Watch Weird Al Yankovic: The Compleat Al

The movie Weird Al Yankovic: The Compleat Al is a comedic documentary featuring the life and career of the musical satire legend Weird Al Yankovic. The film was directed by Jay Levey and released in 1985. The film follows Weird Al's journey from his early days as an accordion-toting teenager to his rise to fame as a musical parody master.

The movie begins with a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of one of Weird Al's most well-known hits, “Eat It,” a parody of Michael Jackson's “Beat It.” The documentary then dives into Weird Al's childhood in Lynwood, California, where he cultivated his love for music and satire. We see footage of Weird Al's early performances, including his high school talent show, where he performed a parody of The Knack's “My Sharona.”

The film then follows Weird Al's early career struggles, including his rejection from multiple record labels and his initial failure to achieve mainstream success. However, through persistence and dedication, Weird Al eventually broke through with his album “Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D,” which contained hits like “Eat It,” “I Lost On Jeopardy,” and “King of Suede.”

Throughout the movie, we see Weird Al's irreverent, quirky personality on full display. He cracks jokes, wears silly costumes, and engages in absurd antics like using a live snake as a prop in a music video. We also get interviews with his close friends and collaborators, who attest to his hard work and creative genius.

The documentary also explores the controversies that Weird Al has faced over the course of his career. There are clips of music industry figures who felt that his parodies were disrespectful or in bad taste, and segments on the backlash he received for his Nirvana parody “Smells Like Nirvana.”

Despite these criticisms, Weird Al persevered and continued to produce hit albums and music videos throughout the 90s and 2000s. The documentary ends with a montage of some of his most famous parodies, set to the tune of his original song “Dare To Be Stupid.”

Overall, Weird Al Yankovic: The Compleat Al is an entertaining and informative look at the life and work of one of music's most unique and beloved artists. It combines laughs, nostalgia, and insight into the creative process to give viewers a comprehensive view of Weird Al's artistic journey.

Weird Al Yankovic: The Compleat Al is a 1985 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7.