Description

"Weird Al" Yankovic, Kevin McCarthy (Innerspace), Michael Richards ("Seinfeld"), David Bowie (The Cable Guy), Victoria Jackson ("Saturday Night Live") and Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") star in this inspired comedy about an offbeat guy who turns a deadbeat TV station into a raging success! Broadcasting Weird Al's uniquely strange brand of humor, UHF's Channel 62 is a place you'll want to visit...with increasing frequency!George Newman (Weird Al) is a daydreamer whose hyperactive imagination keeps him from holding a steady job...until his uncle hires him as manager of Channel 62, a TV station that's losing money and viewers fast. But when George replaces the station's reruns with bizarre programs like "Wheel of Fish," "The Wonderful World Of Phlegm" and "Raul's Wild Kingdom" (where poodles fly from third-story windows), ratings begin to soar! But as the ratings rise, so does the wrath of TV mogul R.J. Fletcher (McCarthy), who wants to turn the station into a parking lot. Can George find the money he needs to stay on the air? Stay tuned! ... Read more

Reviews (283)

"Complainers? We don't need no stinkin' complainers!"
How can you resist a movie where they throw poodles out of windows, let kids drink from fire hoses, where Conan hacks people apart because some people turned a book in late? The movie does have its slow parts, but the spoofs and skits are absolutely hilarious. I won't tell you all of them because then you won't go and rent or buy this great movie. This movie is really good if you are a Weird Al fan, like REALLY off-the-wall humor, parodies, something that can make you laugh. Some people hate this movie, but I think it's because they're trying to see it as a movie. UHF is not really trying to be a movie, it's trying to be more of a collage of parodies. Anyway, see it for yourself. There's no telling how many stomach muscles you'll burst watching this hilarious film.

OK?? What's the point?
~80's music and movies always scare me but this movie has a SMALL exception. This movie is about when George Newman, a teenager with no job, ("Weird Al" Yankovic) gets permission from his uncle Harvey (Stanley Brock) to run a television station with his friend Bob (David Bowe), the really weird janitor Stanley Spadowski (Michael Richards), the television reporter wannabe Pamela Finkelstein (Fran Drescher), and a laboratory scientist from another planet named Phllo (Anthony Geary) while trying to avoid another television company owner (Kevin McCarthy) from taking over his company U-62, and turning it in to a parking lot . This movie is what I like to call a "slapstick movie" which is a move with nothing but mere jokes and gags. Many of the zany programs on the station that George runs are called "Wheel of Fish" (A cross between "Lets Make a Deal" and "Wheel of Fortune"), Raul's Wild Kingdom", "Stanley Spadowski's Clubhouse", "Fun with Dirt", "Ghandi II" and "Strip Solitare". A lot of these things just don't make sense! This movie is rated PG-13 and has Language, Adult Content, and Rude Remarks. It's kind of weird but kind of funny in an odd kind of way. Raul's Wild Kingdom was hillarious when Raul (Cliff Stephens) shakes up an ant farm and says "OHHH! They're really mad now!" and when he throws a poodle out of a three-story window because he thinks he can teach it to fly. Ghandi II was also quite funny along with "Conan the Librarian" and "Spatula City". This movie is overall in my opinion, ALRIGHT but next time MGM/UA makes a movie, don't put Weird Al in it!~

Cult Classic
If you are a fan of Weird Al's parodies, this is the DVD for you. I know some people don't get it (a.k.a: Roger Ebert and some other critics). Yeah, the plot is a tad weak, but the main focus of this project was to give Al an outlet into doing parodies of movies and TV. There are many priceless gags in the movie ("Raul's Wild Kingdom" and "Ghandi II" come to mind). There is also a fabulous performance by Michael Richards (a.k.a.: Kramer from "Seinfeld") as the station's janitor turned TV star. There are also appearances by Victoria Jackson (SNL) and Fran Drescher (The Nanny).
The audio commentary is fantastic. You get to hear about what inspired some of the scenes and also what was not included in the movie. You also get to find out why the DVD wasn't released until June 4, 2002! There are deleted scenes on the DVD in the bonus material including a fantastic one of Michael Richards ad-libbing an entire scene!

weird al
if you liked weird als music,youll like this movie.its very silly but loads of fun.the kids will like it.if you are worried about how cool you are all the time and cant relax then dont watch this because its a movie for people who likewhat they want.individuals and dreamers.the bad guy is this old man from a tv station who is als rival when he has to run a tv station.this movie is very very funny.the bad guy is a real pain in the ass.its definately worth watching!

THE BEST of random humor!
I think this has to be one of the funniest movies i have seen in my life! just all the random shows in between the plot of the movie just make it like a family guy/futurama show mixed in with a healthy dose of random al. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Great Collection
While Jackson's ego as the "King of Pop" has folded over recent years, his legacy lives in this compilation of his videos and performances. With the advent of DVD, Jackson's fans will get to see and hear the great quality of his performances and music finally. Two videos on this compilation are worth seeing. The first, "Liberian Girl," is a beautiful ballad, and the celebrity-filled video is one of Jacko's rarely seen videos. The other, "Scream," which was the most expensive video ever made has Michael and his sister, Janet, in a futuristic spaceship setting, that was beautifully directed by Music Video guru Mark Romanek (Madonna's "Bedtime Story" was also his work). Forget the scandals and his wierd habits, and buy this coolection.

KING OF POP
Micheal Jackson is definetly the king of pop - after u see this collection of his videos you wont dispute that.
THE DVD
1.PROGRAM START
2.teaser-elaborate teaser showing micheal jackson as a huge statue.
3.BILLIE JEAN motown 25- an amazing performance of micheal jackson singing billie jean and doing moonwalk for first time- here he shows his amazing talent - in this performance u think it cant get any better than this but yet he ceases to amaze me - performances keep getting better. 5 star performance
4.BEAT IT- classic mj video great dancing - good song 4.3 stars
5.LIBERIAN GIRL- ok/ catchy song with alot of appearances by celebritys - very rare video- 3 stars
6.SMOOTH CRIMINAL-this one i rank up there with billie jean- here he outdoes himself again showing his amazing talent and dancing abilitys- 5 star performance
7.1995 mtv video music awards-another amazing performance- my personal favorite along with smooth criminal- here he does many songs in a mix of some sort and shows many diffrent dances and it amazes me how he can switch so quick into the diff dances -one of a kind performance - 5 stars
8.THRILLER- classic masterpiece /great performances by all- 5 stars
SIDE TWO
1.SCREAM- innovative original video with sister janet- very cool video - 4 stars
2.CHILDHOOD-pretty good video -3.5 stars
3. YOU ARE NOT ALONE- not one of my favorites but still good video/ shows micheals sensitive side- 4 stars
4.EARTH SONG- beautiful video - have to see it to believe it -5 stars
5.THEY DONT CARE ABOUT US- so so video / fun to watch- 3.5 stars
6.STRANGER IN MOSCOW- diffrent type of video yet beautiful-3.8 stars
7.BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR- the worst video on whole disk - i didnt like this song or video at all but the other videos make up for this one - 1 star( this just wasnt micheal jackson- it wasnt his style ) i expect more from this - hes more talented and hes shown that in his past but maybe he just wanted to try somthing diffrent
8.BRACE yourself-3.5-4 stars
SO I RECOMEND THIS DVD TO ANYONE - any pop music lover or micheal jackson fan - even if ur not a big micheal jackson fan u will be after veiwing this collection and this dvd is also good for chronicaling some very memorable video masterpieces.

Michael Jackson is the King! Period!
How can someone who hasn't released any commercially successful material in the last six years be the King? Watch this video and you'll find out!

This is packed with some of Michael's most ambitious video's and live performances.

Video listing:

1. Bille Jean (Motown 25: yesterday, Today and Forever)

2. Beat It 3. Liberian Girl (very rare)

4. Smooth Criminal (one of his finest and higly overlooked videos)

5. 1995 MTV Video Music Awards Performance (Killer 15 minute Jackson performance!)

6. Thriller

7. Scream (duet with sister Janet and an amazing visual effect video!) 8. Childhood

9. You Are Not Alone (Video for the first song ever to debut at No.1 on the Billboard #100)

10. Earth Song (Beautiful video!)

11. They Don't Care About Us (Highly contorvercial song and video from 1996)

12. Stranger In Moscow (rare)

13. Bllod On The Dance Floor (rare in North America)

14. Brace Yourself

Get this DVD 'cause these are some fine pieces of work from the greatest entertainer of the last twenty years!

Five out of five

Video HIStory,volume 2
This package was released sometime after the 1997 release of Michael Jackson's BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR album. There is a video for BOTDF in this package. I just love SCREAM. That video features MJ's sister Janet,who's freaky like her brother. Take note of two censorships when the video is seen on MTV or VH1. The second word of the quoted line in SCREAM that goes "stop f---ing with me" is muted and also during that,Janet "flips the digit" which is blurred. Sorry,they're just following FCC regulations. No MJ fan should be without this package unless he/she chooses not to.

amazing music video
this is highly recommended for fans of mj and also nonfans who enjoy his music. It's all that and a bag of chips. This video came out when I was 14, but it wasn't until 3 years later I ended up buying it and it was well worth it.

It starts out with the now infamous trailer with mj as the statue on the HIStory cover, which leads the mj's groundbreaking performance of billie jean on the motown 25th special, the time he premiered the moonwalk. A definining moment in pop culture that is, and this is followed by the music video for beat it. Next up is the rare release of the liberian girl video which was an overseas hit in 1989 and features tons of celebrites such as quincy jones, weird al, paula abdul etc. and then the brilliant smooth criminal with it's amazing dance sequences, and yet another mj video moment, the lean. 1995 MTV video music awards performance is next, it's a medley of songs such as don't stop till you get enough, the way you make me feel, scream, beat it, black or white, billie jean, dangerous, smooth criminal and you are not alone. Next up is the music video which is considered the best video of all time, thriller. Followed by that is scream, a duet with sister janet and the most expensive video ever. This video set a blueprint for futuristic music videos the same way as previous videos have. Childhood is a sweet song, but I could do without the video. You Are Not Alone is also on here, but it is different from the version that used to air on tv. Earth Song is a touching masterpiece that is bound to make you shed tears. The song alone stands on it's own as a masterpiece, but the video is like the icing to the cake in a way. They Don't Care About Us the brazil version is very bright, very colourful and very rhythmic. Stranger is moscow is a calming masterpiece with a black and white video, beautiful videography here. If you buy the VHS, there is an mj megamix music video that mixes up his classic hits and shows different clips from videos and performances, you won't find this on the DVD. Last but not least, the remix video of blood on the dancefloor is at the end before ending with the brace yourself clip, a montage of Bad tour footage mixed with some victory tour footage. It is definitely worth your money and a timeless classic that is bound to forever live on. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

From the files of when comedy was actually funny
Those who know me know that I don't often go to comedies that have been made since the Austin Powers era. The reason is that there has been a line that has been crossed in recent years that makes that majority of these films unfunny to me. While Austin Powers had Dr. Evil to save it from over all lameness most comedies these days are too reliant on riskaye sex jokes and over the top toilet humor that works in South Park and Nintendo's "Conker's Bad Fur Day" but nothing else. The Naked Gun is based on the short-lived but absolutely hilarious "Police Squad" TV series starring Leslie Neilson as Lt. Frank Drebbon. The show and films classic "who dun its" from the 40s and 50s with over the top classy humor, and a lot of well timed puns and gags. Timing is what makes not only this movie, but also its sequels do funny. The timing for everything is dead on, plus it's a Zucker film, and the Zuckers are almost up there with Mel Brooks. They know how to do comedy right. However the weakness of this film is in its time sensitive gags. A lot of the events in this movie are poking fun of events that were occurring at the time the movies were made. People who were not around in, or do not remember the early nineties may not get a lot of the gags. Even so there is still enough material that is not time sensitive for the film to be funny over all. Even a guest appearance by Weird Al Yankovic.
The special features are lacking, however. Part of what makes DVDs so fun is when you get a jam-packed DVD that goes in depth into the making of the movie. It is when you have those kinds of documentaries that the movie becomes more than a movie; it becomes a living piece of history. Considering that so many of the jokes are so era sensitive these making of featurettes that this DVD lacked could have been beneficial to those who don't know that backdrops to which so many of these jokes are built.

Frank Drebin from Police Squad hits the Big Screen
Yes, "The Naked Gun" is a funny movie, a fitting heir to "Airplane" in the genre of "Kitchen Sink" comedy where you had better pay attention to everything that is going on in the background and read all of the final credits or you will be missing out on the fun. But Leslie Nielsen's totally dead-panned performance as Lt. Frank Drebin in the original "Police Squad" TV series worked better than than the more hammy approach used in the films. Still, watching Priscilla Presley, Nancy Marchand and Ricardo Montalban deal straight up with all the wackiness redeems many things. Even if you never saw "Police Squad" (with Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln), you will laugh parts of your anatomy off during "The Naked Gun." I wonder if Queen Elizabeth ever watched this movie? Too bad it is hard not to wince every time you see that guy playing Nordberg. Final Trivia Note: the German version of "The Naked Gun" runs four minutes shorter. See if you can guess what the fun loving Germans found so offensive they cut (No, I do not have any idea, but I am curious).

Classic Comedy
Based on the failed tv series "Police Squad", 1988's "The Naked Gun" was a smash comedy that gave new life to Leslie Nielsen's career (he had previously been reduced to dramatic roles) as well as escued the team of Jerry and David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, who hadn't had a hit since 1980's equally hysterical "Airplane" (which also starred Nielsen).

Frank Drebin (Nielsen) is a bumbling cop who is assinged to look into a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth at the World Series after his fellow oficer and good friend Nordberg (O.J. Simpson - yes, that O.J. Simpson) is nearly killed. The prime suspect is a businessman named Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban). Drebin and his partner Ed Hocken (Georeg Kennedy) will stop at nothing to find out who's behind the crime. That is, if Frank can avoid the charms of the sexy Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley).

This is a great film for anyone who loves to laugh. And get the two sequels as well and pray they comeout with a fourth one soon.

This carn't be overlooked
Very funny movie if you haven't seen it its clear your behind in comedy.

Masterpiece
When asked what my favorite movie of all time, I always instinctively utter "The Naked Gun." While not everyone really appreciates this movie, unless you're into goffball comedies, this has to be one of the funniest movies ever. Not sure what else can be said about it. Puns, punchlines, side gags, are all brilliant. I laugh out loud every time I watch it. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Al's Concert Has Its Ups & Downs
I've been a follower and fan of 'Weird Al' Yankovic's works ever since I was a mere young'n. I've all of his original studio albums on CD and love most of the tracks on 'em. His music videos tend to be quite amusing if not outright hilarious. I've seen him in concert a couple times, and liked most of his televised concert performances. Unfortunately, I didn't find his 'Weird Al' Yankovic Live!© video concert all that big a deal. For one thing, the stage he was on looked really small and cramped. With the kinds of antics Al and his band were up to during the performance, the boys needed more room to roam than what they had. And a few of the songs, most notably Like A Surgeon©, were played in a real wimpy, quasi-acoustic manner. The way I see it, if they ain't gonna play the music as it was originally supposed to be played, they shouldn't play it at all.

This concert is also the first time I really had a long look at Al's now-clean-shaven face. I used to wonder why he kept that goofy mustache, as I thought it made him look downright dorky. Well, playing an accordion doesn't exactly help to quell the Spaz Factor either, but let's not get off the track here. But now that I've taken a real good look at him sans those banded woolybears above his upper lip, I think he looks even more bizarre than ever before! Now he resembles an anorexic, psychotic Tiny Tim. Al's gone from 'Weird' to 'Needs To Be Committed'!

Finally, there's this one quirk that pops up every time I see The Weird One do a 'live' show and/or concert. The only thing is, I don't know if the quirk is his-- or mine! In every Al concert I've witnessed, he appears to lip-synch the very first tune in the set, to the studio rendition of the song in question. Now I said he APPEARS to do this to me; I don't know if this is actually true. It's just somethin' I've observed. Well, I seem to be observing it, anyway. ...

On the upside, as always Al puts a lotta energy and gusto into his stage performances here, featuring a smattering of those trademark high kicks and quasi-contortionist maneuvers that give you some idea of how limber he is. His energy and constant happy-go-lucky attitude are just a few things I wish most 'serious' artists would do more often in their concert videos. He'll even don the proper outfits for some of his tracks, including the Devo™esque Dare To Be Stupid©, Fat©, Bedrock Anthem©, Amish Paradise©, The NIN-cop Germs©, and several other numbers. You can tell he's truly havin' fun on the stage, and he ain't afraid to show it and share the fun with the crowd! Some of the audience members can even be seen holding their lit Bic™s up in the air!

As for the bonus music videos, I liked All About The Pentiums© the most out of the two. I also love the tune itself-you can really get'cher groove-on to it about as much as you can to the original version! The Saga Begins© video is all right, but nothing extraordinary. It's basically just a whimsical synopsis of Star Wars® Episode I© sung to the tune of Don McLean's legendary magnum opus American Pie©. Personally, I find Al's retelling of Episode I's events to be more entertaining than watching the actual movie! Maybe George Lucas should consider adding Yankovic to his writing staff for the next installment, hmm? C'mon George, don't miss the boat, now!

'Late

Weird Al Live in Concert!
In this video, the excitement of seeing Weird Al in concert is captured forever. It includes live versions of many of Weird Al's songs. And, if you purchase the DVD version, it includes some of the educational films shown at Weird Al's concerts. It does not include those great celebrity interviews he does due to legal reasons. It is a great buy if you would like to see Weird Al in concert. It is a lot better then the VH1 special was. That only included an hour's worth of it. Oh, I almost forgot. This great buy also includes the two music videos from Al's Running With Scissors album: The Saga Begins and It's all about the Pentiums. This is a must for every Weird Al fan.

Al live is a must see!!
Weird Al Yankovic live, comes off just as fun as one of his movies or songs would. This DVD is a live recording of one of his concerts that he had after the release of his Running with Scissors album.

The best part is that the concert isn't just of the songs that were on that latest album, but full of many of his old favorites that many Weird Al fans have been hooked on for years. Dare to Be Stupid, Amish Paradise, Like a Surgeon as well as newer hits like The Saga Begins and All about the Pentiums.

A few of the songs are interesting to note .. like Yoda for instance which is a song about Luke Skywalkers experiences with Yoda, is sung like you would usualy hear it but it suddenly will go into a weird chant that he has done at various times during his concerts. Just out of nowhere he starts to go into it and it's pretty impressive if not wacky to watch the whole band suddenly go into a trance like that. And also a good thing to note is the song the Night Santa Went Crazy has an alternate line that you won't hear in the song recorded on tape (won't give it away but any true Al fan should know already). I also enjoyed his compilation song which was a mixture of a lot of his old songs all in one huge melody. Some of the song would be sung and Al would whip on a new costume to fit the song he is about to sing and go right into it without pausing.

I really can't say enough how great this concert really is. There is even subtitles you can turn on if you want to sing along with it and its just a thril to see all the people having a great time and all the effort and thought that Al seems to put into putting on the show. I'm surprised they took this long to put his concert onto tape or DVD. It really is one of the best and most fun I have ever watched.

Bonus materials include the two music videos from Running with Scissors which are great in itself. And some funny 50'esque black and white shorts that he did for his AlTV specials some time back.

Bottom line, if you think you have heard and seen Al , you aint seen nothing yet until you have seen him live! You are definitely missing out if you don't have this already. You won't be sorry getting this. Its a great laugh and a lot of fun all the way through.

Very Funny
This dvd and the video collection are my kids two favorite music dvd's. Both of them are worth having.

Wonderful!
This DVD was great! "Weird Al" performs hits such as "the night santa went crazy" "its all about the pentiums" "my baby's in love with eddy vedder" "polka medley" "amish paradise" "yoda" "the saga begins" "like a surgeon" "one more minute" and more!!! If you're an Al fan and never seen him in concert, this is definitely worth it! Thumbs up Al! ... Read more

Description

Weird Al Yankovic has entertained people for over a decade with his witty song parodies and hilarious video spoofs of some of music's biggest hits. Here at last is a compilation of Al's video's from "Ricky" to "Gump." Songs: Ricky, I Love Rocky Road, Eat It, I Lost on Jeopardy, This is the Life, Like a Surgeon, One More Minute, Dare to Be Stupid, Living with a Hernia, Christmas at Ground Zero, Far, Beverly Hillbillies/Money for Nothing, UHF, Smells Like Nirvana, You Don't Love Me Anymore, Jurassic Park, Bedrock Anthem, Headline News, Amish Paradise, Gump, Spy Hard. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Pretty Perfect!
This is a great DVD, but on a few videos, the picture quality isn't that great (ex., I Lost On Jeoperdy). But, it evens out, because some of his newer on es, like Gump are very clear. There has been some contreversy over the DVD-only release. I got a DVD player on Christmas, 2001, and until then, I felt cheated. The truth is that you can find them on VH1 sometimes (so you can tape them). There also are individual Al tapes (they have a video library, containing about his first about ten (videos), then 2 or 3 more, containing about 4 each. But, those together (they have every one in this DVD, except UHF) are a couple dollars less, and very bulky. There are some Weird Al videos that I don't like that much, as I'm sure there are for all his fans. On DVD, you don't have to manually fast foreward. If they released this on VHS, all of us would wear them out (That's why I don't see why the6y don't realese them on VHS only. They'd make extra $). This contains all Weird Al's videos, except It's All About The Pentiums, and The Saga Begins (Which can be seen on Weird Al Live!, his only concert video). Weierd Al Live! and this are basically all that is in the stores, videowise, from Weird Al. There is also a complainment aboput the special features. As a big Weird Al fan, I have all his behind the Music-type-stuff already taped, but It still stinks. Anyway, I have all these old beat up, worn down, taped off telivision tapes, so the DVD is great (mainly because it won't deteriorate over the years. I have seen this DVD over 50 times! Even though it's not perfect, I love sitting back and watching all but 2 of Weird Al's videos (72 mins.). They are still entertaining and fun. So stop complaining, the price is high, but It's worth it, and the video's look and sound better than ever.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE VIDEOS, BABY!
This is a great disk. Weird Al is the best of the best when it comes to satire. Hard core and passing fans alike will get their monies worth with this collection, buy it right now! But.. The DVD leaves something to be desired. I was very disappointed that it contained none of the great supplemental material that makes DVD's such an outstanding format. The menu is minimal, and navigation is poor. This could have been the quintessential format for that brand of Weird Al wackiness we all love. The disk could and should have given us some of these things: Hidden jokes; song lyrics; insight; Easter eggs; fun menu navigation, and general Weird Al-ness. At least it's not a complete video library, so hopefully these shortcomings can be accounted for on the next video release. Still it's a great disk, can't wait for more.

"Weird Al" Yankovic: The Videos
HEY! If you're considering paying $100 for this DVD, DON'T DO IT! The videos are certainly worth watching, but by November 2003 apparently there will be a new collection. One that will be digitally remastered and everything! So, just hold off until the Christmas season to watch all of the video genius of Al. Check out the official site for the details under "Ask Al" for Sept 2nd.

Stop complaining
This is actually very cool. I am a huge "Weird Al" Yankovic fan, and I really think this is awesome. Of course it is only 74 minutes long (it would have been cool if they had stuck The Complete Al on here, too. I got this for fairly cheap when it came out, but if you don't want to pay the barbaric price for this disc, you can buy the individual tapes or, if they come on on VH1, tape that. The dvd isn't completely horrible. I've see all the behind the musics, so I don't need supplement. It would be cool if they could fit this, The Compleat Al, and "Weird Al" Live on one disc (probably double sided). But lets not complain about what we don't have. Lets feel happy for what we do have. You would have to look individuall for the following tapes The Weird Al Video Library, Bad Hair Day, and Alapalooza. Think about the space three video tapes take up compared to one dvd and it's case. It's uncomparable. Think of the quality. While some off the early ones may be very dull (Jeopardy), some of the newer ones go to lengths vhs could only dream of (Gump). The 2 interruptions. Self explanatory. Think of the wear and tear. For a guy like me who has literally seen this disc hundreds of times, it helps having dvd. Plus, the disc is easy to get to your desired song (without fast-forewarding or possibly switching tapes). Plus it just starts with Ricky. No commercials, no advertisements, nothing. Yes, it could be better. But I'm fine. Thank you for taking the time to read my review and feel free to leave me a hepful/not helpful feedback. God Bless America!

Bought this for my son!
I bought this for my son last Christmas. He & His friends have watched this over & over! It was well worth the purchase. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Judy! Judy! Judy!
An overlooked gem! Until I ran across this howler, I was no Judy Tenuta fan (all that braying turned me off) but she won me over with her amped-down (and oddly poignant) turn as a kiddie star has-been trying to make a tabloid comeback. Very funny stuff--and it probably plays much better on TV than in a moviehouse, where it's low-budget roots would have been more glaring. Because the movie is essentially a comic version of Dana Plato's much-publicized crash 'n' burn (Plato actually appears in a self-depreciating cameo role, along with fellow former child stars Erin Moran, Ken Osmond, etc.), I'd love to know what was going through the filmmakers' minds when Plato fatally OD'ed before the film's release. Even though the movie is a basic mockery of Plato's life (right down to a low-rent "look-at-me" mini-mart stick-up), there was no way Plato's cameo could be cut entirely because she appears prominently in a poker-game sequence crucial to the rest of the movie. The answer? An end credit, dedicating the film to Plato--an ironic tribute if ever there was one. That said, Judy's performance in a loony lesbian scene and as the star of a Girl Scout slasher flick are worth the price of the DVD alone!!!

Judy can act, and the movie is good too!
This could have easily been a movie of the week on network TV. There is very minimal profanity and is very touching. Judy can act (who knew?), and is very funny without "trying to hard."
The entire cast did a great job. It's a small film, but with a big punch. Some of the scenes were so truthful, it hurt at times to watch it. Judy was very sincere, and I totally believed her in this role. Great cameos throughout the movie. It is like an demented version of Sunset Blvd and Andy Warhol's Heat. If you liked those movies, you will certainly enjoy this one. I rented it (very hard to find in a rental capacity here in Orlando), but plan to buy it. It's a small cult-classic-to-be. The addition of Dana Plato's cameo added resinence and punch to the themes and plot lines. I can't say enough about this movie. It is worth it, and more. Bravo!

JUDY CAN ACT!!!!!
I won't repeat what the other positive reviwers have said. This is a cute movie. What surprised me is how great Judy can act. She is funny, touching, moving, and gives a great performance. I think most of the people who will buy it will be Judy fans. While I was expecting more "raw" Judy, it was a pleasant surprise to see her much more mellow. Many fans will be disappointed to not see Judy being as acidic as usual, but you have to give her credit-SHE IS A GOOD ACTRESS. If you want the bitchy Judy, BUTCH CAMP is the DVD for you. Otherwise go into this with an open mind and enjoy her sweet and inspired performance.

VERY FUNNY!
What can I say? It's a very funny, very cleverly written, very well-acted film, with lots of laughs, lots of surprises, lots of heart. I've enjoyed it over a dozen times. My friends have all loved it too. It seriously is one of the best comedy films of the past few years.

Hysterical Take On Fame
"I'm not an angel, but I play one on TV"

Where has this little gem of a film been hiding since 1998? To see Burt Ward, Erin Moran, Dana Plato, and Ken Osmond playing cards and discussing infomercials (even the director's cuts of those -- "It's colon cleanser...just SPRINKLE it!") they've done is quite a hoot, and that scene alone is worth the price of seeing this film! Ah, when the stars have to come down from the hill and have to live with the rest of us...it's also eerie that this was one of Plato's last appearences in a film with a title as Desperation Boulevard, but there's a loving "In Memory Of" for her at the end credits.

While the Comedy Central TV show STRIP MALL with Julie Brown showed a more zany take on the life of a has-been former child actor, her character was a bit self-centered (though I worship Ms. Brown of course!). In Desperation Boulevard, Judy Tenuta's character of Joan, a has-been former child actor is quite different in the fact that you really feel for her plight, and she is actually a likeable gal. I was amazed to see Tenuta showing quite a bit of sincerity in her role, which gave this film a bit of reality in the midst of silly stunts she tried to get back in the public eye once again. At times wacky, then charming, there's a nice balance that will have you smiling even if you're not laughing out loud.

Michael Lerner is fine as the oblivious agent, and Will Shriner shows some compassion as a former Joan's former love. There are fun appearances by Burt Ward, Erin Moran, Dana Plato, Ken Osmond, Weird Al Yankovic, Emo Philips, Rhonda Shear, and Melanie Hutsell that work well with the story instead of just being a "spot the pseudo-celebrity" type of thing. I found myself laughing hard when Erin Moran had such a look of glee on her face for taking credit for a liquor store robbery that Tenuta tried to pull off! The scenes from the girl scout horror film were an absolute stitch as well: "She earned her merit badge in TERROR!"

Even though the "gift of the magi" ending is a bit tidied up, it's still satisfying and and the hired stalker gives a boost to any scene he just happens to be standing in! There's a lot of heartfelt charm to this film as well as the comedy, and it was interesting to see the mild level of language instead of trying for a hard "R-rated" theme. It has just enough to make it pleasing to adults.

I've always been a fan of Judy Tenuta, and seeing her play more than a wacky gal is really a nice surprise. Desperation Boulevard is a pleasant low-budget escape from a sea of big-budget wastes of time. This one is definitely worth your while if you appreciate a good take on fame and selflessness. Not since Christopher Guest's THE BIG PICTURE have I enjoyed such a take on Hollywood.

Be sure to stick through the end credits to see some outtakes and a tap-dancing Anne Frank play! It has to be seen to be believed! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The King of Comedy Strikes Again!
This DVD is very funny. It includes all of Al's videos except for the two from "Running With Scissors". Al's songs are entertaining by themselves, but they're even better when he makes videos out of them. Every single video on this DVD will leave you laughing until you cry. Al gets an oppurtunity to show off his uncanny ability to do physical comedy, and it just shows how talented Al really is. If you can track down a copy, you should definately buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

From the files of when comedy was actually funny
Those who know me know that I don't often go to comedies that have been made since the Austin Powers era. The reason is that there has been a line that has been crossed in recent years that makes that majority of these films unfunny to me. While Austin Powers had Dr. Evil to save it from over all lameness most comedies these days are too reliant on riskaye sex jokes and over the top toilet humor that works in South Park and Nintendo's "Conker's Bad Fur Day" but nothing else. The Naked Gun is based on the short-lived but absolutely hilarious "Police Squad" TV series starring Leslie Neilson as Lt. Frank Drebbon. The show and films classic "who dun its" from the 40s and 50s with over the top classy humor, and a lot of well timed puns and gags. Timing is what makes not only this movie, but also its sequels do funny. The timing for everything is dead on, plus it's a Zucker film, and the Zuckers are almost up there with Mel Brooks. They know how to do comedy right. However the weakness of this film is in its time sensitive gags. A lot of the events in this movie are poking fun of events that were occurring at the time the movies were made. People who were not around in, or do not remember the early nineties may not get a lot of the gags. Even so there is still enough material that is not time sensitive for the film to be funny over all. Even a guest appearance by Weird Al Yankovic.
The special features are lacking, however. Part of what makes DVDs so fun is when you get a jam-packed DVD that goes in depth into the making of the movie. It is when you have those kinds of documentaries that the movie becomes more than a movie; it becomes a living piece of history. Considering that so many of the jokes are so era sensitive these making of featurettes that this DVD lacked could have been beneficial to those who don't know that backdrops to which so many of these jokes are built.

Frank Drebin from Police Squad hits the Big Screen
Yes, "The Naked Gun" is a funny movie, a fitting heir to "Airplane" in the genre of "Kitchen Sink" comedy where you had better pay attention to everything that is going on in the background and read all of the final credits or you will be missing out on the fun. But Leslie Nielsen's totally dead-panned performance as Lt. Frank Drebin in the original "Police Squad" TV series worked better than than the more hammy approach used in the films. Still, watching Priscilla Presley, Nancy Marchand and Ricardo Montalban deal straight up with all the wackiness redeems many things. Even if you never saw "Police Squad" (with Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln), you will laugh parts of your anatomy off during "The Naked Gun." I wonder if Queen Elizabeth ever watched this movie? Too bad it is hard not to wince every time you see that guy playing Nordberg. Final Trivia Note: the German version of "The Naked Gun" runs four minutes shorter. See if you can guess what the fun loving Germans found so offensive they cut (No, I do not have any idea, but I am curious).

Classic Comedy
Based on the failed tv series "Police Squad", 1988's "The Naked Gun" was a smash comedy that gave new life to Leslie Nielsen's career (he had previously been reduced to dramatic roles) as well as escued the team of Jerry and David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, who hadn't had a hit since 1980's equally hysterical "Airplane" (which also starred Nielsen).

Frank Drebin (Nielsen) is a bumbling cop who is assinged to look into a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth at the World Series after his fellow oficer and good friend Nordberg (O.J. Simpson - yes, that O.J. Simpson) is nearly killed. The prime suspect is a businessman named Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban). Drebin and his partner Ed Hocken (Georeg Kennedy) will stop at nothing to find out who's behind the crime. That is, if Frank can avoid the charms of the sexy Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley).

This is a great film for anyone who loves to laugh. And get the two sequels as well and pray they comeout with a fourth one soon.

This carn't be overlooked
Very funny movie if you haven't seen it its clear your behind in comedy.

Masterpiece
When asked what my favorite movie of all time, I always instinctively utter "The Naked Gun." While not everyone really appreciates this movie, unless you're into goffball comedies, this has to be one of the funniest movies ever. Not sure what else can be said about it. Puns, punchlines, side gags, are all brilliant. I laugh out loud every time I watch it. ... Read more