UHF - first look (1 Viewer)

[Bill Buklis]

I happened to get a glimpse of the new UHF DVD (release date June 4th). I have to say the disc looked awesome. Unfortunately I don't own this yet, but at least June 4th isn't that far away now.
Details (straight from the http://www.weirdal.comSince July 21, 1989, many of you out there have been wondering, "When can I get 'Weird Al' Yankovic's cult-hit movie "UHF" on DVD, a format that has yet to be invented?" Well, mark your calendars, folks, 'cause MGM Home Video will be releasing it to an unsuspecting public on June 4, 2002! Al was very involved in the production of the DVD, which will include the following special features:

• Movie digitally remastered in both 16:9 (widescreen) and 4:3 (full screen)!
• Running commentary by Al Yankovic and Jay Levey (plus surprise special guests)!
• Deleted Scenes (hosted by Al)!
• Photo gallery (with over 200 pictures)!
• Behind The Scenes documentary!
• Teaser trailer and full theatrical trailer!
• The "UHF" music video!
• Interactive menus!
• Audio and subtitles in English, French & Spanish!

There are lots of deleted scenes included here. There are complete new scenes, longer versions of existing scenes, a couple characters that were cut from the movie, and running subplots that were completely removed. And, oh yes, Those Darn Homos is on the disc.
The disc is double sided with the widescreen version on one side and the offending version on the other. However, you will want to visit the second side as the extras are split amongst each side. Al wanted to have all extra info on both sides, but MGM wouldn't put up the money for additional layers.
The intro and animated menus are pretty funny. Another thing to check out is a feature that's not available on that side. The special features menu lists everything and when an unavailable item is highlighted, text saying "On other side" displays. Go ahead and select the option anyway. Then select it again. And then for a third time.
The commentary track is, as expected, both informative and hilarious.
And let me be the first to mention one of the "easter eggs". On the Full frame side, go to the languages page. Pictured is Kuni's wheel of fish. Highlight "francais" (you don't need to select it, I don't think). Move left and one of the fish will now be highlighted. Have fun!

 

[Scott_J]

Damn you, Bill. This is one of my all-time favorite movies and, thus, one of my most highly-anticipated discs. You juat made the wait over the next month-plus all that much more unbearable. I want this yesterday!
Sounds like a great one! And it'll be the first time I get to see it in its OAR.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

After reading about the DVD now, I want June 4th to come ASAP.

 

[Art Martinez]

UHF is one of the most under-rated movies IMO. It flopped at the box office, but it was also showing in a summer that boasted a Batman Movie, and an Indiana Jones movie, so pretty much anything that summer was going to get killed. The move was like one long Weird Al video, which had me ROTFLMAO. Looks like there will be one good DVD released this summer to tide me over till this Fall's killer line up.

 

[JohnS]

I LOVE this news!
I will really have fun with this DVD

 

[GregoryP]

Bill, Thanks for the heads up. I am a huge Weird Al fan and it sounds like MGM has done another excellent job on this DVD.

Gregory

 

[Bill Buklis]

I know. I know. June 4th is soooo far away.

It is a shame that UHF didn't reap better box office rewards. I know when it came out in Chicago it lasted two weeks at the main theatres. Then hit the cheaps for the third week. But, there it showed some success. UHF played for 6-7 weeks, I believe, at the some of the cheap theatres. That's no small feat considering there are usually only 1 or 2 screens to share among the films.

I happened to see UHF 3 or 4 times when it first came out - once at a main theatre and the rest at the cheaper ones. I don't recall offhand how many people were in the audience at the main theatre, but I'm sure it definitely wasn't empty. At the cheap theatre, however, it was packed every time I saw it.

In any case, at every showing the audience was laughing hysterically. What were the critics thinking?

There's no question it if it didn't have to face the Batman juggernaught and Indy, then UHF would've fared better. How much better, I don't know.