Extremities

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source: Extremities

Extremities is a story of a man, overwhelmed with guilt, one that has proved to be fatal, turning him killer. When first learning of this film, back at the start of '87, I thought it was just about some psycho getting his kicks, raping women. Little did I know. Our rapist, Joe has already raped a score of women and disposed of em'. Only his latest, Marjorie (Fawcett in a great dramatic performance) has managed to escape when first car jacked and driven to a deserted underpass. Marjorie explains her situation to the police, none too helpful, where the police woman tells her straight, there's a chance he could get off. Farrah's even mistaken for a hooker by a young cop, who interrupts the not so progressing well conversation. She leaves, irate, and by not signing this certain form, the cops can't take action. The rapist has got her wallet with her id, so we know what's gonna ensue. We too see Joe, has a family where he has been kept pretty faceless up to this point. When he's in his little shed, examining Farrah's id, his cute little daughter knocks on the glass, informing him, dinner's almost ready. So now with Farrah, it's a waiting game. Her two housemates, Patti and Terri, have been informed of the situation. Even when the pizza guy, comes delivering a meal, Farrah is rather surly, when he asks if the three of them live together, which is understandable. Then days later, low and behold, a man freely enters her house, asking after a Joe. And from here, the real drama and suspense begins, claustrophobic, one would say, as Russo, great here, gets quite physical and cruel, at one point almost threatening to toss a pan of burnt bacon onto her. He also examines her particulars, even making opportunity to indulge in some forced sex, cause in reality, there's no way in hell, she'd go out with this creep of low class status. Keeping with the stage play, she finally turns the tables on the attacker, after luring him on, when on top of her, falsely. She then sprays his eyes with insecticide, cracks a hot glass kettle of coffee over his head, before strangling him and barricading him in a fireplace, from which there is no escape. Not much sooner does her two friends return from work and cross this scene of madness. The two do not agree with her illogical plan of murder, which too could be seen as logical, if this madman gets off. We do weigh these real life options. Scarwid, a great character actress, brings an effervescent, quirky and sexy character as Terri, while the more mature Woodard, gives a very humane and real performance, I liked. She's the only one showing compassion to the not so healthy looking Russo. Farrah at one point, who's taken enough of her, says "Why don't you just f..k him. That'll make him feel better". Extremities is a real film of real situations and choices. Even near the end, Scarwid chooses to stay with Russo, when Farrah and co, get the cops, warming up to him some, as hearing his reasons. One particular moment with Farrah running her knife down Russo's lower region, may make you flinch. This is a great dramatic film, that I wouldn't suggest a rape victim should watch. It's all too real, as are the performances, and I'm not just talking the mains. You will feel pretty washed out at the end of this, too, as in these claustrophobic movies. The up tempo music score, at it's opening is all so unfitting though, even though I liked it a lot, so.

Farrah Fawcett is a great actress and this is her best film. I was so glad that first she won acclaim for the stage version of Extremeties and then for her work in The Burning Bed. She set standards for a lot of actresses that have never been equalled. To this day whenever a lightly regarded actress takes on a challenging role, the critics say this is like her "Burning Bed". Farrah makes a great damsel in distress who turns the tables on this guy. Russo is a good actor and its a challenge to both of them because they pretty much have to carry the whole film on their shoulders. Actually the rapist isn't such a bad guy. Theres one problem I had with the film. When he comes to the house, Farrah is real suductively clad (shes barefoot and in a bathrobe). I remember that great * scene she did in Doctor T And THe Women and the dance in the fountain. What I would have liked to have had him do is force her to take off her robe and dance for him like Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies. Farrah has a great body, why not show it off.

In Los Angeles, the gorgeous Marjorie (Farrah Fawcett) stops her car after-hours in a parking area to buy an ice-cream. However the store has just closed and when she returns to her car, a masked stranger attacks and attempts to rape her using a knife. Marjorie succeeds to flee, but the man keeps her purse with her documents. She goes to the police to report the assault but the female officer tells her that there is no evidence and no case since it is her word against the rapist's word. A couple of days later, the rapist breaks in Marjorie's house while her roommates Patricia (Alfre Woodard) and Terry (Diana Scarwid) are not at home. The cynical Joe (James Russo) submits Marjories to sadistic abuses and humiliations preparing to rape her. Out of the blue, Marjorie sprays insecticide in Joe's eyes, reverting the situation dominating Joe and then she ties him up. She decides to bury Joe alive in a grave in her garden since she does not have evidence to keep him in prison and he had promised to return to kill her. But Terry and Patty arrive and try to convince Marjorie to call the police and think about the consequence of her intention. What will she do? "Extremities" is a film with a dramatic story and a great dilemma. Farrah Fawcett has one of her best performances in the role of a woman abused by a stranger that she finally subdues. His first intention is to kill the man but there is a debate with her roommates and the film has a moralist conclusion. James Russo is impressive in the role of a sadistic rapist. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "Seduzida ao Extremo" ("Seduced to the Extreme")

Whatever magic and power this had on the stage is lost on the screen. Scripted by Mastrosimone from his own play, this movie attempts to make a statement about the subject of rape, but ultimately fails because of weak pacing, limp dialogue, and horrendous supporting performances. The film begins with Fawcett's character getting off work. She is terrorized by a man in a parking lot. She is able to get away and runs to the cops, who are impotent to do anything. Fast forward several days later: Fawcett is at the home she shares with her two friends. The two friends head off to their respective jobs, and moments later, Fawcett's attacker arrives at home and proceeds to slap her around and attack her in the most sadistic, brutal (and exploitative) ways. Then, she turns the tables on him. As he has a grip on her, she reaches for a can of bug spray, gets him in the eyes, throws a pot of hot water on him, then proceeds to tie him up and stuff him in the fireplace, figuring out what to do next. At this point, much of what has gone on is remotely suspenseful. However, once the two roommates re-enter the picture, the movie becomes banal, with some horrendous dialogue (mostly shouting matches where "idiot" and "moron" are tossed around.) Since there was no actual rape, Fawcett realizes she has no case, and the cops will only let the man free to attack her again. Moreover, she can't make her own roommates believe her. The climax of the film is soap-opera material, and nothing more. I don't feel the need to comment much more on this, except that the ending doesn't ring true, Alfre Woodard has gone on to more worthy projects ("Grand Canyon", "Down In The Delta"), and this one probably should've been left on the stage. A frustrating movie that I can't recommend.

I netflix'd "Extremities" after poor Farrah Fawcett passed away. I figured I'd pay respect to her legacy by revisiting some of her best-known screen work ('Charlie's Angels' excluded). I don't have a problem with movies from another era- I watched 'The French Connection' over the weekend, and loved it... So I'm inclined to think that 'Extremities' is garbage in any era (Not the kind of 'Timeless' they were going for). Awful story, awful script, awful performances, awful direction equals: awful movie. There was no suspense, no cohesion to any of it, no attempt to even make any of it seem plausible or believable... You shouldn't have to suspend disbelief to watch a RAPE-DRAMA. Then again, she doesn't actually get raped. By the end of the movie, it seemed to be favoring the Raper over Farrah. If I were a victim of domestic abuse, I'd be personally insulted. Fifteen minutes into the movie, I couldn't decide which of the main characters I disliked more... Never a good foot for your film to start on. Avoid this at all costs.

I remember catching this movie on TV a few times and it always was an extreme experience for me. Here, a vulnerable woman named Marjorie (Farah Fawcett) who falls victim to an attempted rape by Joe (James Russo) escapes and turns the tables on him, caging the criminal in her fireplace. Seeing Joe abuse Marjorie left and right was difficult to watch, but it was thrilling to see Marjorie give her attacker a taste of his own medicine. It is also pretty suspenseful to see what will her and her two roommates, Patricia (Alfre Woodard) and Terry (Diana Scarwid), do to the confined attacker after the incident. A majority of the film takes place in the house and you get to know a little bit of background on all three women and how the course of the film's events affect them. The plot does drag after all the action but the generating suspense does keep the movie a somewhat intriguing experience. Grade B-

This move actually had me jumping out of my chair in anticipation of what the actors were going to do! The acting was the best, Farrah should have gotten a Oscar for this she was fabulous. James Russo was so good I hated him he was the villain and played it wonderful. There aren't many movies that have riveted me as this one. The cast was great Alfie looking shocked with those big eyes Farrah looking like a victim and you re-lived her horror as she went through it. Farrah made you feel like you were there and feeling the same anger she felt you wanted her to hurt him, yet you also knew it was the wrong thing to do. The movie had you on a roller coaster ride and you went up and down with each scene.

Farrah Fawcett is terrific in this 1986 drama, where she plays Marjorie, a woman who manages to escape the clutches of a would-be rapist. Well done to Farrah for being a Golden Globe 'Best Actress' nominee. When her rapist Joe (played in a rather frightening and intense fashion by Farrah's co-star James Russo) enters her home - (which she shares with her two roommates who are conveniently out) - Marjorie has to play along with Joe's frightening demands, before the tables are finally turned and Marjorie gets the upper hand. It does make for some disturbing and shocking scenes. Both Fawcett and Russo had played these characters on the New York stage prior to this film adaptation, and both actors show their ability in carrying out emotionally charged scenes with admirable tenacity. Alongside her work in the 1984 film The Burning Bed, Extremities shows that Fawcett can push out the boundaries and show us her skills as a serious actress and not just be remembered as a "lightweight" Charlie's Angel. 8/10