UHF (1989)

Memorable, crazy movie

hyped garbage

As Good As It Gets

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

UHF is very light-hearted and it isn't complex at all. Visual gags come fast, and it's impossible to catch them all! I thought UHF was cute and not bad at all. Filled with charm, innocence and satire -- a nice mix. From an artistic standpoint, there were some plot elements and character developments I didn't think were totally needed. They do however drive the story, which seemed to be their purpose, so I can accept them. The effects are very good for 1989. Yankovic is also a musician who pokes fun at other musicians by rearranging the lyrics to their songs, I am told by friends and family who insist he's a funny guy.

Let me start off by saying I am an AVID Weird Al fan. I have all his albums, I know most of his songs by heart, backwards and forwards. I can name every member of his band and I sincerely cried the day his parents were found dead in their home.THAT said, let's discuss UHF.This movie is AWFUL. It's not funny, it's poorly written, and it seems to go on forever. The best part - by FAR - is the guy who throws poodles out his window in an attempt to make them fly. There. Was that funny? Not really? Of course not. Because it's not funny. Michael Richards isn't funny either, in fact, he's hard to watch. I can only stand seeing a grown man act like a retard for about... well, three seconds, tops. And he's in this for what feels like hours upon hours.I love you, Weird Al. You're a good man and a truly talented comedian. But UHF absolutely sucks balls.

Imaginative daydreamer "Weird Al" Yankovic (as George Newman) and pal David Bowe (not Bowie) lose their jobs flipping burgers. Fortunately, Mr. Yankovic's uncle Stanley Brock (as Harvey) wins the deed to "UHF" TV channel 62 and Yankovic takes over as manager. He decides to switch from reruns of "Mr. Ed" to weird, all-new programming. Yankovic's original scheduling is a surprise hit, which irks competing station manager Kevin McCarthy (as R.J. Fletcher). Goofy janitor turned TV star Michael Richards (as Stanley Spadowski) is a hilarious highlight. Weird Al and director pal Jay Levey telegraph some very funny physical comedy. And, like the dramatic "Network" (1976), some of the satire herein is dead-on...******** UHF (7/21/89) Jay Levey ~ 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Michael Richards, David Bowe, Kevin McCarthy

I recently bought and watched the DVD of UHF, which I had not seen since its initial release, and my partner and I had such a fun time watching the stoopid antics of "Weird Al" and gang. As if that wasn't enough, we switched over to the version dubbed into German and watched the whole thing again. Neither of us speak German, nor did we need to. Jay Levey's direction is so well-executed that even without the dialogue, its clear what is happening. I played the film in German at the video store I work at it got a huge response. Pretty much EVERYONE wanted to borrow a copy. YOU MUST TRY THIS! IT'S HILARIOUS! The German actors who lend their voices seem to really understand the comic style of the film because their intonation and emphasis is side-splittingly spot on and even funnier than the original English! Yankovic is no actor and it shows, but hearing his voice dubbed by a professional actor really lifts the material. The DVD also contains versions dubbed into French, Italian and Spanish - which are fun, though not as funny - but this perhaps gives audiences a better indication of the broad appeal of this film. Buy it. Watch it. Laugh out loud!