The Fan (1981)

This big-budget attempt to combine suspense and show business commentary has plenty of gloss but lacks the inventive, substantial script necessary to make such an odd premise work. The Fan's biggest problem is its stylistic schizophrenia: the film's thrills are often diluted by the inordinate amount of time devoted to all the drama regarding Sally Ross' "comeback" and there is an overblown musical number near the end that virtually stops the film's momentum cold. Despite the stellar cast, The Fan is ultimately just another slasher movie - and a rather unpleasant one at that (there is one killing whose homoerotic subtext got the film in a lot of trouble with the gay community). In terms of storytelling, the script is riddled with plot holes and characters whose behavior defies common sense (i.e.: no one takes Douglas seriously until it is too late, despite an array of obvious warning signs). The cast gives the material their all but are limited by the paper-thin characterizations they have been given: Michael Biehn struggles gamely a villainous role that unfortunately degenerates into self-parody, Lauren Bacall is saddled with a 'grand dame' characterization that feels a few decades out of date and James Garner's role is so underwritten that he comes off as a non-entity. Director Edward Bianchi layers on plenty of visual style and creates some striking sequences in the process (a pool-set slashing is horrifying yet dazzlingly stylish, a la Brian DePalma) but can't overcome the derivative, confused script. As a result, The Fan can only be recommended to fans of unintentionally campy spectacles. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide