Project: Alf Blu-ray Review

The Gordon Shumway Experience

To be upfront about Project: Alf, this was a TV movie form 1996 meant to finish off the Alf sitcom series. With but one exception, it features none of the original cast or characters aside from, well, Alf, obviously. That’s destined for disaster.

But, Project: Alf is wonderfully kitschy, somehow hooking Emmy winner Martin Sheen for a key role as a military general out to kill Alf. The cat-eating alien’s marvelously on-point (and sometimes dated, unavoidably) sarcasm is enough to capture what made the show work. There’s no attempt to alter or overextend the character, and his comically goofy form works in pseudo-cinematic form as it did for television.

Project: Alf’s best asset is in giving the character closure

It works because Alf is effusively charming, a total delight who, in spite of being an ‘80s pop culture leftover, transitioned into the late ‘90s with zero issue. He’s a natural, or rather, the puppet and voice actor Paul Fusco are. When not on-screen, Project: Alf staggers. William O’Leary and Jensen Daggett power much of the story as Alf’s defenders, playing up their awkward not-really relationship that Alf clearly knows is something more.

Miguel Ferrer chews up scenery as a (eventual) villain, released from the government for threatening to expose Alf’s existence. In a meta commentary, Ferrer sees merchandising opportunities, and so does Alf, as if his face wasn’t on plastic lunchboxes across the US already. Being Alf, he has standards – he doesn’t want to “end up like Bill Cosby,” a dated gag that somehow is funnier now, albeit with cruder context.

Project: Alf’s best asset is in giving the character closure after a so-so series finale. Seeing Alf living it up, endlessly eating, gambling, and pirating movies, his best life, is worth this 90-minute bit of pure escapism. Project: Alf is such a soft, gentle production that’s right on tone with a predictably saccharine, easy-going finish, that as a finale, it’s perfect.

Video

There are iconic, indisputably classic films that have yet to see an adequate Blu-ray transfers. Thankfully, we have Project: Alf in its purest, more pristine quality imaginable, and let’s be honest: That’s what really matters. It’s stunning, with preserved grain perfectly resolved. Detail galore pours from the frame, and the sharpness is ludicrous considering this is… Project: Alf. After decades of watching Alf in SD, seeing the puppet in such remarkable clarity is unreal. Every hair looks refined and clear.

Marvelously bright, stellar contrast enlivens every frame. Black levels? Those work too, just as well.

Color loses none of its intensity through the years. It’s naturally saturated, the flesh tones exacting, and primaries strong. Alf’s orange-ish/brown never looked purer than this.

Audio

PCM stereo offers a surprising split right from the outset as vehicles pass the frame. Satisfying dialog replication sounds every bit as precise as anything released theatrically from the era. Project: Alf doesn’t push any limits to test the track, but it’s more than sufficient. The minimal score sports fine treble, if nothing in terms of range.

Extras

Writer/Alf voice actor Paul Fusco provides a commentary/interview, joined in the menu by a photo gallery.

Full disclosure: This Blu-ray was provided by the label for review. This has not materially affected DoBlu’s editorial process. For information on how we handle all review material, please visit DoBlu’s about us page.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 37 full resolution, uncompressed HD screen shots ripped directly from the Blu-ray: