‘Project: ALF’ Blu-Ray Review – Classic Series Gets Closure With A Silly, Fun Road Movie

The film begins where ALF ended, with Gordon Shumway (otherwise known as ALF), being captured by the US Air Force’s Alien Task Force (ATF) while attempting to depart Earth. ALF is detained at Edmonds Air Force Base and despite everyone’s worst fears, ALF has been thriving in captivity. Acting independently, the head of ATF security plans on killing his prisoner under the guise of a beauty treatment, for which he has left a paper trail implicating his aide Learning of this, two Air Force scientists, Major Melissa Hill and Captain Rick Mullican, help ALF escape.

For thoughts on Project: ALF, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/Ytx1z8cSy70?t=4212]

Video Quality

Project: ALF comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Liberation Hall with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer. The last effort we reviewed from this label was RoboCop: The Series, which proved to be a mess of a release with improper aspect ratios and poor quality upscales. With those fears in mind, we approached this release with trepidation. While there are still some unfortunate compromises made on this release, the results are miles away from the nightmares of that previous release. 

The biggest issue with RoboCop was the terrible decision to present the series in the wrong original aspect ratio. This happens to be the case with Project: ALF, which was composed in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio and is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Where ALF differs from RoboCop is that the source appears to have been remastered with this composition in mind instead of indiscriminately stretched and zoomed in with numerous heads partially cut off. This process is closer to shows like The Wire or Sex and the City which created a pleasing new version of the show. The OAR should always be maintained, but if it is not it it at least needs to be reframed with some care, and thankfully that is the case here.  

Another way in which Project: ALF differs is that it looks pretty terrific in high definition. There is no specific verbiage as to the source, but this television movie was actually shot on film instead of video like the series, and there is clear indication it has been remastered at some point in the recent past. The source maintains some of the lovely natural film grain, and it appears to be in phenomenal shape with next to nothing in the way of nicks or scratches popping up. The colors are vibrant with hues in the lighting, clothing and production design making a huge impression. Fine detail is readily apparent such as the texture of ALF’s fur. The picture delivers an impressive depth of field, and black levels hold up with no indication of crush or compression artifacts. Highlights are likewise under control. We did not have high hopes for this one, but we were surprised by how great his transfer looks outside of the change in the aspect ratio. 

Audio Quality

While there may be some qualms with the video side of things, there does not appear to be anything at all wrong with the quality LPCM 2.0 audio track. The dialogue and sound effects are balanced appropriately with the score where nothing gets lost in the mix. Every rapid-fire exchange comes through clearly. The score does not exhibit any age-related wear as it comes through with fine fidelity. The environmental sounds maintain a certain prominence within the mix which provide an exciting texture for the story. The low end is not a standout aspect of this story, but there is some texture when it makes sense. This track accomplishes everything it needs to. There are English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: ALF creator Paul Fusco provides a really good commentary track in which he gives some context as to how this film came about so long after the series ended, how the single camera format differed from multicam, the reasons behind certain creative decisions, jokes that were too racy to air and more that fans will love to hear. The track does lean a bit into the participants just watching the film with periods of silence, but it is still worth a listen. 

• Photo Gallery: A three-minute collection of stills are provided here. 

• Cast Profiles: Each of the following cast members are given a text biography that allows you to learn more about their background and careers. 

• • Ken Kaufman

• • Dick Lowry

• • Tom Patchett

• • Paul Fusco

• • Martin Sheen

• • Jensen Daggett

• Trailer: A minute-long trailer is provided for RoboCop: The TV Series. 

Final Thoughts

Project: ALF is not the absolute ideal way to wrap up the series which was abruptly canceled many years prior, but it does leave you on less of a cliffhanger while providing a fun road movie. Not including the Tanners beyond a throwaway line is disappointing, but ALF himself is back with his signature, surprisingly mature humor. The script could be stronger, as it has trouble sustaining the feature-length momentum, but those who love the character will get a kick out of this new adventure filled with some surprising performers. Liberation Hall has released a Blu-Ray featuring a mostly good A/V presentation and some special features. If you like the character, this is not a bad release to add to your collection. Recommended 

Project: ALF will be available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD on June 13, 2023. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Liberation Hall has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.