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Lauren Bacall, James Garner, Maureen Stapleton, Michael Biehn, Hector Elizondo ... see more see more... , Anna Maria Horsford , Kurt Johnson , Feiga Martinez , Reed Jones , Ed Crowley , Jean De Baer , Dana Delany , Ann Pearl Gary , Kaiulani Lee , Donna Mitchell , Lionel Pina , Justin Ross , Dwight Schultz , Robert Weil , Jim Wolfe , Griffin Dunne , Tim Elliott , Terence Marinan , Miriam Phillips , Themi Sapountzakis , Stephanie E. Williams , Alixe Gordin , Victoria Vanderkloot , George Peters , Charles Blackwell , Erik van Valkenburg , Liz Smith , Kurt R. Johnson

Lauren Bacall more or less plays herself in The Fan. Cast as famous Broadway musical comedy star Sally Ross (with an astonishing lack of temperament!), Bacall finds herself the unwilling love object o... read more read more...f psychotic fan Douglas Breen (Michael Biehn). As security around Ross tightens, Breen vows that if he can't have Ross, no one else can. James Garner and Maureen Stapleton are underused as, respectively, Bacall's ex-husband and mother-hen secretary. Based on a good novel by Bob Randall, The Fan comes off as a slightly more expensive "stalker of the week" TV movie. Still, the film proved grimly prescient in the light of John Lennon's assassination (which occurred after the film was completed, but before its release) and the ongoing dilemma of current Broadway stars (even the lesser lights) who are forced to hire bodyguards to protect them from worshipful wackos. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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42% liked it

1,077 ratings

Critics

45% liked it

11 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Ed Bianchi, Edward Bianchi

Release Date: May 15, 1981

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DVD Release Date: September 24, 2002

Stats: 54 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (54)

  • groaningbitch
    May 26, 2008
    groaningbitch
    1981 "the fan" is a self-recycling tale of lauren bacall's past stardom, a self-referential parody since it is convinient to barrow her young glamour shots in the flick.

    bacall is sally ross, the aging super star who decides to head broadway while she suffers from the melancho... read morely after divorce despite her ex is still escorting her. on the other hand, her number one fanatic fan douglas is running amok becuz the grand sally ross never has time or care to read or reply one goddamned word to him. he blames sally ross' assistant for intercepting his letters, so he teaches her a lesson by disfiguring her. solitude in reclusion and continuous refusals trigger off his insanity, so douglas makes up his mind to go for the extreme to get what he wants most: a responded letter from sally ross.

    the flick is corny, and it centers on trivia around bacall more than the lunatic state of the fan. it is partially a melodrama of bacall's november romance featuring her relationship with men, her struggling career and her dazzling musical, occasionally boasted with a cheesy sense of horror which populates in 70s and 80s slasher flick.

    it is amazing that bacall still remains a touch of class and a tint of hipster glamour in 1981, but wouln't it be absurd that all sally ross has to do is raising her precious hands to type a letter to stop this dreadful madness but she's not even courageous enough to do so? but she has guts enough to stick a knife in him at the end? typical star with imperious conceits and insoulciant insolence, who takes admiration for granted.
  • jjnxn
    March 29, 2007
    jjnxn
    read the book instead
  • daynadadiva
    January 14, 2009
    daynadadiva
    The Fan"

    Is another movie cashing in on the 80's slasher pool,this one done right.

    If you're looking for over the top gore you wont find it here what you will find is a well acted movie with

    Good Broadway numbers by Bacall and a sophisticated slasher flick wit... read moreh few but good kills.

    The straight razor scene being the best. Bacall as Sally Ross plays the diva to the hilt and is superb as is Michael Biehn as the obsessed fan ala "Fatal Attraction".

    I might be in the minority but I loved this movie. Bacall's solo number "Hearts Not Diamonds" is wonderful.This is another movie I watch over and over.
  • ImKukie
    July 15, 2007
    ImKukie
    I saw this movie years ago - I can't remember a whole lot about it other than I've wanted to see it again. I remember getting sucked into it the 1st time & expect nothing less than the same since it has been probably more than 15 years since I have seen it.

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Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary
October 14, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

An unsettling thriller about a celebrity stalker that only falters at the end. Good work by Bacall and especially Biehn.

Michael A. Smith
December 18, 2004
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review

Creepy Michael Biehn is memorable.

Ken Hanke
March 29, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Enjoyably campy trash.

Scott Weinberg
December 28, 2002
Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide

Those looking for a tight thriller will be bored; those looking for effective horror will be annoyed. Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Jon Niccum
January 25, 2007
Jon Niccum, Lawrence Journal-World

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
July 5, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Lori Hoffman
January 5, 2005
Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly

No review available.

Rich Cline
December 5, 2003
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

No review available.

Philip Martin
May 26, 2003
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

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