The Fan (Der Fan) – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: West Germany, 1982
Director: Eckhart Schmidt
Writer: Eckhart Schmidt
Cast: Désirée Nosbusch, Bodo Steiger, Simone Brahmann, Jonas Vischer, Helga Tölle, Klaus Münster

Release Date: March 10th, 2015
Approximate running time: 93 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono German, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Teenager Simone appears to be like any other young pop fan. But soon her fixation on the band’s lead singer “R” takes over her life. Simone walks out of school, breaks off with her friends and parents and somehow finds herself waiting for her idol as he appears on a TV show.

When she sees him in the flesh she is speechless, unable even to ask for his autograph. He reaches out to touch her. Overcome with emotion, Simone faints; with that first touch, R’s fate is sealed. Simone discovers the carefully styled world of which “R” is just another product. Simone wants nothing more than to love and be loved by “R”, but he takes her with machine-like coldness.

She experiences their intimacy as a kind of slow motion nightmare, an encounter with a robotic creature, totally incapable of affection or emotion. Simone cannot accept the detachment of her idol, and when “R” walks out on her to join his friends, she plots her revenge. Simone plans the ultimate sacrifice of her god on the altar of her madness, a ceremony as exalted and romantic as it is horribly wonderful.

The police search for “R”. But only Simone knows where he is, and she will give birth to him anew…." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new transfer from film negative."

The Fan (Der Fan) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.9 GB

Feature: 20.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape; any source debris that remains is minor. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation is very good, image clarity is strong, and compression is very good. That said, there are moments where black levels are not as convincing as they should be.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono German), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono in German and a DTS-HD mono in English. Both audio mixes sound great, as dialog is always clear and everything sounds balanced and robust when it needs to. Range-wise, the score sounds appropriately robust, and ambient sounds are well represented. Included are removable English subtitles for the German-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro preview reel, text bios for director Eckhart Schmidt, actress Désirée Nosbusch and actor Bodo Steiger, a text essay titled About the Film, a text essay titled Rheingold and the German New Wave, and an interview with Eckhart Schmidt titled A Cannibalistic Love Story (19 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles).

Included with this release is a DVD counterpart that includes all the contents present on the Blu-Ray disc included with this release.

Summary:

A teenage girl’s obsession with a pop star and the dangerous consequences brought forth by a one-night stand with her idol.

There are two themes that are central to understanding the protagonist. The first theme is her obsession with a pop star named ‘R’ with whom she has become so entranced that now her whole world revolves around adoring him. The second theme is that of isolation and how it ultimately drives her to a point of no return. And the combination of these two things is a huge contributor to her escalating paranoia.

When The Fan (Der Fan) first begins, Simone's protagonist has already fallen down her rabbit hole. Also, there is never a time throughout The Fan (Der Fan) where we are ever given a glimpse of what she was like before her current mental state set in. And though more backstory is always welcomed, it is not necessary with The Fan (Der Fan), which takes on a less formal approach to the story at hand. The majority of similar-themed films feature a narrative that allows the protagonist to come full circle and realize where they went wrong. That is not the case here in The Fan (Der Fan), since its protagonist lacks consciousness and is devoid of any sympathetic qualities.

When one takes into consideration the subject matter in The Fan (Der Fan), it should not come as a surprise that the score plays an integral role. The pulsating score perfectly sets the mood and drives the narrative. Also, the score for The Fan (Der Fan) was composed and performed by Rheingold, a German new wave group that released a trio of albums between 1980 and 1984. And besides providing the score for The Fan (Der Fan), Rheingold’s other connection to the film is that their lead singer, Bodo Steiger, would appear in The Fan (Der Fan) in the role of 'R', the pop star that the protagonist obsesses over. He gives a well-balanced performance that more than fulfills the requirements of being the object of desire.

And though there are a myriad of reasons or things that can go awry in any film production, casting, more than anything else, can make or break a film. There are adequate performances, there are great performances, and then there are those who were born to portray a specific role. It is this latter one that they most strive for, and in regards to The Fan (Der Fan), that is exactly what they got when they cast Désirée Nosbusch in the role of Simone. Outwardly, she perfectly embodies the role, while emotionally, she gives an utterly convincing performance that is beyond terror. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that the things that her character does in the finale act are not for the faint of heart.

From a visual standpoint, the director ensures that no frame is used for maximum effect. Another thing that one will quickly notice in regards to the visuals is its use of Nazi-inspired imagery. This is most noticeable during the performance clip that ‘R’ is shooting for a TV show. Also, pacing is never an issue, as the narrative is always on the move, building momentum.

The best way to approach The Fan (Der Fan) is to go into it with no preconceived notions. The first hour follows around the protagonist as she dreams of being with 'R', and once she finally meets him, there is still a melodrama vibe to the events that have unfolded to that point. It is not until this shocking final act that things take a drastic turn, and then this is where things take on a much darker turn. Fortunately, once The Fan (Der Fan) reaches its payoff moment, the reward is well worth the wait.

The Fan (Der Fan) gets a first-rate release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, recommended.

 Written by Michael Den Boer