Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1988)

Karen Carpenter's battle with anorexia nervosa and the cultural influence of the Carpenters in the 70s.

Director:

Todd Haynes

Writers:

Cynthia Schneider, Todd Haynes

Stars:

Merrill Gruver, Michael Edwards, Melissa Brown

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Merrill Gruver	...	Karen (voice)
Michael Edwards	...	Richard (voice)
Melissa Brown	...	Mother (voice)
Rob LaBelle	...	Dad / Mr. A&M (voice)
Nannie Doyle	...	Cherry Boone (voice)
Cynthia Schneider	...	Dionne Warwick (voice)
Larry Kole	...	Announcer (voice)
Gwen Kraus	...	Narrator (voice)
Bruce Tuthill	...	Narrator (voice)
Joanne Barnett	...	Herself - Singer
Todd Haynes	...	(voice)
Moira McCarty	...	(voice)
Laurie Stone	...	(voice)
Michelle Manenti	...	(voice)
Celia Pearce	...	(voice)

Storyline

Karen and Richard Carpenter are young musicians living with their parents in Downey, California. Richard shows great promise as a songwriter and Karen, who plays drums, begins to sing vocals, thrusting the duo into stardom. They become wildly successful, Karen's striking voice and Richard's soft melodies capturing the essence of the nation's yearning for calm after the turbulent Sixties. But Karen strives for perfection and becomes increasingly fearful of her weight, despite being a slender woman. Eventually she is diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, a mental disease relating to stress, lack of control, and low self-esteem. A fight for Karen's life ensues.

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Plot Keywords:

anorexia nervosa | anorexia | downey california | disease | bulimia | 

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Genres:

Short | Biography | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story

Company Credits

Production Co:

Iced Tea Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ranked #45 on Entertainment Weekly's "Top 50 Cult Films of All-Time"

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Goofs

In the opening sequence, as the camera rounds the corner on its way into Karen's bedroom, a crew member is visible at the end of the hallway.

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Quotes

Richard: We are still catching up from the setback you had 6 years ago! Karen, people are talking about you, your fans are worried, I can hear them gasping when we walk on stage! Now what the hell are we supposed to do about that?
Karen: Richard! I know, I know I'm sick. I know something's wrong, I need help.
Richard: What do you mean sick? Mentally?
Karen: Richard, have you ever heard the word anorexia?
Richard: Of course, I've heard people call you that.
Karen: Richard, I am that. And I guess I'm just beginning to realize that it isn't ...

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Crazy Credits

There are no ending credits, the film ends after shots of newspaper headlines detailing Karen Carpenter's death.

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Connections

Referenced in Velvet Goldmine (1998)

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Soundtracks

(They Long to Be) Close to You
Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach
Performed by The Carpenters

User Reviews

A documentary of Karen Carpenter's Struggles with Eating Disorders

Having personally suffered from anorexia and bulimia, my family and I were shown this movie during my in-hospital treatment for my eating disorder. It is highly effective, touching, real, and it does not glamorize or sugarcoat the ugliness and devastation eating disorders cause. I would highly recommend it to anyone, as it starts at the beginning of Karen Carpenter's struggles and depicts her life-long struggle and untimely death. I feel it is a must for any young person facing weight issues, self-esteem issues, or anything of the sort. It is eloquently done, and a must see. The movie involves Barbie dolls, and while it may sound silly, it is so effective that it still makes me think today, ten years after my recovery.