When a bulletin reporting the mysterious disappearance of R emerges on the news just as a shaven-headed Simone returns to her parents' home, she eerily writes him his last fan letter, stating he'll always be a part of her—and that she missed her period.

[3] German provocateur Eckhart Schmidt here deftly ditches the flavor-of-the-month new wave teenybopper angst angle of Christiane F. in favor of a wonderfully roiling, sordidly screw-loose psychosexual tension that would make even Brian De Palma blush.

Indeed, it follows closely Simone's obsession with the pop star and gradual detachment from the real world, but its story also serves as a metaphor for Germany's fascination with Adolf Hitler and National Socialism.[...

][6] [...] The film is complemented by a stylish soundtrack blending elements of early dark wave and electro pop/synthesizer rock which was created by the German band Rheingold.

[...][6] [...] Hugely controversial in Germany upon its release in 1982, Der Fan is something of a precursor to Takashi Miike's Audition — although where the Japanese filmmaker's work won plaudits, Schmidt's was pilloried by the critics.

Yet an undercurrent of crazed obsession bubbles beneath the surface — before exploding in explicit style — and this lends Nosbusch's character a quality and depth that makes for a mesmerizing watch.

[8] [...] Utterly unique, highly memorable, The Fan is a delightful and rare piece of West German horror that deserves a place in the genre archives as a cult classic.