THE FILM:

The late Farrah Fawcett is often remembered for her beauty; less so for her acting ability. She gives a surprisingly powerful performance in Extremities, which playwright William Mastrosimone adapted from his own off-Broadway production. Fawcett plays a sexual assault victim who turns the tables on her tormenter (an unhinged James Russo), and Extremities becomes its own cat-and-mouse morality play. The schlocky exploitation and feminist counterpoints are a bit uneven, but this is an interesting reflection on an unpleasant subject. It is especially difficult to watch Fawcett subjected to Russo's mental and physical assaults, and her work here is impressive.

After leaving her post at a local museum, Marjorie (Fawcett) is attacked by a masked assailant, Joe (Russo), and held at knifepoint. She manages to flee, but is met with indifference at the local police precinct, where an officer asks if she has ever been picked up for prostitution. Bruised and exhausted, Marjorie returns home and tells roommates Pat (Alfre Woodard) and Terry (Diana Scarwid) about the ordeal. The women leave Marjorie alone the next day, and an unmasked Joe arrives to torment her again. Things get interesting when Marjorie gains the upper hand and literally cages the animalistic Joe.

Robert M. Young's film is not particularly subtle, but it does tackle some tough issues. I am not sure how accurate the mid-‘80s, blasé response from law enforcement is, but it certainly forces Marjorie to fend for herself. The female officer who takes the initial report tells Marjorie flat out that her word is not enough to convict the assailant, a theory Joe exploits throughout his encounter with Marjorie. I'm not sure I buy that, but it works as a somewhat oversimplified example of the disbelief some sexual assault victims face when speaking out about their ordeal. The officers and even Marjorie's roommates remind her that she wasn't raped; that she should be thankful to have gotten away. It is understandable that Marjorie does not feel the same.

With Russo feigning pitiful regret, Marjorie probes him to admit his true intentions. When Pat and Terry return home, they are shocked that Marjorie has wounded and caged her tormentor. It is at this point that Extremities presents its greatest moral dilemma. Marjorie forbids either woman from calling the police, but each is shocked at her threats to kill Joe, who begins making up a story about meeting Marjorie at a party and "getting crazy." Untrue but indicative of the blame-shifting so well documented in the media today, Joe's story causes Pat and Terry to doubt their friend.

The scant 89-minute running time is a welcome relief, as Extremities is an intense, unpleasant film. Its themes can be blunt, but that does not mean the film is an ineffective morality tale. The stage roots are visible in the limited locations, but Fawcett handles her extended monologues with ease. She wears her sadness, anger and fear on her face, and the performance is inherently believable even when the narrative falters. Russo is a stock villain until he starts manipulating the roommates, and both Woodard and Scarwid are good in these supporting roles. Young lets the early attack run too long, but dials up the tension in later scenes. Whatever you think of the film and its themes, come for Fawcett's performance.

THE BLU-RAY:

PICTURE:

I have been very impressed with Olive Films of late. Not only have they been churning out catalogue titles I never thought would see a Blu-ray release, but most of these discs look and sound great. Extremities boasts a strong, film-like 1.85:1/1080p/AVC-encoded image. The source material is in excellent shape, and I noticed a distinct lack of dirt and debris. Fine-object detail is very good. Every tear, line and bit of grime on Fawcett's face is visible, and wide shots are appropriately sharp despite the softer, ‘80s photography. Color saturation is good, as are black levels, skin tones and contrast.

SOUND:

The 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio mix has a bit of depth despite the lack of dedicated surround channels, which is beneficial for the chaotic fight sequences. Dialogue is clear and without distortion, and is layered appropriately with effects and score. No alternate audio mixes or subtitles are available.

EXTRAS:

Only the film's Theatrical Trailer (2:10/HD).

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This may be Farrah Fawcett's finest performance. Extremities is a tense morality play in which Fawcett plays a sexual assault victim that turns the tables on her attacker. Some of the themes are blunt, but Fawcett's performance alone is worth the price of admission. Olive Films' Blu-ray looks and sounds great. Recommended.

William lives in Burlington, North Carolina, and looks forward to a Friday-afternoon matinee.