Fanny: The Right to Rock

Systematic documentary on the groundbreaking 1970s all-female rock band Fanny, presented here as just-a-bunch-of-chicks-sitting-around-jamming. Musician sisters June Millington (guitar) and Jean Millington (bass), transplanted to the US from the Philippines, began in an even earlier all-female unit, The Svelts, in 1961 Sacramento (an outfit which also briefly included Fanny drummer and fellow-Filipina Brie Darling). After hiring a new drummer and a keyboardist--and "coming up" with the new name Fanny (no mention of George Harrison, whom legend has it coined the name--which has a different meaning in the UK--to producer Richard Perry)--the group relocated to Los Angeles and was signed to a record deal with Warner-Reprise after apparently just one performance on open-mic night at the Troubadour. The storytelling here is just that: story telling. There's nothing flashy or fantastic happening filmmaking-wise: the song titles aren't captioned for newcomers, the proverbial third-act reunion is perfunctory, and even the celebrity testimonials are sparely used. ** from ****