The Fan is a film that showcases the talents of both Lauren Bacall and a young Michael Biehn turning in a sometimes creepy performance as a celebrity stalker.
The Fan
(1981)
Genre(s): Suspense Thriller, Drama
Shout Factory | R – 95 min. – $29.99 | November 19, 2019
Date Published: 01/05/2020 | Author: The Movieman
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Shout Factory provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
PLOT SYNOPSIS |
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Sally Ross (LAUREN BACALL) is a renowned Broadway star, glamorous celebrity, and the object for countless admirers. But among all the loving little people lurks a young man, Douglas (MICHAEL BIEHN), whose devotion teeters on the edge of madness. His impassioned letters to her are initially a source of pleasure, but as he attempts to realize his ultimate fantasy – and is met with rejection – the stakes are raised to terrifying heights… which might bring on the final curtain for Sally. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.5/5 |
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Audio Commentary — Cult Film Director David DeCoteau and Film Historian David Del Valle, Moderated by Scream Factory’s Jeff Nelson. This is a lively enough academic-esque commentary track delving into their memories of the movie before diving into the background of the production. Interviews:
Always like it when an actor, with some star status, sits down for one of their earlier roles, so Biehn’s interview was easily my favorite of the three, going down memory lane on working on the project including being ecstatic when he got the role. Bianchi and Heim’s interviews follow the usual pattern of talking about their background before discussing the production. Also included is the Theatrical Trailer (2:04), 3 TV Spots (1:33) and a Still Gallery (4:19). |
VIDEO – 4.25/5 |
| Shout Factory releases The Fan onto Blu-ray where it’s presented in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer, probably given to Shout by Paramount. That said, this was a perfectly fine looking picture, detail was mostly sharp and colors appear to be time period appropriate, meaning you’re going to get anything overly bright. Film noise was retained and outside of some specs, this was a clean looking transfer, though not perfect. |
AUDIO – 3.75/5 |
| The movie includes a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track. Dialogue does come through with nice clarity and free of any hisses, pops or other aural inconsistencies. The depth wasn’t anything noteworthy but as movies going on nearly 40 years is concerned, not at all too bad, although there was some ambient noises present. |
OVERALL – 3.0/5 |
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The Fan is a film that showcases the talents of both Lauren Bacall and a young Michael Biehn turning in a sometimes creepy performance as a celebrity stalker. However, it’s a shame the story wasn’t a bit stronger and the usually wonderful James Garner was underutilized. This Blu-ray release from Shout Factory has good video and audio transfers alongside a fine selection of bonus features, highlighted by a new interview with Biehn. |