Review - Der Fan (1982 - Dir. Eckhart Schmidt)

Here we go then with the final part in our coverage of Celluloid Screams 2013:

Simone (Désirée Nosbusch) is a teenager obsessed with a top German popstar called R (a bit like a mixture between Gary Numan and Kraftwerk). She's completely insane. She writes to him regularly, declaring her love for him and how happy they will be together when they finally meet. And finally meet they do, and things don't quite turn out as she'd wanted.

This is a tale of obsession and neurosis that is particularly uncomfortable to watch due to the young age of the main character. She spends roughly half the film naked. Désirée Nosbusch wasn't too happy with the scenes either and tried to stop its release, but she failed and the full director's cut was available for all. This is a film that wouldn't get made now in its current form. 

Saying that, it's not a bad film. Admittedly any kind of horror content doesn't kick in for a long while but it's worth waiting for. It is quite slow moving and that's okay with me if there is enough of interest along the way and the ending delivers. Which it does. I didn't even mind the almost non-acting. It all adds to the feeling that both of them have got completely empty lives.

It's interesting watching this in the current climate of Operation Yewtree and a culture obsessed with celebrities and their lifestyles. I doubt that much has really changed since 1982, except now the self-obsessed R would have an iPhone to take selfies.

This is one of those films that I'm glad that I've seen, the ending will stay with me for a long time, but I can't say that I'm that keen on watching it again.
6/10
evlkeith

If you like this you could also try:
Vertigo, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.