The Fan (1981)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Just what I expected

I wanted to but couldn't!

Good concept, poorly executed.

Psychotic loser (Michael Biehn) is obsessed with aging stage actress (Lauren Bacall). His obsession turns deadly when he feels rejected by her. Admittedly this isn't a great movie and most of its value comes from unintended comedy. But that's something at least. This was Lauren Bacall's last starring role in a major film. She looks good for her age. She is often cited as one of the movie's flaws, with her critics saying her acting style is outdated and not in sync with her co-stars. While I can see where they're getting that, I think it's an overstated criticism. She's not Norma Desmond, for crying out loud.The movie is essentially just a minor slasher flick with pretensions of being a more respectable thriller. Michael Biehn's stalker character is less scary than comedic. One can't help but laugh at some of the cringeworthy lines Biehn is given in this film ("We will be lovers very soon, my darling. And believe me, I have all the necessary equipment to make you very very happy."). And those musical numbers! Oh brother what were they thinking? It's pretty ridiculous trash but enjoyable on some level. Notable for perhaps being the only movie in which Lauren Bacall makes a booty call (to James Garner, no less).

The plot = A renowned Broadway actress Sally Ross (Lauren Bacall) becomes the object of an obsessed fan played brilliantly by Michael Biehn affections when his countless letters goes un-noticed he feels rejected by her, and starts to terrorise the people in her life until the big moment when he finally gets to confront her.The Fan (1981), not to be confused with the 1996 thriller which starred Wesley Snipes and Robert De Niro, which also had a similar storyline and was absolutely rubbish. This version is much much better. This is a tense psychological thriller which has slight nods to early giallo thrillers. But at times this movie does get a little boring, but it was saved by stand out performances by both Lauren Bacall and Michael Biehn. THE FAN is one confused movie. Obviously aiming for a more adult audience, but in a year that the 'teenie-kill' epic had come to a crescendo the makers couldn't resist throwing in an exploitative angle- but unfortunately not exploitative enough.Some of the scenes are effective though, like where Biehn slices open a man's stomach while he's in the swimming pool and also Michael Biehn's seemingly unhinged performance, as he furthers descends into madness, which was a real highlight, so glad he went to bigger and better things. And Lauren Bacall playing the spoilt Broadway actress was a real hoot, obviously following the likes of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis into the ageing actresses in horror's genres, but sadly Lauren Bacall got a lot of flack for starring in this, because of the sleazy elements that this film has. Although I did enjoy her musical numbers, even though they were cringe worthy and embarrassing, I found them a real hoot, and the romance angle with James Garner, which showed some real chemistry. And the final confrontation between the two leads was rewarding in my opinion and well executed.All in all The Fan is a rewarding viewing experience, a little dull at times but saved by Michael Biehn's outstanding obsessive performance.

I remember watching this movie when i was a kid every time it came on late night TV.I wanted to finally own a copy since finding it on DVD.It was just as good now as it was then.This movie was so well acted by everyone.I really liked the scene where Douglas was pretending to be having dinner with a famous actress while his sister was at his door grilling him saying the family was worried about him for not keeping in touch with them other then when he wants to borrow money.The conversation between them was so fun to watch. Not that this classic needs to be remade,but I would love to see a modern re-telling of this movie.It would make a great suspenseful thriller since it has such a good plot.The obsessive fan is a timeless story which could so easily be told today. I gave this movie an 8 out of 10.The only thing i didn't like was the ending because Lauren Bacall's character didn't seem surprised or scared of Douglas when he attacked her in the final scene.Up until then she did a good job being terrorized by this stalker who killed a lot of people to get to her.

THE FAN is based on a book of the same name and had the producers left the story intact without changing so many things (including the ending), they might have had a more profitable thriller on their hands.Horror fans in 1981 were expecting much more gore from their slasher flicks than THE FAN was willing to exploit, being that the story is about an obsessed fan with only one thing on his mind when he is rejected. His vengeance is a blood-thirsty one, but the script is too slow and talky for its own good, pretending to have psychological overtones when it really just wants to get the nasty business over with.LAUREN BACALL plays a variation of herself as an aging drama queen, a Broadway actress with modest musical talent, who is burdened with a stream of fan letters from an unbalanced admirer. MAUREEN STAPLETON is the secretary who has to bear the brunt of Bacall's rudeness and JAMES GARNER is her amiable ex-husband who has little to do when most of the film's focus is on the fan, played by MICHAEL BIEHN.Summing up: Best described by Leonard Maltin as "an exploitation cheapie in dress clothes", it's not as good as the cast would suggest.