PROJECT ALF: Flaws and Funnies (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS)

[ALF'sgirl]

The day I became an ALF fan, I began to look up episodes, specials, etc; and when I found a title that read "Project: Alf", and found it to be a movie, my inner thoughts started screaming "my life is complete!" But when I watched some of it on YouTube the next day, I found it to be a little disappointing. (FLAWS): During the original series run, I noticed that ALF was created for kids, but also had some jokes written for adults. And in the film, at least a total of five questionable jokes (from what I heard) were made; when in the series, the limit was one. And on top of that, and out of all places ALF could've mistaken for a different location, the writers suggested a place called the "Kitty Kat Lounge" was chosen; and of course, who could forget...the Tanners. Now, this is a flaw that I well understood. The original actors were tired of ALF, and even if they could've gotten most of the Tanners back; Max Wright (Willie Tanner) Would still be missing. (FUNNIES) However, nobody's perfect. Even when the movie had slip ups, there was still some of the old ALF in there that we loved; such as, having all the prison guards under his thumb, and having them play poker while bringing him a new snack every thirty minutes. Along with his dramatic and childish cries of pain while receiving a sedative, he still complained and demanded another 10% on Rick's gambling debt (as a way to get him back for the sedative) right before surrendering to the drug. As the films continues, he pulls out his old ALFER charm and tries to make his moves on a beautiful professor's assistant. (What I find funny, is that it really worked for a change.) Another thing that seemed a little odd, but funny, was that ALF was mad when Rick and Melissa rescued him him from the base! The two military members then try to bribe him with something eat; which of course, is an offer our ALF can't refuse. So in conclusion, PROJECT: ALF is indeed funny, but still seems to have something missing.

[Ninjadragon5]

yeah, I agree with you on the Alf movie, it is a mixed bag for me, I still like it in a way, but I think it could of been better. I agree that the movie certainly has a more adult theme in it then the series, like the scene where Alf is in the stripper bar.why in the world would paul put something like that in there? seemed really odd to me. yeah, it does upset a bit the tanners were not in it, but it is understandable since a reunion of the actors was very unlikely. and yeah, I did find it a bit odd Alf did not want to leave the base with melissa and rick too, doesn't he want to be free again? but yeah, despite it's flaws, it still does have it's good Alf moments that are funny. it's a decent watch for any die hard Alf fan.

[robodog]

I have no problem with the more adult humor. It existed in the series proper as well. Such as the neighborhood watch episode where Alf was spying on the meeting they were having. The officer asked for volunteers to patrol the streets and Alf's interpretation was "They just asked for Streetwalkers and Kate raised her hand" In another episode the subject of Lynn's training bra came up prompting Alf to reply "So what can they do now that they couldn't before?"

Here's the thing. Most 80's sitcoms were mindless junk with no edge to them at all. Alf was probably one of the best sitcoms of the 80's because it was one of the few that didn't treat it's audience like mindless children who needed to be shielded from anything even slightly edgy and who couldn't handle any kind of humor that was any more sophisticated than a pie in the face. And most kids watching wouldn't get the adult stuff. The streetwalker line went right over my head when I first saw it at age ten. I didn't get it until I rewatched the series as an adult.

Compare Alf to another sitcom of the era, Full House. That show was one step removed from Strawberry Shortcake. It was sugary sweet, had no bite at all. And though I liked it as a kid I find it unwatchable now. With Alf, I'm there for almost every single showing on the Hub and I find the show every bit as enjoyable now as I did as a kid. Probably more so since I keep coming across jokes that flew completely over my head as a kid that I now get. It's a show that can be enjoyed no matter what your age and it doesn't insult your intelligence like so many other 80's sitcoms.

[Ninjadragon5]

I agree with robodog, it is one the few sitcoms I can watch over and over again and never get tired of it. it really did stand out as new and unique for a sitcom in that era.I did like full house, but your right, it was extremely sugar coated compared to ALF.
and now that I think about it, ALF does have a lot of adult humor in, of course it flew over my head when I was younger because at the time I didn't get it. now that I'm re watching it as an adult, I get the adult jokes more.

the thing is thought I question what kind of audience was paul going for with the movie? there is a lot of adult humor in that, and some questionable scenes even for family viewing, but i guess he figure the only people who be watching it were the fans and most of them were older then and the older humor would okay for them. and really, even when i first watched it when i was 5, most the adult humor i didn't get nor did a know what a strip club was.

[robodog]

I think you hit the nail on the head. The audience for Project ALF was the people who grew up with the show and were now more mature. Kind of like the Harry Potter series. Those books were designed to mature with the original audience, which is why they got darker and more sophisticated with every book. That's why they got away with the strip club scene. Project ALF wasn't aimed at young children, it was aimed at the old fans. It was a way to wrap up the series properly.