DVD Photo by amazon.com
“Weird Al” Yankovic by 1989 had made a name for himself as a leading pop music parodist. It would seem to be a natural move for Yankovic to satirize Hollywood in a feature film, and he instead used that opportunity (along with his manager, Jay Levey) to write a script targeting the world of low-budget local television. The result, “UHF,” is an entertaining film that is sharp on parodies but weak on plot and pacing.
Yankovic is George Newman, a dreamer that inherits a cheap local television station from his uncle. Newman uses the opportunity to create bizarre programming which propels his station high enough to upset local network station manager R.J. Fletcher (a wonderfully evil Kevin McCarthy). Fletcher goes against Newman to bring down his station and chaos ensues.
That’s the plot in a nutshell. The slow-moving story means little to the film, as the numerous parodies of television shows and movies are the selling point. These are often very funny, especially the opening “Raiders of the Lost Ark” takeoff featuring Yankovic stealing an Oscar from a forbidden temple. Other highlights include “Wheel of Fish,” “Conan the Librarian,” an ad for “Spatula City,” and a high-action movie of the week - “Gandhi II.”
Along with the silly parodies, some of the film’s characters also support the weak storyline. Soap opera veteran Anthony Geary turns out a sublimely wacko performance as Philo, the spaced-out station technician. Also of note is Michael Richards from TV’s “Seinfeld” as Stanley Spadowski, a spastic man-child custodian armed with a cherished mop and a hit kiddie show that plays like “Uncle Floyd” on cocaine. Richards’ energy and timing carry the film very far, acting as an opposite to Yankovic’s surprisingly subdued performance. Despite his history of being a wacky musical comedian, his characterization of Newman is rather sleepy and ineffective.
Despite the weak lead performance and bland plot, “UHF” is memorable and recommended due to the on-target takeoffs and the incredibly strange character of Stanley Spadowski. If you are on Yankovic’s odd frequency, you will enjoy this film - guaranteed.
Comments
You were right in giving this movie 4 starfs, but it should be out of a hundred instaed of 5.
You have me so upset, I can't even spell.
What the heck is a starf?
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