5
(parodies of satanism and Ghandi)
6
(hokey violence)
6
(worth seeing more than once)
All right, so UHF doesn’t have the largest fan base compared to some. It’s downright too silly for a lot of folks, but for fans of Weird Al, like myself, it’s a must-have. I used to have it on VHS until it got destroyed at which time it was out of print and impossible to find even as a rental. I was elated when I found it on DVD back in a day when not everything under the sun was made available just yet.
The movie is about George who can’t hold down a job because he keeps daydreaming. His uncle wins a small TV station in a poker game and decides to let George run it. He then clashes with the top network affiliate who attempts to shut the smaller station down. Uncle Harvey gets into trouble with his gambling and must sell the station to cover his other losses. George has the opportunity to buy it before Harvey is forced to sell to Channel 8, but where is he going to come up with that kind of money?
Yeah, it’s a simplistic plot, but it’s mostly just a vehicle for all the TV and movie parodies. Some have even called it nothing more than a string of parodies tied loosely by a plot… like that’s a bad thing!
SEE Spatula City!
SEE Ghandi 2- no more Mr. Passive Resistance!
The movie doesn’t have the best anything be it story, special effects, or whatever, but the acting is surprisingly good if you like that mock-serious comedic style. Michael Richards especially is delightfully goofy, and Weird Al does a fine if silly job. Victoria Jackson is cute, Anthony Geary is terrifically quirky, and Gedde Watanabe and Trinidad Silva are iconically unforgettable.
You have to like parodies to be a fan of Weird Al anyway, so chances are good that if you like his music, you’ll get a kick out of the movie. It’s pretty much non-stop comical gags but it has a positive, more serious theme of the boomerang philosophy. That is whatever you give, kindness or abuse, comes back to you multiplied.
SEE Towntalk with George Newman!
SEE Wheel Of Fish!
Parodies include Indiana Jones & The Raiders of the Lost Ark, Rambo, and Gone With the Wind with references to Star Wars, Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, and plenty more.
Morality
This one is PG13!? How stupid! I’ve seen G-rated movies with more questionable content (I’m not exaggerating, go see Planet of the Apes). What little violence you get is purposefully hokey. OK, so Conan the Librarian cuts a guy in half and Weird Rambo blows people up, but it's not particularly realistic. Emo Phillips cutting his thumb off does get rather bloody, I guess.
The strong language, sex, and nudity are nonexistent.
The thing that really got the MPAA was the teaching poodles to fly scene. Do they think kids are going to go around throwing dogs out of windows because of this movie? It may not be the best movie for very young kids, but I’d let a 10 year old see it.
Spirituality
This isn't a particularly deep movie, but as I said before it does have a theme of what you give out, be it love or abuse, comes back to you. It's not in some mystical karma kind of way, but more a result of the kinds of relationships you form.
People love Stanley because he's a genuinely good guy. He's childlike in his appreciation of people and even tries to make friends with the people that want to hurt him. Meanwhile, Fletcher steps on anyone and everyone to get his power and prestige. When the tides turn and he finds himself in need he has alienated everyone that might otherwise have come to his aid.
The moral of the story: don't be a jerk. Luke 6:31, folks!
Beyond that there is a joke about satanism and a parody involving a militaristic Ghandi.
Final Thoughts
Though the parody haters out there would undoubtedly give the movie a hard time, I get a great kick out of it. If you like parody movies but want one that's a little more family friendly with jokes that are actually funny check out UHF.
Buying Guide
DVD details coming soon.
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