Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Little Fauss and Big Halsy Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 4, 2023

Sidney J. Furie's "Little Fauss and Big Halsy" (1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by Sidney J. Furie; archival program with producers Gray Frederickson and Albert S. Ruddy; new video essay by critic David Cairns; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Robert Redford plays Big Halsy Knox, a veteran motorcycle racer who has gotten in trouble with the law and lost his papers. Somewhere in the Southwest, he meets Little Fauss (Michael J. Pollard, Bonnie and Clyde), an ambitious amateur who dreams of having his reputation, and the two form an odd partnership. Halsy, who also happens to be a seasoned playboy, convinces Fauss to let him use his papers while he follows him around and learns what it takes to be a racing star. For a while they both have fun, but when eventually Halsy meets the beautiful Rita Nebraska (Lauren Hutton, American Gigolo) and falls in love with her they are forced to reconsider their arrangement.

Sidney J. Furie’s Little Fauss and Big Halsy is an unusual but easy to like film. I think that it fits somewhere between Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider and Jack Hill’s Pit Stop, though if I had to compare it to another film from the same era I would probably pick and place it closer to Michael Ritchie’s Downhill Racer. All four are conceived as road pictures but shot as unscripted quasi-documentaries.

I would be surprised if racers like Halsy still exist. I know that down South you can occasionally see some free-spirited bikers that live on the road, but there are very few that are not part of big gangs with fraternities all over the country. I think that the old-school nomads who used to race for a living are a thing of the past. (If I am wrong, please feel free to contact me and let me know. I love hearing stories about these guys).

There is quite a bit of excellent footage from various races but this isn’t a film that tries to study the culture that they are a part of. Furie allows Halsy and his friend to freely roam the dusty roads of the South and is in fact a lot more interested in their instincts. So the story is not so much about their journey through the South, but about the different ways in which they react to the unexpected dilemmas they face along the way. (Jean-Luc Godard’s Pierrot le Fou, which comes from the same era, is structured in a similar way. It looks like a crime/noir film -- Pierrot and his girl are chased by some very shady characters across Europe -- but the focus of attention isn’t on the chase. In fact, the chase feels almost like a distraction. Their communication and actions/reactions are the story).

The film has an unusual and very refreshing sense of humor as well. The main reason why is the presence of authentic characters with real emotions and real weaknesses and strengths. So even though some of these characters can appear a bit eccentric at times, it never feels like they are aware that there is a camera following them around and documenting everything they say and do. (I should say that this is arguably the main difference between Pierrot le Fou and this film. In the former, eventually, it becomes clear that Godard is trying to break boundaries and that more often than not the fugitives are doing their best to help him succeed. Halsy and Furie remain ordinary chaps, sometimes doing odd things but there is always logic behind their actions that keeps the film firmly grounded in reality).

Furie probably had a modest budget to work with, but there are large parts of the film that look terrific. He collaborated with cinematographer Ralph Woolsey (TV’s Maverick, Batman). The soundtrack features several classic tunes by Johnny Cash, including "Ballad of Little Fauss and Big Halsy", "The Little Man", and "Rollin' Free".

Little Fauss and Big Halsy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Little Fauss and Big Halsy arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

In the United States, Little Fauss and Big Halsy made its high-definition debut with this release in 2016, which was sourced from a very nice organic master that was supplied by Paramount Pictures.

This new release is sourced from the same master, which was apparently struck from the original camera negative in 2K. Even though it has a few limitations, a like it a lot. Now that I have the ability to upscale content to 4K, I did a few experiments -- I tested it on my TV and projector -- and I like what I saw even more. Delineation, clarity, and depth are either good or very good, and the move to 4K produces some very effective enhancements that make all three even better. There are no traces of problematic digital work, so the entire film has a very, very pleasing organic appearance as well. In a couple of areas, ideally, the dynamic range of the visuals should be superior, but this is hardly surprising. Color balance is very good. There is some room for minor improvements that can strengthen saturation and select darker areas, but the primaries and the supporting nuances are already set properly. Image stability is very good. Lastly, there are no distracting surface imperfections. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Little Fauss and Big Halsy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

The dialog is clear, clean, and stable. Dynamic intensity is average -- even the racing footage does not produce any notable dynamic contrasts -- but the film was shot to mimic a documentary. so this is not surprising. If in the future work is done to improve the current track, I have to speculate that all enhancements would be cosmetic.

Little Fauss and Big Halsy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, Sidney J. Furie goes down memory lane with critic/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and discusses the effort that went into the production of Little Fauss and Big Halsy, the visual style of the film, his interactions with the actors and crew members, etc. There are some quite interesting comments about the identity of contemporary films and how they are made. It is a wonderful, very informative commentary.

• "That Old Oklahoma Know-Now" - Part One - in this archival program, producers Gray Frederickson and Albert S. Ruddy recall when and how Little Fauss and Big Halsy was shot in Tuscon, Arizona. Also, there are very interesting comments about the budget of the film and why it struggled at the box office and ultimately did not meet the studio's expectations. Also included is a rare audio interview with Frederickson discussing his work with Sidney J. Furie that was conducted by Daniel Kremer in 2013. Imprint Films planned to do an exclusive new program with Frederickson, but he passed away on November 20, 2022. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• "Godfathers and Grand Marshals" - in this archival interview, conducted by Daniel Kremer, Sidney J. Furie's biographer, producer Albert S. Ruddy discusses in great detail the production of Little Fauss and Big Halsy in Arizona. Also, there are some outstanding observations about Furie's directing methods and how his vision of cinema was reflected in his body of work as well as the creative environment in Hollywood at the time. In English, not subtitled. (43 min).

• "Panning the Furious Scans: A Visual Archeology of the Man Who Wouldn't be Cropped" - this new program focuses on the importance of film composition/framing and how many films were compromised when they were introduced heavily cropped on DVD. Included in the program is archival content with Sidney J. Furie, editor/director Peter R. Hunt, and Joe Dante, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• "The World Starring Halsy Knox: Sidney J. Furie - the Actor's Director" - this new video essay was created by critic David Cairns. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• Trailers From Hell - presented here is an archival episode of Trailers From Hell with writer/director/producer Larry Karaszewski (The People vs. Larry Flynt). In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Director's Guild of Canada Lifetime Achievement Award - on September 26, 2010, the Director's Guild of Canada awarded Sidney J. Furie their Lifetime Achievement Award. Furie's longtime film editor, Saul Pincus, put together the following tribute reel. It preceded the giving of the award and Furie's nearly 17-minute acceptance speech. In English, not subtitled. (27 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Little Fauss and Big Halsy. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Booklet - 60-page illustrated booklet with multiple essays on the cinematic legacy of Sidney J. Furie.

Little Fauss and Big Halsy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sidney J. Furie's Little Fauss and Big Halsy is a lovely piece of Americana that needs to be reevaluated and rediscovered. I cannot think of a single reason why it should not be grouped with cult films like Easy Rider and Two-Lane Blacktop. This new release from Imprint Films treats it right. It is sourced from an older but very solid organic master and has an outstanding selection of bonus features, one of which is a very interesting exclusive new audio commentary with Furie. It is included in Directed By Sidney J. Furie, a five-disc box set, which is Region-Free. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.