Eminem: a documentary about “Stan”, the obsessive fan

“Stan”, single by Eminem, released in 2000 as the third extract from the third studio album “The Marshall Mathers”is a symbolic song of the rapper’s career and one of most famous pieces in the history of hip hop. The piece, with the legendary sampling of “Thank You” by Dido, talks about the relationship that can be established between a fan and a star. And precisely on this intricate theme, Eminem is realizing a documentary about the “Stans”, this is the title of the work, paraphrasing his great success. As happens in the song, Stan, who represents the radical fan, is reflected so much in Eminem’s songs that we want to know him at all costs. And that’s why he writes him letters. The storytelling of the song “Stan”, deliberately brought to exasperation, represents what often happens to many fans of any artist who, before becoming famous, experienced difficult situations similar to those of his followers.

Fans are obsessed with this figure because they see it as some sort of lifeline and this leads them to try to resemble their idol as much as possible, in a way that borders on the pathological. The video for the song, directed by Philip G. Atwell and Dr. Dre, is timeless. Actor Devon Sawa plays Slim Shady’s die-hard, obsessed fan Stan, and singer Dido plays his pregnant girlfriend. The final scene shows the rapper reading the letters sent to him by Stan, and begins to write to him in response, apologizing for not having autographed his little brother, saying that he absolutely didn’t want to snub him and that he has a cap with the autograph ready to go. send him. He adds that he is honored that Stan is his fan, but also that he should see a psychologist for the outbursts that he has, and that he must treat his pregnant girlfriend well. He ends the letter hoping that it reaches him in time, before he gets hurt, by saying that a couple of weeks ago he saw a story on the news that made him feel bad, about a drunk driving his car over a bridge with his girlfriend in the trunk, pregnant with his baby. A tape was found in the car, but it was not said to whom it was addressed. Finally the rapper raises his head and sees on the television that the drunk who had gotten out of control was called Stan.

The new documentary will be a “a revealing, cutting and disarming journey into the world of superfandom, told through the lens of one of the world’s most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans who adore him”, wrote some American magazines that first reported the news. Eminem will co-produce the project under his Shady Films banner, with Steven Leckart as director. The release date is not yet confirmed, but the film is expected to arrive later this year. Eminem’s longtime manager Paul Rosenberg and Stuart Parr of Shady Films previewed the film, saying, “Stans will be an opportunity for us to turn the camera and ask the audience not to be fans, in some cases, fanatics. This is a study in the relationship between fanbase and artist through the lens of one of Eminem’s most captivating songs and one of the world’s most important artists.”