The Fan (1996 Film)
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''The Fan'' is a 1996 American
sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a Film genre, genre combining the thriller (genre), thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting ...
film directed by
Tony Scott Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was a British film director and producer. He made his theatrical film debut with ''The Hunger (1983 film), The Hunger'' (1983) and went on to direct highly successful action and t ...
and starring
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
and
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
, based on the 1995 novel by Peter Abrahams. The film received generally negative reviews from critics and was a box-office flop. Over time, the direction, the performances and the score have been praised.


Plot

Gil Renard is a troubled
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
fan whose favorite team, the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, have just signed a $40 million contract with his favorite player, Bobby Rayburn. His ex-wife Ellen obtains a
restraining order A restraining order or protective order is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation often involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and perso ...
to keep him away from herself and their son after Gil leaves his son to attend a sales meeting, but finds that his client is at a baseball game. Gil is fired from his job as a knife salesman when he insults a prospective customer. Gil begins obsessing over Rayburn. When Rayburn suffers a chest injury that causes fans to be upset by his underperformance, Gil antagonizes fans who jeer him. Rayburn has also been in an open conflict with teammate Juan Primo due to both men wanting to keep jersey number 11, culminating in a physical fight. Gil, thinking that Primo is to blame for Rayburn's performance, confronts him in a hotel
sauna A sauna (, ) is a room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. A thermometer in a sauna is used to meas ...
in an attempt to persuade him to let Rayburn have the number. Primo reveals his shoulder, branded with the number 11, and refuses. This leads to a struggle in which Gil fatally stabs Primo. After feeling guilty about Primo's death, Rayburn starts playing well again. Gil believes that what he did benefited Rayburn and the team. Thinking that Rayburn does not acknowledge his fans, Gil goes to his beach house and saves his son Sean from drowning. Gil persuades Rayburn to play a friendly game of catch on the beach. Rayburn states that he stopped caring about the game after Primo's death because he felt that there were more important things in life. He also tells Gil that he has lost respect for the fans, remarking on their fickle nature—when he is hitting, they love him, but when he is not, they hate him. An angered Gil almost hits Rayburn with a
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch (baseball), pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the ...
and launches into a diatribe. Rayburn is disturbed, especially when Gil takes off his jacket to reveal Rayburn's
uniform A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...
underneath and asks if he is happy that Primo's no longer around. Rayburn soon discovers that Gil has kidnapped Sean and has left a piece of branded flesh from Primo's shoulder in the freezer. Disillusioned with Rayburn's disrespect toward the fans, Gil spirals further into insanity and acts as if Sean is his own son. He drives to see an old friend, Coop, a catcher with whom Gil has often spoken playing in his past. Coop tries to help Sean escape and reveals that the only time when he and Gil ever played together was in Little League. Gil beats Coop to death with a baseball bat and takes Sean to a baseball field, hiding him there. Gil contacts Rayburn to make one demand: hit a
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
in the upcoming game and dedicate it to Gil, or else he will kill his son. With the police on high alert, Gil enters
Candlestick Park Candlestick Park was an outdoor stadium located in the Bayview-Hunters Point, Hunters Point area of San Francisco, California, United States. It was originally the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 S ...
in the midst of an on-and-off thunderstorm. Rayburn struggles with his emotions while at bat. After several pitches, he finally hits the ball deep into the outfield but not over the fence. Rayburn attempts to score an inside-the-park home run. He is called out, although he is obviously safe. Rayburn argues with the
umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French , , and , : (as evidenced in cricke ...
, who turns out to be Gil in disguise. Rayburn knocks Gil to the ground. Dozens of cops and Giants players swarm onto the field and confront Gil. Before the cops arrive, Gil stabs another player, Lanz, who tries to tackle him, as well as Rayburn. Despite warnings from the police, Gil goes into an exaggerated pitching motion with the knife in hand. He asks Rayburn if he cares about baseball, then assumes that he cares "just a little bit". Rayburn desperately asks Gil where Sean is, but Gil nonchalantly says that he is in the "big stadium in the sky". Gil is shot dead as he is about to throw the knife. Police discover Sean at the Little League field, named the Stadium in the Sky, where Gil once played in his childhood. They uncover his obsession with Rayburn, as hundreds of newspaper clippings adorn his hideout. A picture on the wall shows Gil in his past glory, playing Little League baseball and winning a championship game.


Cast

*
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
as Gil Renard / Curly *
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
as Bobby Rayburn *
Benicio del Toro Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (; born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican actor. List of awards and nominations received by Benicio del Toro, His accolades include an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a British Academy ...
as Juan Primo *
John Leguizamo John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez (, ; ; born July 22, 1960 or 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer. He has appeared in more than 100 films, produced more than 20 films and documentaries, made more than 30 televisio ...
as Manny *
Patti D'Arbanville Patricia D'Arbanville (born May 25, 1951)Willis, John; Monush, Barry (2006). Screen World: 2005 Film Annual, Volume 56'. New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 357. . is an American actress known for her appearance in Andy Warhol pr ...
as Ellen Renard * Ellen Barkin as Jewel Stern * Charles Hallahan as Coop * Brandon Hammond as Sean Rayburn * Andrew J. Ferchland as Richie Renard * Chris Mulkey as Tim (Richie's stepfather) * John Kruk as Lanz, one of Rayburn's teammates * Dan Butler as Garrity (Gil's boss) * Kurt Fuller as Bernie (Jewel's co-worker) * Stanley DeSantis as Stoney * Don S. Davis as Stook, Giants' manager * Michael Jace as a ticket scalper * M. C. Gainey as a Giants fan * Aaron Neville as himself (opening game singer) *
Jack Black Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
as a radio broadcast technician


Production

According to director Tony Scott,
Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...
,
Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino ( ; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Known for his intense performances on stage and screen, Pacino is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. His career spans more than five decades, duri ...
and
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
wanted to play the role of Gil.


Music


Soundtrack

''The Fan'' is the soundtrack to the 1996 film ''The Fan''. It was released on August 20, 1996, through TVT Records and is a combination of electronic and hip hop music. ;Track listing #"Did You Mean What You Said?"- 3:49 (Sovory, Michael Mishaw, Marc Antoine) #"Letting Go"- 5:35 (
Terence Trent D'Arby Sananda Francesco Maitreya (born Terence Trent Howard; March 15, 1962), who started his career with the stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer and songwriter who came to fame with his debut studio album, '' Introducing the Hard ...
) #"Unstoppable"- 3:46 ( Mic Geronimo) #"Hymn of the Big Wheel"- 6:34 (
Massive Attack Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol, England, by Robert Del Naja, Robert "3D" Del Naja, Daddy G, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, Tricky (musician), Adrian "Tricky" Thaws and Andrew Vowles, Andrew "Mushroom" ...
) #"I've Had Enough"- 2:43 ( Kenny Wayne Shepherd) #"Little Bob"- 5:35 ( Black Grape) #"Border Song (Holy Moses)"- 3:37 (Raymond Myles) #"What's Goin' Down"- 4:18 (Honky) #"Deliver Me"- 3:58 (Foreskin 500) #"Forever Ballin'"- 4:24 (
Big Syke Tyruss Gerald Himes (November 22, 1968 – December 5, 2016), better known by his stage names Big Syke and Mussolini, was an American rapper best known for his work with the American hip-hop groups Thug Life and Outlawz. His stage name "Big S ...
& Johnny "J") #"I'm da Man- 5:24 (Jeune) #"Sacrifice"- 19:08 (
Hans Zimmer Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, five Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards and a Tony ...
)


Reception


Box office

The film grossed $18,626,419 in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. The opening weekend earned $6,271,406 and dropped 47.2% the subsequent weekend. Internationally, it grossed $23.6 million, for a worldwide total of $42.2 million.


Critical response

On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, ''The Fan'' has an approval rating of 37%, based on reviews from 30 critics. The website's critics' consensus states: "Tony Scott's visceral flash proves to be an ill fit for ''The Fan'', a queasy tale of obsession that succeeds at making audiences uncomfortable, but strikes out when it comes to delivering the thrills." On
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the film has a weighted average score of 32 out of 100, based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. Audiences surveyed by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film a grade "B−" on a scale of A+ to F.


See also

* Swimfan * List of American films of 1996 * List of baseball films


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fan, The 1990s American films 1990s English-language films 1996 psychological thriller films 1990s sports films 1996 films American baseball films American psychological thriller films Films about fandom Films about stalking Films based on American thriller novels Films directed by Tony Scott Films scored by Hans Zimmer Films set in San Francisco Films set in the San Francisco Bay Area Films shot in San Francisco Mandalay Pictures films San Francisco Giants Scott Free Productions films TriStar Pictures films English-language thriller films English-language sports films