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1 Amy Schumer & Brianne Howey on the Importance of Female Friendships, Navigating Hollywood's Double Standards, Sharing Their Birth Stories, and MORE 50:05
Fanatic (AKA Last Horror Film) - Movie can't decide what it's title is, let alone what it's saying
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Give that Joe guy a raise! Everything else though....
Fanatic, released in 1982 and later distributed by Troma under the title The Last Horror Film, is an ambitious yet confused attempt at blending psychological thriller, horror, satire, and social commentary. Directed by David Winters, the film follows Vinny Durand (Joe Spinell), a socially awkward taxi driver in New York who dreams of becoming a Hollywood filmmaker. Vinny's obsession with horror star Jana Bates (Caroline Munro) takes a dark turn when he follows her to the Cannes Film Festival, believing he can convince her to star in his debut film. Soon, people connected to Jana begin to disappear, leaving the audience to wonder if Vinny’s fantasies have turned murderous.
On the surface, Fanatic has all the trappings of a Taxi Driver knockoff, with Spinell’s Vinny bearing eerie similarities to De Niro’s Travis Bickle: a lonely man whose delusions of grandeur lead to a disturbing descent into obsession. However, where Taxi Driver offers a focused character study and searing critique of urban decay, Fanatic meanders between tones, never quite deciding what it wants to be.
Is it a darkly comedic jab at the absurdity of the film industry, with its over-the-top Cannes sequences and caricatured players? A horror film dissecting the dangers of unchecked fandom? Or a social critique of anti-horror activists and censorship? The movie flirts with all these ideas but fails to commit to any, leaving the audience in a muddled state of uncertainty. There’s undeniable charm in its chaotic ambition, but the result is a mishmash of clashing themes and tonal inconsistencies.
What Fanatic does have, however, is Joe Spinell. His performance is nothing short of extraordinary, especially given the film’s modest budget. Spinell imbues Vinny with a mix of vulnerability, creepiness, and manic energy that is utterly captivating. His ability to oscillate between pitiable and menacing elevates the film far beyond what one might expect from a low-budget production, especially one released by Troma. Spinell’s portrayal is a masterclass in character work, showing what can be achieved even in a film with clear limitations.
Despite its flaws, Fanatic has its moments of intrigue and campy fun. The Cannes backdrop offers a unique setting for a horror film, and there’s an undeniable novelty in watching Spinell and Munro share the screen again after Maniac. But for all its ambition, Fanatic ultimately bites off more than it can chew. It’s a film that tries to be everything and ends up being little more than a curiosity piece—worth watching for Spinell’s mesmerizing performance, but a frustrating experience for those hoping for cohesion or a clear narrative purpose.
646 حلقات
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Hmmm there seems to be a problem fetching this series right now. Last successful fetch was on February 17, 2025 18:12 (
What now? This series will be checked again in the next day. If you believe it should be working, please verify the publisher's feed link below is valid and includes actual episode links. You can contact support to request the feed be immediately fetched.
Manage episode 460900851 series 63381
Give that Joe guy a raise! Everything else though....
Fanatic, released in 1982 and later distributed by Troma under the title The Last Horror Film, is an ambitious yet confused attempt at blending psychological thriller, horror, satire, and social commentary. Directed by David Winters, the film follows Vinny Durand (Joe Spinell), a socially awkward taxi driver in New York who dreams of becoming a Hollywood filmmaker. Vinny's obsession with horror star Jana Bates (Caroline Munro) takes a dark turn when he follows her to the Cannes Film Festival, believing he can convince her to star in his debut film. Soon, people connected to Jana begin to disappear, leaving the audience to wonder if Vinny’s fantasies have turned murderous.
On the surface, Fanatic has all the trappings of a Taxi Driver knockoff, with Spinell’s Vinny bearing eerie similarities to De Niro’s Travis Bickle: a lonely man whose delusions of grandeur lead to a disturbing descent into obsession. However, where Taxi Driver offers a focused character study and searing critique of urban decay, Fanatic meanders between tones, never quite deciding what it wants to be.
Is it a darkly comedic jab at the absurdity of the film industry, with its over-the-top Cannes sequences and caricatured players? A horror film dissecting the dangers of unchecked fandom? Or a social critique of anti-horror activists and censorship? The movie flirts with all these ideas but fails to commit to any, leaving the audience in a muddled state of uncertainty. There’s undeniable charm in its chaotic ambition, but the result is a mishmash of clashing themes and tonal inconsistencies.
What Fanatic does have, however, is Joe Spinell. His performance is nothing short of extraordinary, especially given the film’s modest budget. Spinell imbues Vinny with a mix of vulnerability, creepiness, and manic energy that is utterly captivating. His ability to oscillate between pitiable and menacing elevates the film far beyond what one might expect from a low-budget production, especially one released by Troma. Spinell’s portrayal is a masterclass in character work, showing what can be achieved even in a film with clear limitations.
Despite its flaws, Fanatic has its moments of intrigue and campy fun. The Cannes backdrop offers a unique setting for a horror film, and there’s an undeniable novelty in watching Spinell and Munro share the screen again after Maniac. But for all its ambition, Fanatic ultimately bites off more than it can chew. It’s a film that tries to be everything and ends up being little more than a curiosity piece—worth watching for Spinell’s mesmerizing performance, but a frustrating experience for those hoping for cohesion or a clear narrative purpose.
646 حلقات
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1 Dancing Ninja - Sho Kosugi should've popped and locked more 1:36:12
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1 A Murder of Crows - Just sell your novel and use the funds to fight injustice, stupid 1:40:02
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1 Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying...and plot! 1:40:56
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1 Supervized - Look, no one wants to get old but this movie is worse than that. 1:30:26
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1 Fanatic (AKA Last Horror Film) - Movie can't decide what it's title is, let alone what it's saying 1:21:41
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1 Fair Game - See - Divorce court can get you killed. Stay married! 1:42:34
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1 Happy New Year - My mind is bonkers, because you aren't telling a story! 2:02:33
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1 Elves - My grandpa is Heinrich Himmler? And he's my dad? And I'm Rosemary? And I'm going to prison? Xmas sucks, dude. 1:37:12
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1 Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation - Start by vacuuming 1:39:25
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1 Black Friday - Does not star Ice Cube, racist 1:11:40
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1 Alone in the Dark - Or Just Close the Damn Door! 1:48:07
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1 A Return to Salem's Lot - Wonder how they address regional sports? 1:40:12
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1 The Mangler - Why are all these sheets so bloody...and posessed??? 1:39:05
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1 Split Second - Somehow the Villain's confusing Venom look is only the fifth nuttiest thing 1:50:53
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1 Hobgoblins - Making Munchie and Trumpy Look Good Since 1988 1:20:50
مرحبًا بك في مشغل أف ام!
يقوم برنامج مشغل أف أم بمسح الويب للحصول على بودكاست عالية الجودة لتستمتع بها الآن. إنه أفضل تطبيق بودكاست ويعمل على أجهزة اندرويد والأيفون والويب. قم بالتسجيل لمزامنة الاشتراكات عبر الأجهزة.