Fanny Lye Deliver'd 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Fanny Lye Deliver'd 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 17, 2021

Making his first film since 2008’s “Soi Cowboy,” writer/director Thomas Clay pours everything he’s got into “Fanny Lye Deliver’d,” a 17th century drama that takes its time to get anywhere. Clay has constructed a true cinematic journey, creating a picture that’s all about language and screen details, working to make this tale of Puritan living feel as authentic as possible. There’s a rough side to the endeavor, which takes a significant amount of screen time to discover, as Clay is more interested in building tension gradually, eventually reaching a point of fury that’s realistically motivated. A sort of period version of “Funny Games” is exposed, and Clay indulges himself with acts of sexual and physical violence. But there’s something about “Fanny Lye Deliver’d” that suggests he’d rather shoot farm life routines and landscapes all day, with the limited story served up here almost becoming a burden to the moviemaker.

“Fanny Lye Deliver’d” explores the rigid world of Puritan times in 1657, with John (Charles Dance) running a tight ship on his farm, keeping his eye on wife Fanny (Maxine Peake) and son, Arthur (Zak Adams). The household dynamic is broken by the arrival of Thomas (Freddie Fox) and Rebecca (Tanya Reynolds), two outsiders who share a sob story of exile, hoping to find shelter for a stretch of time, with Thomas looking to connect with John through their shared years of military service. John agrees to care for the duo for a night, learning more about their past, but the dynamic changes when The High Sheriff for the Council of State (Peter McDonald) arrives looking for the pair, exposing their true intentions.

“Fanny Lye Deliver’d” provides a full understanding of rural life for John and Fanny, with the wife tending to farm chores, working tirelessly in a subservient role, catering to her husband’s needs, as God commands her to do. John is an older man without mercy, and while he’s not consistently threatening to his wife and child, he’s prepared to punish them for perceived sinning, taking a branch to their backs when they step out of line. Clay observes the household dynamic for the first half of the feature, getting a sense of the land (sets and locations are outstanding) and its remoteness, with the arrival of Thomas and Rebecca causing a great disturbance in a number of ways.

The writing sets up a mental chess game of sorts between John and Thomas, with the younger man eager to charm his host, hoping to connect as men while trying to stay hidden in the farm, contributing with chores and playing roughly with Arthur. “Fanny Lye Deliver’d” isn’t particularly suspenseful, but Clay generates a growing unease with the presence of Thomas and Rebecca, who are introduced as naked scamps on the run, but develop into a threat of some sort, with the writing keeping things unclear until it’s absolutely ready to deal with the twosome. Rebecca is also unusual, working to uncover the woman Fanny truly is underneath her religious training, prying into her private thoughts while sharing words and ideas on sexuality that aren’t rejected by the seemingly stern wife.

Language is important to Clay, who keeps up period dialogue to such a degree, it’s amazing the actors are still standing at the end of some lengthier shots, working to maintain certain emphasis and dramatic rhythms while spitting out tongue-twisting exchanges. The production works to create a time travel experience, and it’s largely successful, securing era costuming and physical strain, making for a visually impressive endeavor (cinematography by Giorgos Arvanitis is remarkable). It’s sonically winning too, as Clay also takes on scoring duties, creating beautiful, brass-heavy music that helps to cover the effort’s low-budget origins, giving “Fanny Lye Deliver’d” a terrific cinematic presence.

“Fanny Lye Deliver’d” takes a turn in its second half, with a visit from The High Sheriff for the Council of State changing the tone of Thomas and Rebecca’s visit, also giving Clay a chance to introduce something of a home invasion experience to a previously dramatic endeavor. Violence enters “Fanny Lye Deliver’d,” with fiery words exchanged about faith and freedom, and there’s a sexual component to the script, as Fanny’s inner fires are stoked by the visitors, tempted by their worship of lust and their rejection of Puritan control. The movie doesn’t get crazy, but it noticeably perks up, though it’s up to individual viewers to decide if such a payoff is worth the patience required to get though an hour’s worth of waiting, watching characters manage chores and take long walks.

“Fanny Lye Deliver’d” is presented in two versions: an Extended Cut on UHD (129:31) and a Theatrical Cut on Blu-ray (110:36).

Fanny Lye Deliver'd 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The 4K presentation of "Fanny Lye Deliver'd" uses color exceptionally well, introducing the viewing experience with golden sunshine and bluish nighttime shots. Skintones are natural, offering a clear pinkness for some, bloodlessness for others. Exteriors showcase lush greenery and defined farm life, with aged wood and yellow hay, while the general brownness of yard muck is preserved. Costuming keeps Puritan with deep blacks and crisp whites, with more varied hues when outside characters arrive. Detail is superb, most striking with the feature's use of closeups, which capture every exposed pore and blood vessel, and clothing is fibrous, surveying coarse jackets and lacy headwear. Exteriors are dimensional, reaching out across the land, and interiors are exact with decoration, generating ample opportunities to study technical achievements. Highlights are delicate, with brighter sunshine and warmer firelight. Grain is nicely resolved, fine and film-like, also dealing well with smoke and fog. Source is in strong shape, with some very mild speckling.

Fanny Lye Deliver'd 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides an evocative understanding of farm life. Atmospherics with animal activity and blowing winds is strong, and circular room tone is defined, with the wood construction of the house offering creaks and heavy-footed character movement. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, with a crisp understanding of performance choices and language, without slipping into distortion. Scoring cues are precise, with deep brass and light strings, supporting the feature's strange mood with authority. Low-end isn't challenged in full, but violence registers with power, along with broader orchestral movements.

Fanny Lye Deliver'd 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (38 pages) contains an essay by Nigel Smith, a film review from Screen International, and an interview with composer Thomas Clay.

UHD

• Commentary features writer/director Thomas Clay.

Blu-ray

• "Edinburg International Film Festival: Lockdown Q&A" (31:12, HD) features participation from writer/director Thomas Clay, and actors Charles Dance, Freddie Fox, and Tanya Reynolds. Topics include the creation of a "puritan western," attention to period details, actor appreciation for the material, character inspiration, set construction, performance challenges, and Clay's contributions as a composer. Various topics provided by viewers are covered as well.

• "The Making of… 'Fanny Lye Deliver'd'" (5:52) is an image gallery containing set design plans, set construction pictures, BTS snaps, and scoring session photos.

• And a Trailer (1:32, HD) is included.

Fanny Lye Deliver'd 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Fanny Lye Deliver'd" is a strange picture about an awakening, with Clay weirdly trying to sell the fictional titular characters as a player in Puritan history, going semi-Coen Brothers as he tracks her evolution into a religious soldier. Again, pacing is glacial, almost unbearable at times, but the material is going somewhere, and Clay finds his happy place just observing this world turn slowly, taking in the time period with technical expertise.