UHF
UHF (released internationally as The Vidiot from UHF) is a 1989 American comedy film starring "Weird Al" Yankovic, David Bowe, Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson, Kevin McCarthy, Michael Richards, Stanley Brock, Gedde Watanabe, Billy Barty, Anthony Geary, Emo Philips and Trinidad Silva in his final film role; as Silva died before filming wrapped, the film is dedicated to his memory. Directed by Jay Levey, Yankovic's manager, who also co-wrote the screenplay with him, the film was originally released by Orion Pictures and became owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after their takeover in 1997. Yankovic and Levey struggled to find a production company to finance the film, but eventually secured Orion's support after agreeing to a budget. Principal photography took place around Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Plot
George Newman, a daydreaming slacker who bounces between jobs, is put in charge of Channel 62, a UHF television station, after his uncle Harvey Bilchik wins ownership of it in a poker game. George and his friend Bob Steckler realize the station is nearly bankrupt, subsisting on reruns of old shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and Mister Ed. When a package meant for its competitor, VHF station Channel 8, is misdelivered to Channel 62, George decides to deliver it himself, only to be rudely dismissed by RJ Fletcher, owner and CEO of Channel 8. Outside, George meets Stanley Spadowski, a janitor whom RJ had recently fired unfairly for falsely discarding a missing report, and hires him at Channel 62.
More details
author | Jay Levey "Weird Al" Yankovic |
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contentLocation | Tulsa |
director | Jay Levey |
editor | Dennis M. O'Connor |
genre | comedy |
keywords | 1955 doubled die cent beg broadcast signal intrusion daydream end fcc federal communications commission file hijack homeless man kidnap mister ed poker game rat telethon television station the beverly hillbillies uhf ultra-high frequency vhf |
musicBy | John Du Prez |
producer | Gene Kirkwood John W. Hyde |
productionCompany | Cinecorp |
publisher | Orion Pictures |
theme | independent parody slapstick |