DVD Corner

UHF 4K UHD Review

The 4K release of “UHF” will appeal to fans of the cult comedy. 

In 1989’s “UHF,” the story revolves around friends George and Bob who are down on their luck. The two bounce around from job to job while George dreams of something more. George gets his big break when his uncle Harvey wins a UHF station (Channel 62) in a game of poker. The station is on the verge of bankruptcy, but George gets his crack at managing it. Initially things don’t go well, but when the janitor stars in a children’s show, it becomes a huge hit and turns the whole channel around. Soon Channel 62 starts cranking out all sorts of weird programming like “Wheel Of Fish,” “Conan The Librarian,” and more. Unfortunately, the joy is short lived when Harvey runs into financial trouble and plots to sell Channel 62 to the nasty competition (Channel 8’s RJ Fletcher). Can George raise the money to save Channel 62?

Directed by Jay Levey (who co-wrote the script with Weird Al Yankovic), “UHF” has become an 80’s comedy cult favorite for its off the wall humor (Twinkie Wiener Sandwich anyone?), slapstick comedy, gag-a-second bits, and the numerous spoofs and parodies of pop culture ala Rambo, Indiana Jones, “Network,” and “Gone With The Wind.” Comedy is certainly subjective and it’s easy to see the appeal it has (especially nostalgic appeal), but, to me, “UHF” never quite comes together.

While there are certainly chuckles to be had (along with the inclusion of Weird Al’s catchy “Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies” song), “UHF” feels like a live-action cartoon that throws a bunch of comedic bits at you that tend to fall flat more often than not. As a fan of Weird Al’s music, this film feels like an odd choice for a starring vehicle. Would it not have made more sense for Weird Al to star in a musical that would have been better suited to his talents? The desire to try something new is understandable and admirable, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that Weird Al could have done so much more in the cinematic world. 

“UHF” does boast a quality cast featuring Kramer himself Michael Richards as the mop obsessed janitor turned entertainer Stanley Spadowski, Weird Al, David Bowe, Fran Drescher, Gedde Watanabe, Billy Barty, Victoria Jackson, and the scene stealing Kevin McCarthy as the over-the-top villain RJ. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? This new print features a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative. Happy to report that this 4K transfer is nothing short of stunning. It’s like watching the movie anew. 

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? Viewers can expect a crisp 2.0 track.

Extras (On The Blu-ray Unless Noted):
* Blu-ray copy
* Commentary by Weird Al and director Jay Levey (on the 4K and Blu-ray).
* Teaser and theatrical trailers.
* Still and poster galleries.
* “UHF” music video.
* 19 minutes of deleted scenes with Weird Al intros.
* Vintage behind the scenes featurette
* “The Wonderful World Of Weird Al Yankovic Panel”- A 2014 San Diego Comic-Con panel hosted by Jonah Ray. 

July 1, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | 80's Movie, Comedy, UHF 4K UHD Review, UHF Movie, Weird Al