Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story is the wonderfully bizarre first film from director Todd (Safe) Haynes. It tells the rise and fall of wholesome pop singer Karen Carpenter and her struggles to balance her career with her battle with the debilitating eating disorder anorexia. That might not sound “wonderfully bizarre” until you realize it’s (mostly) told with Barbie dolls. All this might seem a little quaint now, but I remember when it caused a sensation when it was first released.
The film (which clocks in at a scant 43 minutes) was made in 1988, just before people were obsessed with Behind the Music, so seeing such a frank portrayal of fame, fortune, and mental illness was still something of a novelty. The fact that it’s acted by Barbie dolls just adds to the overall effect. What makes it so compelling is the acerbic wit that runs throughout the picture. Any old YouTuber nowadays can film a movie using Barbie dolls. It takes a gifted filmmaker to tackle the subject matter and craft it into something darkly funny and even somewhat poignant, especially when all your leads are played by toys.
At the height of her stardom, Karen is insulted by a journalist who calls her “fat”. Soon after, she becomes anorexic. Her bandmate brother Richard puts their career over her well-being, forcing her to tour, causing her to spiral further out of control.
Haynes’ uses many of The Carpenters’ songs (as well as a few other artists) throughout the film, and quite well, I might add. The fact that he never got permission to use them ensured that this would never get an official release. However, it’s that kind of bravado that helped to cement the movie’s underground status.
Despite the fact the lead is a hunk of plastic, you strangely wind up feeling something by the end of the film. That’s due largely to Haynes’ talent behind the camera. Forget the fact he got all his actors from Mattel. That montage of Karen singing and binging on Ex-Lax while the numbers on her scale continue to dwindle is as good as anything in a Scorsese movie. I also applaud his clever set design, which is simultaneously low-tech (at one point, a Light Bright is used for stage lighting) and ingenious.
Even at 43 minutes, this is still probably a good fifteen minutes too long. The live action snippets aren’t nearly as much fun as the stuff with the Barbies, and the man-on-the-street interviews could’ve easily been scrapped. Despite its flaws, Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story is a fun glimpse into the burgeoning mind of a warped and gifted director.
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