Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
Explores every facet of Yankovic's life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like 'Eat It' and 'Like a Surgeon' to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle.
For more about Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K and the Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray release, see Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Review published by Brian Orndorf on December 15, 2023 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.
It's fitting that a bio-pic of "Weird Al" Yankovic doesn't contain a single authentically biographical moment from his life. "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story"
isn't
out to deliver an honest overview of the subject's life and times, it's a "Funny or Die" co-production, presenting not just an exaggerated take on
Yankovic's career, but a complete farce concerning the twists and turns of his existence. It's in the tradition of "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,"
delivering a parody of bio-pics for the master of song parodies, turning his experiences into an operatic understanding of career determination and the
intoxication of ego. "Weird" is often hilarious and always on the prowl for silly business, with director Eric Appel (who co-scripts with Yankovic) really
going wild with this examination of one man's quest to win the world over with his accordion and love of wordplay, facing incredible odds against his
success and physical threats from Pablo Escobar.
When he was a child, Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) was a fan of Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson), dreaming of a future where he could write special
songs that parodied the hits of the day. His parents disapproved of such ambition, with father Nick (Toby Huss) preparing his boy for a life of factory
work. Acquiring an accordion and escaping to Los Angeles, Al hopes to develop his incredible skills as a musician, only searching for the right
inspiration. It comes in the form of bologna, kicking off Al's climb up the charts, nailing hit after hit, which fattens his bank account and inflates his
ego, making him insufferable. Getting close to the superstar is Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood), who's looking for an unbeatable collaboration and a
torrid romance, blurring Al's mind as he strives to create an original hit capable of turning him into a respected performer.
"Weird" is strange, and that's the point of the production, which plays it cool for a few minutes, tricking viewers into believing the feature is a
genuine portrait of the artist. The story begins in the 1970s, but dates are soon shooed away, with the writing preferring to use random bits of
Yankovic's history to fuel comedic situations. As a boy, Al was offered an accordion by a traveling salesman, giving him a musical outlet his parents
couldn't stand, with Nick the ultimate disapproving dad, clinging to the safety of a 9-5 job (he refuses to share his wage or even discuss the goods
the factory produces). Al finds comfort in his talents, wowing gathered cool kids at a polka party, soon taking a chance on himself with a move to
L.A., finding roommates but not immediate inspiration. "Weird" parallels many moves from "Walk Hard," including the spark of genius, with Al's life
changed when he matches a package of bologna to the sounds of The Knack's "My Sharona." Genius is soon born.
Instead of walking through the years, goosing achievements in Yankovic's life, "Weird" goes random, skipping around his growth period, which is
helped along by Dr. Demento, who becomes a manager of sorts for the polka fiend, guiding him through the pitfalls of fame and the pressures of
live performance. Appel has quite the directorial challenge with the picture, which bounces around scenes, and the production goes full "Muppet
Movie," packing in as many cameos as possible. Perhaps the most delightful use of famous faces is found during a pool party loaded with celebrities,
with Wolfman Jack (Jack Black) challenging Al to come up with a parody for "Another One Bites the Dust," in front of Queen bassist John Deacon
(whom nobody knows). It's a mighty test of speed and silliness, with guests such as Andy Warhol (Conan O'Brien) and Gallagher (Paul F. Tompkins)
looking on, and the scene captures the special oddity of "Weird," which often simply arranges small portions of insanity for funsies, wanting nothing
to do with Yankovic's real career arc.
"Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" makes its way to UHD after spending the last year on streaming. The Dolby Vision presentation offers nuanced colors
throughout, handling the extremes of the subject's adventures. Period hues are alert, with vivid primaries on clothing choices. Interiors retain the
warmth of domestic spaces and the coldness of hospital stays and arena antics. Skin tones are natural, and makeup additions are precise (even
exposing budgetary limitations). Greenery is also defined. Highlights are appealing, with a tasteful sense of California life and performance presentation.
Detail is superb, exploring sharp skin particulars, and costuming remains fibrous, working with the oddball outfits of the era. Interiors deliver a
tour of decorative additions, and exteriors maintain dimension. Blacks are deep, selling tour activity and preserving evening action. "Faux" grain is
utilized for the HD-shot feature, and it doesn't always register in a natural way, but this appears to be an inherent issue.
The 7.1 Dolby TrueHD mix supplies a crisp listening experience for "Weird." Dialogue exchanges are sharp, securing nuance with performance choices
and celebrity impressions. Scoring cues support with clarity and balance. Musical performances are commanding, with a pleasing sense of percussion,
synth, and bass, and vocals are pronounced, keeping Yankovic's singing the focus of the songs. Musical moods offer circular activity, providing a feel of
crowds and room tone. Atmospherics are active and full.
Commentary features Al Yankovic and director Eric Appel.
Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes (24:39, HD) provide introductions from Al Yankovic and director Eric Appel, who
discuss the snipped moments, which include dinner table conversations with the Yankovic family, additional pool party cameos, a longer Oprah
interview, and the full "Like a Surgeon" performance sequence.
"Late Night with Seth Meyers" (10:18, HD) is a clip from the late-night talk show, featuring an interview with actor Daniel
Radcliffe and Al Yankovic.
"Variety Studio" (7:59, HD) is an interview with director Eric Appel and actors Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood, who
field questions about the creation of "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" and the challenges of playing real people.
"He's the Weird One" (3:52, HD) is a short interview with director Eric Appel and Al Yankovic.
"A Plethora of Cameos" (2:07, HD) is an IMDB.com featurette that collects interviews from Al Yankovic, director Eric
Appel, and actor Rainn Wilson during their promotional push for "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story."
"Now You Know" (5:21, HD) is an official lyric video from Al Yankovic.
Making Of (3:57, HD) is a brief featurette on the creative approach driving "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story."
Madonna soon enters "Weird," putting Al on a path of alcoholism and arrogance, transforming him into a Jim Morrison-like figure, and there's an action
element when the Material Girl is kidnapped by Escobar's goons. The feature is 107 minutes long, and one can feel the second half struggling to sustain
the movie's early energy, with a few ideas and subplots in need of pruning. Still, laughs are relatively consistent, and Radcliffe gives his all to the part,
trying to be the most animated "Weird Al" Yankovic possible, never turning down a chance to embrace the excess and amplification of this version of Al.
Of course, it's all nonsense, but "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" offers some inspired madness and it answers a question plaguing pop culture for the last
40 years: what came first, "Eat It" or "Beat It"? The answer may surprise you.
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Weird: The Al Yankovic Story in the search box below.
For the week that ended on December 16th, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment's Oppenheimer (2023) rose back up to the top spot on the Blu-ray-only chart in its fourth week, while Walt Disney Home Entertainment's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny fell to ...
Shout Factory, in association with Roku, is preparing 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases of Eric Appel's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022), starring Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, Rainn Wilson, Julianne Nicholson, and Diedrich Bader. The two releases are scheduled ...
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Weird: The Al Yankovic Story in the search box below.
