Logistically I still can't believe we pulled it off

September 2, 2023 8:52 AM

How 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' Pulled Off the Cameo Filled Pool Scene [12m15s] is a look at the insanely celebrity-cameo-laden pool scene from the entirely accurate biopic. Everyone is so enthusiastic about the project, it's charming. It's a thing you'd enjoy if you enjoy this kind of thing.
posted by hippybear (20 comments total)

Emo Philips as Salvador Dalí is one of my favorite bits of casting in recent memory
posted by jason_steakums at 9:27 AM on September 2, 2023 [12 favorites]

I particularly admire the way they’ve picked the exact right kind of celebrities for the party. Note perfect.
posted by Artw at 9:35 AM on September 2, 2023 [4 favorites]

This movie was delightful. I'm glad to hear it was a happy set too! So weird to me that it only found a home on the Roku Channel.
posted by queensissy at 9:37 AM on September 2, 2023 [1 favorite]

Now available for pre-order from The Shout Factory in DVD and Blu-ray.
posted by DanSachs at 10:02 AM on September 2, 2023 [3 favorites]

It’s available on Netflix outside the USA!
posted by LizBoBiz at 10:12 AM on September 2, 2023 [3 favorites]

So weird to me that it only found a home on the Roku Channel.

That's because it was a Roku exclusive. Other streamers had a crack at acquiring it, but Roku outbid everyone for the exclusivity rights as a way to attract attention to the stuff they've been doing on the Roku Channel.

In a way, it's kind of the best possible thing that could have happened for it as a direct-to-streaming movie; Instead of getting the Netflix-style content dump along with 68 other movies and TV series on some quiet Friday night, it got to literally be the tentpole release for an entire streaming channel with promotion across dozens of other channels and embedded in every Roku device.

Shout Factory recently announced that they're releasing the Blu-ray version soon, so I imagine it might eventually turn up on one of the dozens of channels that Shout syndicates its film/TV library to as well.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:32 AM on September 2, 2023 [5 favorites]

My favorite part of the video is how Weird Al is eating throughout the entire interview. Very on brand.
posted by Laura Palmer's Cold Dead Kiss at 10:43 AM on September 2, 2023 [1 favorite]

Madonna is still at large.
posted by Artw at 10:52 AM on September 2, 2023 [9 favorites]

Emo Philips as Salvador Dalí is one of my favorite bits of casting in recent memory

That one instant where you realize you're looking at Emo Philips as Dali and Conan O'Brien as Warhol in the same frame is incredible.
posted by mhoye at 3:23 PM on September 2, 2023 [14 favorites]

It's also available on Kanopy in some places (specifically New Zealand, but check your local library).
posted by WhackyparseThis at 5:45 PM on September 2, 2023 [1 favorite]

It's a shame that Weird Al isn't still alive to see this loving biopic.
posted by Pronoiac at 7:25 PM on September 2, 2023 [12 favorites]

It's a shame that Weird Al isn't still alive to see this loving biopic.--Pronoiac

What, is this a spoiler? Because that's a shocking thing to read for someone who hasn't seen the movie.
posted by eye of newt at 10:02 PM on September 2, 2023

I think that’s just a joke. Weird Al is indeed still around.
posted by profreader at 12:21 AM on September 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

Weird Al will never die! NEVER!
posted by rhizome at 1:16 AM on September 3, 2023 [3 favorites]

I'm not a huge Weird Al fan but this movie was unexpected and delightful and the fact that he was involved with it's making makes me like him more.
It's definitely on the list for a rewatch
posted by newpotato at 4:02 AM on September 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

I’ve been seeing the trailer on Roku for evvvvverrrr (“No offense”) so this finally motivates me to watch it.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 11:36 AM on September 3, 2023

The Weirdly Enduring Appeal of Weird Al Yankovic (NYTimes, 2020) is one of the all-time great articles.
posted by neuron at 9:19 PM on September 3, 2023

I love the joke of Radcliffe getting super ripped for the part because it implies the movie's fictional version of Weird Al on the set saying, "Nope. Back to the gym. You gotta be more buff than that to portray me at my prime."
posted by straight at 9:12 AM on September 4, 2023 [1 favorite]

I just watched this on a United flight on their in-flight entertainment just FYI.
posted by Clustercuss at 8:08 PM on September 6, 2023

It's unnerving how the director's eyes are floating on a smooth, flat surface. Live video filters aren't quite there yet, I guess. Or maybe I'm just cranky because it's this big list of artists and offbeat musicians and it's almost all dudes.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:38 AM on September 7, 2023