movie and lay in wait beside the letterbox until it's arrival.I absolutely loved it.Weird Al proves he's not just a funny singer/songwriter with a love for polka. He's also quite the actor. He plays George, a man who can't hold a job for more than a few days or so and always has his head in the clouds. The opening sequence itself is one of George's many daydreams, with himself in place of Indiana Jones. When his rich uncle (a skilled gambler) wins the rundown UHF station U62 in a game, he plans to dump it. But his wife wants to keep it, even though they know no-one who can run the place... or do they? And so George becomes the manager of the TV station... but all it does is show boring old reruns! Can a hapless janitor and a bunch of town crazies save the station?...This movie is enjoyable for the whole family, laughs are always round the corner yet it can still hold a plot. And for the hardcore Al fans, there's an excellent parody ("Money For Nothing/Beverley Hillbillies*", parody of "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits).And with an excellent commentary by Weird Al Yankovic himself and his manager Jay Levey, and a few little Easter eggs scattered here and there, UHF is definitely worth it's money.

well after reading on a website that there was a film with weird al in i found myself immediately buying this item and it doesn't disappointthe story is a simple plot George Newman (played by weird al) becomes the manager of a tv station after a relative wins the deeds to the station in a poker game, with ratings incredibly low George begins to come up with some tv ideas to boost ratings.the film itself is very good and moments in this are hilarious however the reason i give it 4 stars is due to the fact that almost all of the special features in the region 1 release of this dvd are missing which is a shame

U.H.F is without doubt an entertaining film, and makes for a fun and easy watch. If you are feeling in a silly mood, and want a light, irreverent frolic through the world of television, advertising, and music, then you are likely to enjoy this movie.What it lacks in plot, it makes up for with belly laughs, and on the spot satire. It holds up well twenty years after it was made, retaining an eighties feel whilst still managing to be relevant. The film works more as a series of funny sketches, threaded by a loose plot which involves the fate of a failing and unpopular local television station, which falls into the hands of Weird Al Yankovic's hapless, head in the clouds character, George Newman. Weird Al works better in the parody sketches of famous films, and in George's outlandish dream sequences, and falls slightly flat when required to act in more 'realistic' situations. As such his character is both likeable but at times irritating.The parody sketches are all you will remember however, and range from spoofs based on Indiana Jones, Ghandi, and Conan the Barbarian. All in all an enjoyable, if whacky and unpredictable film.

I have watched his music videos and listened to his albums and never ceased to be amazed at this mans creativity and talent. However, this "offering" is by no means "Al's" finest hour. Perhaps its aimed at the funny bone that Americans possess, but for me, a Britt, the attempts at humour were lame, the story almost none existent and Wierd Al's talents sorely wasted. Yet at least some of the blame must rest with Al as he co-wrote this, so it just goes to show, no-one's perfect!

So far it's the one and only movie project by the man famed for his musical parodies, but his brand of humour is brilliantly displayed in this side-splitting funny comedy when George Newman (played by Weird Al) aquires ownership of a failing TV channel and revives its fortunes.Its arguably one of the funniest spoof films i have ever watched which includes film parodies like "Conan The Librarian" for example, also worth noting is Michael Richards's brilliant portrayal of the janitor/kids TV star Stanley Spadowski.If you're a fan of Weird Al Yankovic, you'll love this but if you haven't then its debatable whether his brand of humour would suit your taste as it is very different from other spoof comedy actors like Leslie Nielsen in Airplane and The Naked Gun or Charlie Sheen in the Hot Shots films for example.