Superstar The Karen Carpenter Story

[BellaSilvery]

Is it just me, but this movie seems to fill with subtexts that are incest, sexual and Richard's homosexual..

[norestrictions12]

Man, that was......disturbing. :-/

[notmyself]

Thank you for posting this! It was my first time viewing it and I think it captured her story effectively. Too bad this wasn't released on dvd....more people need to see this.

[Darkdesertmoon71]

Wow, this was amazing. Great job and very creative!



[BlackHoleSun1921]

Probably the greatest student film ever made.

[almamatters2471]

which is more sick- Karen battling her anorexia or Richard marrying his first cousin...discuss.

[pbleekm]

This is really sick and stupid. I can't even sit through it. it looks like a horror flick. Creeeepy!

[tingpei720]

When the narration starts-it was a bit creepy and disconcerting.I'll never listen to "Superstar" without associating this disturbing opening credits ever again.

[throatgorge2]

saw it in the theater. watching it to get the bad taste of "Conan the Barbarian" (2011) out of my mouth.

[fvtampa]

Is the video supposed to be all messed up?

[ahappykitten]

Hollywood is still anorexic.

[JKTube]

Very sad and moving. Thank you for posting this.

This movie is banned due to Richard Carpenter suing over unauthorized use of the Carpenters' music, and it is likely that Mattel and the makers of Ex-Lax and Ipecac wouldn't have been too thrilled with the way their products were portrayed here.

[chartstein]

To understand Barbie "Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters-- Two Evolutionary Psychologists Explain Why We Do What We Do" is a must read. It is knowledge not blame that will lead the way.

[JeffysPlayhouse]

such a beautiful movie *sniff*

[SundropSuicide725]

Actually the carpenter's didn't put it up because it said that her father was gay and he got outrgaged

[dogloverNV]

The introduction—the discovery in the closet—brought tears to my eyes. God rest her soul!

[silentalarmactivated]

My parents are a lot like Karen's family. I recommended this vido to them when I came forward about my ED, but they didn't get it.

[cyphrinfinity]

oh no not the dolls - again:(!!! goodbye.

[ashvariety]

i think that using dolls for a movie is about the stupidest thing i have seen yet. its an insult to her story

[ohthehorror5]

@ashvariety Not really. It's supposed to show how the media portrays women to be this perfect picture and how being like Barbie isn't something to aspire to.

It's really moving.

[scorp8pus]

@ashvariety

You obviously have no depth to you... this is a brilliantly moving film!

[1980KIRAXANADU]

which is the song at minute 28:08

[msdemos]

@1980KIRAXANADU

You might want to check your time code again, "1980"........there's absolutely NO music playing at (or around) the 28:08 mark.

[BobbyFz]

2 questions and a comment -

Q1 - What was meant by revealing Richard's private life?

Q2 - Why was there images of back-side slapping ... and why was it repeated maybe 4 or 5 times?

C1 - Karen's passing - in this manner - was tragic beyond measure. She had one of the, if not THE, greatest voices of all-time and I loved so many of her songs. She should still be with us, but I guess some inner demons are unconquerable. So, so sad. She will ALWAYS be missed.

[scorp8pus]

@BobbyFz

your answer to Q1.... Richard is gay.

Q2... I'd only be guessing on that one.

[XGEOFFREY1]

rest in peace my dove cuz ur wings will fly for ever in this life & the their after 4 all etenity you are & will be always deep in our hearts 4 ever love you all...

[stephanierodriq]

Thank you for posting...always wanted to watch this...glad I found it.

[scorp8pus]

I'm with GloriaD below..... I love this very powerful film.

Thank you so much for posting!

[GloriaD5767]

So glad this was posted. I did a Karen Carpenter search only a couple days after the anniversary of her death (I forgot it was Feb. 4) and discovered this. I've probably watched it a half dozen times. Disturbing, brilliant, creepy. LOVE IT!!!

[teecayb]

I've always wondered if whoever wrote the article calling Karen "chubby" when the Carpenters were first starting out feels somewhat responsible for her illness.

[Islander809]

Maybe, but times haven't changed much in that respect. Now tabloids expose the best and worst beach bodies of the year. At least now women are a little more open about talking about anorexia and it's not as obscure as it was - I don't really know if that means less people practice it though. If that journalist is still alive - they could really make a difference by speaking out against body criticism by the media.

[amaraya]

No such article was ever written about Karen. However, there was an article that claimed Richard to be "chubby."

[six6sixways2love]

GO RILEY'S FILM CLASS!!!!!!

[wowbobwow37]

I saw this in college probably. I had already seen Poison (which had just been released) and loved it. A friend and I were at a cocktail party and this was playing. It was extremely hard to find since it had been banned, we were watching a third-generation copy on VHS. I thought it was disturbing shit.

[blossomwhoa]

Karen herself was fuckin disturbing. She was a living walking skeleton. I saw her photo on a record my dad had when I was a kid. Jus looking att her scared the hell out of me. She had this creepy look on her face. Like a blank stare. I can explain. To this day seeing certain pictures of her freak me out

[HIGRecords]

i was disappointed at first because i was expecting a comedy. this is a very serious movie and it tells the story well.

[HIGRecords]

Also I can totally understand why the Carpenter family wouldn't want this released. Who'd want the world to know that their anxiety and need for control drove their daughter to the grave?

[jnbuben]

I saw this in college in 1989 and knew I wanted to make short subversive movies. It's 20 years later and while I've only made one little movie and am working on a second.. this little Todd Haynes gem is still brilliant.

[martaMartiburi]

alguien lo puede porner en español?

[MissyHolland]

Please, can anyone tell me the significance of the Karen doll being spanked at 32:00 minutes? Is that a metaphor for feeling ill-used or an allusion to childhood discipline?

[LemonStamp]

I think it has to do with discipline, seeing as shortly after there's a man's voice shouting "Karen! .. Come back here young lady" and so forth. The fact that it's an adult doll probably insiuates how her experiences as a child resonated into her adult years.

[jnbuben]

Way to go, Captian Obvious.

[LemonStamp]

Way to go, poor flame attempt.

[custardaghost]

Wow! this is excellent! When was it made/ late 80s? So original and the concept has been much copied sine.

Shame you haven't CREDITED TODD HAYNES ANYWHERE in your intro.

[zeekrock]

Tragic and harsh! Yet beautifully and tastefully done! Often those that present a beautiful image and love the world remain empty without the love they need for their very life!

The movie can be a wake up call to love people while they are here!!

[wickedfeylady]

I love this movie

[goldenquill2010]

I personally think this video is brilliant. It really was worth the hype

[FunkDawg0711]

awesome, looks like David Lynch directed this! way better than a lot of the other musician biographies with "real" actors! thanks for posting, Todd Haynes should do a Marvin Gaye biography!

[VickyTyler]

Creative.. Still don't quite like it

[UniweriaZekt]

Does it get any better than this? Fucking brilliant. RIP Karen.

[MXWraithsLady]

it is chilling to see this, even as a reenactment. it brings to life the true tragedy and loss the world and her family endured by such a nasty disease that more than enough girls and women suffer from even to this day.. Thank God for clinics that help with Anorexia Nervosa, just too late for one of the world's best voices in history that can never be replicated.. RIP karen

[TraceyS]

I have to say, I am shocked at how dull this was.  I'd heard so much about it, I was expecting a lot more.

[jack2breeze]

Richard doe`nt like it either in fact he put a law suite on it and the music was used without permission.

[sharonmeansrose]

todd haynes

is

a genius!

[HugmeKissmeFuckme]

Thank you for posting this. I've been wanting to see it.

[AcemanJones]

awesome

[mifune141]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this. Never thought I'd ever see it at all.

[divinejudge1]

Thanks a million for sharing