Watch Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story For Free

It is a performances centric movie

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Though Todd Haynes's Superstar is certainly a Karen Carpenter story, it is just as much a story of values-oriented America, perfectly captured in an American icon: the Barbie doll. Superstar tells the story of Karen Carpenter's struggle with anorexia by puppeting Barbies and Kens to represent all of the film's central characters. It is notable for its necessarily unusual visual style and varied disruptions of narrative, but I was most taken with the compellingly complex relationship that each of the film's three central icons--Carpenter, America, Barbie--all have with their own central ironies.Although there is a clear tension between surface appeal and sinister social implication in the above subjects of Superstar, their dualities don't corrupt their dual natures toward compromised unity so much as they feed both natures individually and independently: in spite of Carpenter's stress and anorexia, her earnestness and purity of intention are played as 100% real; whatever problematic femininity Barbie embodies, she is still sold as a genuine model of perfection; whatever clusterf*** of societal ills America may be--the film at one point explicitly invokes Watergate, citing Nixon as an avid Carpenter fan--the country keeps unceasingly God- blessing itself.It is noteworthy as well that these icons don't necessarily lack self- awareness--Carpenter tries to address her anorexia, Barbie caves to some new criticism every five years or so--but that they forge ahead ignoring the fact that they are complex and imperfect entities; they maintain identities of apparent perfection while fostering dark realities, ignoring their irony in spite of their awareness.These are not winking ironies, they are not overtly clever or stylish ironies, they are the ironies of compellingly and frighteningly sequestered schemas. Todd Haynes recognizes the strange tension of earnestness and irony in Carpenter/Barbie/America, and smartly avoids winking or nudging in the style of his film. Superstar's Barbie as Carpenter premise is certainly clever, but it is not simply an exercise in cleverness: it is a surprisingly but appropriately genuine exploration of its subjects' complexities, and it is worth the considerable trouble required to see it. -TK 11/7/10

This movie stands as an indictment of the whole American Middle Class culture of the 70s and its associated hypocrisy.In the heart of the Age of Aquarius, Karen and Richard are selected to sell "young and innocent" as "happening" (one of the most hilarious lines in the film).The anorexia, the implied homosexuality of Richard (honey, we ALL KNEW back then...), the California Suburbian culture and the politics of the time are all woven into a vivid presentation of the sad reality of Karen's life.Despite all the "camp" associated with the film's style of presentation, the storyline is very direct and to the point: Karen, for whatever reason and despite all her success, remained anorexic.I suppose ultimately you might call this movie a "murder mystery" - since the causes of anorexia are still not known with any certainty.I think the only people who cannot find this movie involving are those who actually knew Karen. To them I say: this film, for all its irreverent humor, is still a tribute to her.

Despite the poor video quality of the streaming version I had seen and the unreadable subtitling I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I found myself drawn into the story. When I originally sought it out, it was really out of little more than curiosity. I wanted to see the doll slowly shaved away. I wanted to see why it would be banned in the USA.There is so much more to this movie, though. I was dragged into the story by the music, something I didn't expect not being a fan. Karen Carpenter's voice seems more tinged with pain and surrender once you hear it contrasted against the turmoil of the early '70's and her own uncontrollable urges.Eventually her life and career spiral out of control until her death. This could possibly be the best film on anorexia nervosa and the price of success. Also, in a strange way, it appears to treat Karen Carpenter with respect. Well worth the viewing.

When I first heard of a Karen Carpenter movie acted out by Barbie dolls, I thought, "Yeah, right." Actually, it's not half-bad, revealing the ugly side of brother Richard and their parents. It's a shame the movie has been only available through the underground, though, as it portrays the heart-breaking effects of anorexia through clinical narration, montage, and pop culture to great effect. The use of dolls is actually ingenious, as we come to see how Karen was manipulated by her family, her record company, and society to conform to unattainable perfection. Although banned by numerous lawsuits, this film is available through alternative resources. If you look hard enough, you can find it.