Carpenters' Halloween

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Dave60640

Dave60640

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No it's not a typo. :shock:
Please tell me if I am over-reacting.
While walking around the north end of Chicago I noticed a poster, flyer (whatever) in several store front windows for a local play opening up this October 16th. The title: The Carpenters Halloween. A play "re-inacting John Carpenters Halloween but set to the lush, beautiful songs of the Carpenters."
The poster features a life size bust of Michael Myers (the psycho from Halloween), complete with lipstick and eye shadow, and -here's the really disturbing part- the real Carpenters logo featured (prominantly) in a blood-dripping, creeper type font.
I have already sent this info to the Carpenters camp, but -honestly- am I alone thinking this is just, well...wrong?! I just think it uses K&R's hard work and artistry as a joke, a punchline, a Dennis Miller-esque sucker-punch. :cussing:
Don't get me wrong. I love the Halloween movie (one of my faves) and I cherish, love and live for Carpenters music, but the two -together- seem wrong.
Your thoughts.....
 
Well, there ya go...artistic license. Some of the music is foreboding and could play against type in a show (after all, the music was used in a couple of creepy-type movies lately). Who knows what floats some people's boat?

But if they are using real Carps recordings they could get in serious trouble.

I wonder if RC has ever "copyrighted" or trademarked that logo. I don't remember ever seeing the little "circle-R" thing next to it...although I always thought that looked cheesy when it appeared next to the band's logo on Chicago albums, so maybe Richard didn't like the way it would look.

[edit to fix typo]
 
Mike Blakesley said:
I wonder if RC has ever "copyrighted" or trademarked that logo. I don't remember ever seeing the little "circle-R" thing next to it...although I always that that looked cheesy when it appeared next to the band's logo on Chicago albums, so maybe Richard didn't like the way it would look.
Click to expand...

To answer this questions -- yes, the logo is copyrighted. I found this out several years ago when I received a nasty letter telling me to "cease and desist" using the logo on the home page of my Carpenters website. I was threatened with legal action for using the copyrighted logo without permission.

David
 
You had a webstite dedicated to the Carpenters, and Richard was going to sue you over using the famed logo? That's something else. It's so nice to know he cares about his fans.
 
There's a big difference between just caring about fans, and protecting a trademark. By keeping the mark out of unauthorized areas, Richard shows that he DOES care about the fans by not letting his logo appear in places where it shouldn't.
 
I agree! :cheers:
That is why I felt so strongly about seeing this poster and play using not just the logo but the music as well.
I am extremely protective over K&R's body of work and agree with RC in his decisions to protect their legacy.
 
I would think Richard wouldn't mind if the logo was used for a fan site. Now a site bashing them? OK- now's the time to threaten a lawsuit!
 
But how does one define what level of fan site is OK? Yes, we all know David's website was nothing but a labor of love for the duo's career, but what about some of the "stranger" sites out there? At what point does a fan become an obsessive? How far does one allow the use before beginning to restrict it?

I can certainly understand Richard's protectiveness over the logo - if only to keep things "genuine."

Harry
 
Just to piggy-back on what Harry said, Richard (or someone in his camp) would have to devote the time to surfing the Web and deciding which sites "deserved" the logo. That's a lot of work!
 
"The real Carpenters logo, featured prominantly in a blood-dripping, creeper type font?" That is so wrong. :laugh:

Definitely one of the stranger premises of musical play I've heard of...although it sounds so ridiculous, that I almost want to see it!
 
I completely understand how the Carpenters' music could be used in a "horror" setting. We talk a lot about the "chill factor" when it comes to Karen's singing, but the use of benign music for a "creepiness factor" is extremely effective.

Hitchcock famously used a carousel calliope version of "And the Band Played On" in his STRANGERS ON A TRAIN in a murder sequence, juxtaposing the cheerful, upbeat song against a dark and violent scene. It makes the scene MUCH more creepy because it feels so out-of-place.

I sat and watched JEEPERS CREEPERS this afternoon on cable -- I've seen it six or seven times, but I still marvel at the "creepiness factor" that comes up when the song "Jeepers Creepers" (a happy, upbeat song) is used to provide a sense of foreboding and dread.

The television show COLD CASE used John Denver's "Sunshine On My Shoulders" in a similar way a couple of seasons ago. Few songs are as non-threatening as "Sunshine On My Shoulders," but when it came up in the COLD CASE episode, it was downright bone-chilling.

And who can listen to Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" without getting totally creeped out? Thank you, THE EXORCIST.

So yes, I imagine it's quite easy to incorporate the music of the Carpenters into something horrifying. I'd probably find it highly entertaining...

David
 
I'd like to see it! If anyone has the ability to show it on here, and it is permitted, please do.

My Funny Valentine...
 
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