UHF: 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Review
I am a child of the 80’s and grew up watching MTV. Alongside videos from Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Run DMC played videos from “Weird Al” Yankovic. Eat It and Fat were my personal favorites, but that is because I am a huge fan of Michael Jackson and the songs they were parodies of.
At the height of his career, Yankovic took his klout and was able to get now defunct Orion Pictures to produce UHF, a zany comedy about an out-of-work loser who lands the job of a lifetime as the manager of a low-rent television station. Yankovic is the Ringmaster of a circus of freaks drawing viewers in with spectacle of insane programming that you have to see to believe.
UHF stars “Weird Al” Yankovic, Michael Richards (Seinfeld), Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Fran Drescher (The Nanny), Gedde Watanabe (Sixteen Candles), Victoria Jackson (Saturday Night Live) and a number of other fantastic character actors.
“Weird Al” is an unlikely, over-the-top physical comedian with a knack for being annoying even when he’s not singing a catchy parody song. While UHF lacks a coherent script, it’s fantastic group of character actors with Yankovic at the lead, make it a true cult classic. Richards steals just about every scene that he is in. The rest of the cast may have small roles, but they are all integral parts of the bigger picture.
As a fan of Indiana Jones, the opening segment, a parody of the opening of Raider’s of the Lost Ark, is awesome, with decent effects for such a low-budget film. There are a number of moments like this throughout the film. Many of the slapstick moments and gags are easy laughs, but well worth it and add to the making this a classic film.
Synopsis:
In the cult classic UHF, “Weird Al” Yankovic is George Newman, a daydreamer who becomes the manager of a small TV station that’s losing money as quickly as it’s losing viewers. Before long he’s programming shows like “Stanley Spadowski’s Clubhouse,” “Wheel Of Fish” and “Raul’s Wild Kingdom.” But can Channel 62’s new popularity save it from sinister forces? To find out… don’t touch that dial!
The special features are pretty frickin cool. I watched the Blu-ray with the audio commentary with Yankovic and the director. Michael Richards and Victoria Jackson also guest for segments of the commentary. Some commentary tracks are boring, but this gives some deep insight into the production of the film and gaffes during filming. The SDCC panel is also pretty cool. If you are a fan of UHF, then the 25th Anniversary Edition are well worth picking up.
UHF: 25th Anniversary Edition Bonus Features:
- 2014 San Diego Comic-Con Panel
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Behind-the-Scenes Footage
- Music Video
- Production Stills
- Easter Eggs
- Promotional Materials
- Reversible Cover Art
Buy UHF: 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Author
