Carpenters superstars reaction fish out of water series duration. The karen carpenter story looks at how karens music helped to redefine popular music for better or worse, as well as how her disease mirrored the darkness that lurked beneath the surface of 70s pop culture, but todd haynes creative vision throws a. Todd haynes 43minutelong film about the life of singer karen carpenter, made in 1987, was made using handmade sets, appropriated film footage, and barbielike dolls. It may be the actress who played her who i dont know who that might be. The karen carpenter story which uses barbie dolls to narrate the tragic life of the american singer has become a cult hit because of both its controversy and its rarity. Getting to the bare bones of todd hayness superstar. The episodic poison was a disappointing follow up, but safe was heralded as a triumph. The karen carpenter story created a big fuss, and is still banned to this day. Superstar is a difficult film to find as it was the subject of a cease and desist suit brought by richard carpenter of the carpenters making it illegal to sell or distribute the film commercially as the production company never bothered to clear the rights to. The saga of a beloved singer and her battle with anorexia, acted out by barbie dolls. Cowritten, coproduced and directed by avantgarde filmmaker todd haynes, superstar is. The karen carpenter story looks at how karens music helped to redefine popular music for better or worse, as well as how her disease mirrored the darkness that lurked. Its a dark portrayal of a slow death, karen and barbie, both icons of american perfection, wasting away before our eyes.
Starring merrill gruver, michael edwards, melissa brown, rob labelle. The karen carpenter story is technically illegal to exhibit, although since the advent of youtube, its a bit of a moot point the upload embedded below was posted in 2012. When the time came to release our version as a single, i was vacillating between superstar and let me be the one, being concerned that the lyrics to the former were a little unconventional for a carpenters record. The karen carpenter story looks at how karens music helped to redefine popular music for better or worse, as well as how her disease mirrored the. Banned by the carpenter estate, the film is only in circulation as a bootleg. Kurzfilm uber den kampf der karen carpenter gegen die magersucht und der kulturelle einfluss der carpenters in den 70er jahren. Karen carpenters battle with anorexia nervosa and the cultural. Directed by todd haynes, the film uses barbie dolls as actors, as well as documentaries and artistic footage. Karen carpenters battle with anorexia nervosa and the cultural influence of the carpenters in the 70s. With barbie dolls as the principal actors, superstar portrays the life of karen carpenter and her battle with anorexia.
It doesnt hold the weight of the established directors in modern cinema at least not to the casual viewer. Superstar became its biggest hit version for the carpenters. Its about someone who died of anorexia, peoplei dont think its a comedy 7 years 1 month ago. The karen carpenter story, todd haynes 1987 examination of the pop singers lethal battle with anorexia nervosa is currently banned in the united states because its soundtrack uses without permission a nonstop series of 70s pop songs, including most of the carpenters. Superstar was cowritten and coproduced by haynes and cynthia schneider, with an unauthorized. The karen carpenter story, it was on a ninthgeneration vhs tape that one of my college filmnerd friends had dug up somewhere. The karen carpenter story is an american madefortelevision biographical film about singer karen carpenter and the brotherandsister pop music duo of which she was a part, the carpenters. The karen carpenter story dvd shows how karens eating disorder was not widely understood back in the 80s.
With merrill gruver, michael edwards, melissa brown, rob labelle. Karen carpenter was born in 1950, 3 12 years after richard, in new haven, conn. Directed by todd haynes the filmed almost entirely with barbie dolls to a. The karen carpenter story 1987 todd haynes isnt a name immediately synonymous with the great works of the film world. Its clunky in execution mostly when text is superimposed on the screen in colors which dont work with the background, but the way the story is told is really well done and the shaving down of the barbie dolls as karen loses weight is priceless. The karen carpenter story, and it was made three years ago by.
Directed by joseph sargent, it starred cynthia gibb as karen carpenter, and mitchell anderson as her brother, richard carpenter, who. The film was coproduced by the real richard carpenter, who has made the telling of his sisters story something of a lifetime mission. The infamous and banned 1987 short film by todd haynes, dir. The karen carpenter story dvd 1989 is a sad and true story of a timeless singer that was taken far too soon. Karen carpenter grew up in new haven,connecticut with her older brother, richard, and her parents. The karen carpenter story is one made in 1987, while the future director of carol and. The karen carpenter story was a ratings winner, encouraging other less tasteful producers to overload the market with bad to indifferent madefortv life stories. The first film from todd haynes velvet goldmine, im not there, superstar is a hauntingly beautiful biopic that garnered immediate praise among the local film community but quickly received 2 ceaseanddesist letters from mattel, the maker of barbie, and karen carpenters. The family moved to downey, california when karen was. The karen carpenter story openly gay, experimental filmmaker todd haynes burst upon the scene two years after his graduation from brown university with his nowinfamous 43minute cult treasure superstar. The final 17 years of american singer and musician karen carpenter, performed almost entirely by modified barbie dolls. Perhaps the most sophisticated student film youll ever see superstar.
Cowritten, coproduced and directed by avantgarde filmmaker. The karen carpenter story, a short film he wrote and directed that focused on singer karen carpenters battle with, and subsequent death from, anorexia nervosa. His document of glam rock, velvet goldmine, wasnt as well received, however far from heaven, a 1950sset melodrama. Richard carpenter was unaware of the bramlett or mad dogs originals, but as he later wrote in a compilation albums liner notes. The karen carpenter story dvd is a well written and fascinating look in to the late pop icon karen carpenters life before and. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Intriguing american arthouse writerdirector whose student film superstar. This booklength study of the film provides an account of its making, as well as analysing its content and arguing for its. Haynes examines the carpenter phenomenon without succumbing to the sensationalism which. Dont confuse this experimental effort with the madefortv biography of singer karen carpenter. Superstar was cowritten and coproduced by haynes and cynthia.
The first film from todd haynes velvet goldmine, im not there, superstar is a hauntingly beautiful biopic that garnered immediate praise among the local film community but quickly received 2 ceaseanddesist letters from mattel, the maker of barbie, and karen. Superstar is a documentary style short film about the life and death of pop star karen carpenter and her problem with anorexia and bulimia. Todd haynes far from heaven, safe burst upon the scene two years after his graduation with his nowinfamous 43minute superstar. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing superstar. Banned by the carpenter estate, todd haynes experimental biopic superstar. Todd haynes superstar the karen carpenter story experimental. So, it is a movie about pop star karen carpenter, and her struggle with anorexia told through the medium of barbie dolls. Karen was a chunky teenager who was passionate about playing the drums. The karen carpenter story is a 1987 american experimental short biographical film that portrays the last 17 years of singer karen carpenters life, as she struggled with anorexia. I was looking for this song for my collection, but i will pass on this version.
I came home from the studio one night and heard a then relatively unknown bette midler performing this song on the tonight show. Richard was a musical prodigy from the start, and would stay inside listening to records and practicing as a boy. Some films were made for the internet well before the internet was made for them. Thomasftb i really dont get how sureup and myopia found this funny. She also had a sweet alto singing voice that would take her and richard.