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Bruce Tuthill, Gwen Kraus, Rob LaBelle

Director Todd Haynes first gained the attention of underground film enthusiasts with this unusual and thought-provoking look at the life and death of pop singer Karen Carpenter. In 1970, as America en... read more read more...tered a new decade following the turmoil and uncertainties of the 1960s, the Carpenters first hit the charts with glossy, well-scrubbed pop tunes like "Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun," which suggested a deliberate retreat from the aggressive rebellion that dominated rock music in the late '60s. But while Karen Carpenter and her brother Richard represented all that was good and wholesome about America's youth in the eyes of many (Richard Nixon even invited them to play the White House), there was often a dark and melancholy undercurrent to their music, and it turned out Karen had a troubling secret of her own -- the pressures of stardom and her longtime problems with self-image manifested themselves in a severe case of Anorexia Nervosa, an eating disorder which helped to claim her life in 1983. Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story looks at how Karen's 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 crucial twist into the tale. Instead of live actors, most of the key roles in Superstar are played by Barbie or Ken dolls, and while the concept might sound like a mean-spirited joke, in practice the technique adds a strange storybook quality to the material that's compelling and genuinely moving. Unfortunately, Haynes failed to secure permission from Richard Carpenter and A&M Records for use of the many Carpenters recordings used on the film's soundtrack, and Richard was reportedly offended by his less-than flattering portrayal in the film; consequently, after a handful of film festival screenings, Superstar went into legal limbo, and since Richard's attorneys have prevented any authorized exhibition of the film, it can now be seen only on low-quality bootleg videocassettes. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Unrated, 43 min.

Directed by: Todd Haynes

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Flixster Reviews (160)

  • SirPant
    February 14, 2012
    SirPant
    Creepy, controversial but also quite honest, albeit brutally. It certainly deserves the kudos the underground have given it, it is raw film making at its best. Essentially, Todd Haynes has reversed the modern biopic, using plastic models to tell the true story, rather than real p... read moreeople telling a plastic story. I disagree that it is tasteless towards the Carpenters, it seems very obvious to me that Todd Haynes is fan. The harsh realities are often hard to watch, I can see why Richard Carpenter wouldn't have liked it though. It's a very entertaining and clever little film though, destined to stay underground and about as cult as you can get, essential viewing for wannabe film makers!
  • ajv2688
    February 20, 2011
    ajv2688
    2001 is not the original release date for this movie, it's somewhere around 1988, but since it's an underground film, it's a bit uncertain, I know. This movie really creeped me out. Yes, it does use dolls to dramatize the life of Karen Carpenter, but it also utilizes stock foot... read moreage from other places too, and it's more about anorexia than her life. It's an interesting movie, and anyone in film school right now should really check it out.
  • rubystevens
    September 14, 2010
    rubystevens
    really disturbing, especially for those of us who (vaguely) remember. the carpenters were huge; in fact they were the #1 selling american music act of the 1970's. karen had a wonderful voice. they were a white bread fantasy of middle class suburbia and a cautionary tale of wh... read moreat can happen when everything is a little too...perfect. this film was notoriously withdrawn from distribution after a lawsuit against director todd haynes by karen's brother richard. this is NOT a documentary. it can be seen here in decent quality:
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=622130510713940545#
  • kiriyamakazou
    March 20, 2010
    kiriyamakazou
    I grew up listening to The Carpenters, and they are one of the few bands I can still listen to. Their music was always honest and calm. Relaxing, yet emotional. Haynes is also one of the most brilliant men working in cinema, so I simply had to see this illegal film. Haynes takes ... read morehimself completely out of he film. It doesn't try and elevate Karen to some kind of martyrdom, nor does it manipulate and tug at the heartstrings. Instead, it goes for a very realistic feel, despite being "acted" by Barbie Dolls. Perhaps these dolls allowed Haynes to simply tell a story without judging those involved. It avoids blaming people or any of the other cliches biopics usually deliver. It isn't fact, it isn't fiction, it's somewhere in-between. A lost classic.
  • jennifxu
    September 13, 2007
    jennifxu
    Fantastically executed scenes with seamless transitions. Haynes' sparse dialogue and the innovative use of dolls really hits the message home. Show this to me during health anytime. I'm so mad that I had to watch it with crappy quality on GOOGLE, for goodness sake.
  • KLFilmmaker
    January 8, 2010
    KLFilmmaker
    Another reason why Haynes is one of my favorite working directors today. To effectively pull off the emotional impact of this biopic with dolls is a masterstroke. It's not flawless, but see it if you can get your hands on a copy.
  • patrickdol
    September 25, 2008
    patrickdol
    Brilliant. Really.This film is so tongue in cheek, and not funny at all, once you get past the fact that it's almost entirely done with Barbie dolls.
    It's about Karen Carpenter's battle with anorexia mostly, as well as anorexia itself and it's rather heartbreaking.
    I really can't... read more saw enough about this film. You have to just see it. Too bad you can't buy it due to obvious copyright issues.
  • divinetrash
    December 10, 2007
    divinetrash
    Loved the film, just couldn't stand the fact they play that damn song over and over.
  • mikeylovesgregg
    November 20, 2008
    mikeylovesgregg
    I don't know how they pulled this off, but "Superstar" is one of the most effective, heartbreaking, and engrossing movie bios ever made! Creatively told & marvelously edited, it earns it's "cult" status & then some...
  • citizenzero
    April 29, 2008
    citizenzero
    you know, I did see this. A large potion of the film consisted of Karen pushing plates of food to the side. Starving children in africa Karen!

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Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story Trivia

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter St... Trivia

  • Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, used no actors, only Barbie dolls.   Answer »
  • Is the below a live-action puppet film? Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987)   Answer »
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