UHF Reviews (original) (raw)

Like a living, breathing Weird Al song, UHF is silly, irreverent and gaudy in all the best and worst possible ways. I can think of a dozen reasons to hate this movie, yet it still holds a warm place in my heart. The paper-thin plot, for example, is really only there to serve as a vehicle from one skit or song to the next, like the host of a feature-length variety show. Al must have been mingling with the right circles on the comedy scene, though, because an odd blend of before-they-weres fill out the cast of his film: Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson and an especially hyperactive, scene-stealing Michael Richards would all go on to bigger things later in life. This is cult comedy in the same vein as The Kentucky Fried Movie, in that it does its thing without a care in the world, but outside of a few timeless gags and a huge spoonful of heart, it's not really all that good. Revised thoughts after a 2019 re-watch: First time sharing it with my sons. They're old enough to level-up, so to speak, so we're finally beginning to move beyond Disney and test wilder waters. This one's a virtual sugar-rush of wacky ideas, pulsing lights, loud music and general unbridled zaniness. In other words, a fine representation of Weird Al Yankovic at the height of his powers and a direct hit for twin seven-year-old boys. At heart, it's a loose collection of skits and gags in the spirit of Amazon Women on the Moon or Kentucky Fried Movie, but the humor is cleaner and there's just a bit more plot to hold it all together. The central idea of Yankovic in charge of a struggling little TV station, complete with cut-rate production standards and a DIY ethos, opens up all sorts of possibilities and wipes out any need to segue. We're just watching the next commercial / promo / live show; it's that simple. Al's wide connections in the entertainment industry, and particularly in the world of stand-up comedy, also land the film a seriously loaded supporting cast. Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson and Emo Philips all make memorable appearances (Al even wrote a part for MST3k's Joel Hodgson, who declined the role), but it's a pre-Seinfeld Michael Richards who really steals the show as an upbeat, energetic janitor with a magnetic personality. Several skits fall on the wrong side of cheesy, and Al himself doesn't always hit a home run as the leading man, but those are mere speed bumps. Small price to pay for the really funny bits.