A Formal Faucett Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

A Formal Faucett Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 23, 2024

1978’s “A Formal Faucett” is a very odd movie. Director Fred J. Lincoln is out to capture Farrah Fawcett mania with the picture, cooking up his own take on the actress’s fame, including her association with the hit show, “Charlie’s Angels.” And yet, there’s really nothing going on in the effort, which initially suggests a broader approach to comedy, only to supply extraordinarily little story, and star Dorothy LeMay doesn’t even look like Fawcett. As humor in adult filmmaking goes, “A Formal Faucett” could use a lot more wackiness, with Lincoln lightly pawing the potential of the feature. Lincoln can’t even get carnal activity going in a major way, leaving the viewing experience more about watching the production turn to lengthy stretches of padding to fill an already short (67 minutes) endeavor.

Ready to celebrate her six-month anniversary with her boyfriend, Farina (Dorothy LeMay) discovers her love has been cheating on her, inspiring a move to San Francisco to try her luck as an actress. Identifying her appeal is Charlie (Paul Thomas), a powerful agent overseeing a stable of “angels,” soon rechristening Farina as “Formal Faucett-Minor,” and sending her out on commercial auditions. Formal does very well with work, learning the tricks of seduction to get ahead, aiming to please Charlie as he labors to sell her charm to producers and directors.

Driving. There’s a lot of driving in “A Formal Faucett,” with Lincoln trying to reach a sellable run time by following Farina as she makes her way into San Francisco, and soon around town as she meets with others. The film is almost “Manos”-like in its love of extended driving sequences, with Lincoln only paying a limited amount of attention to the tale of Farina, who’s looking to make it big in the business, requiring her to use her sex appeal to collect jobs. She starts scoring gigs soon enough, hustling for Ballzack Shampoo and Sweet Strawberry Douche, and “A Formal Faucett” basically moves from Farnia’s hunt for glory to Charlie’s office of sin, where he pays close attention to other angels, including Sheila (China Leigh) and Rita (Lori Blue), who remain attentive to his needs. True to parody, Charlie’s face isn’t displayed, but the rest of him sure is.

A Formal Faucett Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.37:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "A Formal Faucett" is "newly restored" from its 35mm original camera negative. The endeavor features many driving scenes around the San Francisco area, and dimension is wonderful here, showing off parts of the city and more suburban travels. Interiors also maintain depth, with a clear look at decorative additions from the era. Detail is excellent on the parade of bodies in the picture, with skin particulars distinct, along with textured clothing choices. Period hues are alert, with strong primaries and cooler street views, which also preserve vivid greenery. Clothing remains varied and sharp, and skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like. Source has some points of damage, with mild scratches and a few missing frames.

A Formal Faucett Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix does show some signs of age, with sibilance issues present. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible, with adequate clarity on performances. Scoring supports with decent instrumentation, including acoustic guitar moods.

A Formal Faucett Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (3:48, HD) is included.

A Formal Faucett Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"A Formal Faucett" certainly seems like it was cranked out in perhaps a day or two, with the camera occasionally catching LeMay looking right into it. Editing is loose, leaving in some pre-acting business and performance breaks. And there's a weird amount of arousal issues during the film, making for a particularly dry and limp odyssey into bedroom encounters, often involving actors who look like they're being held at gunpoint. This being adult moviemaking in San Francisco during the 1970s, perhaps they were. "A Formal Faucett" puts in the bare minimum of work when dealing with the pop culture dominance of Farrah Fawcett, with Lincoln submitting a quickie with no real polish, falling short of the premise's amazing potential for screen mischief.