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I will attempt to locate the journal article which compares and contrasts the two extant Biopics.
(Someone 'out there' actually did academic research , and published, on the topic!).
I only recall one line of the journal article. saying: There were more truths to the Haynes movie than the Official CBS movie.
Keep in mind, I have never watched the Haynes Movie--simply no desire to do so.
Of course, I watched the CBS movie upon its first airing--I enjoyed the music, that's about it.
Family dynamics being what they are, I would never venture into those muddy waters.
Career-wise, however, events which surrounded the duo are a bit easier to ascertain, though, still ambiguous.
As for Album Made In America, Fan Club Newsletters clearly describe that Richard Carpenter had to decline
three separate pressings before he settled upon one, mentioning two other technical problems which held up production,
(Newsletter#70, June 1981); thus, there were problems sonically with the album. It is described in the newsletter.
Chris, interesting question!
As I read more about the film, watching it is becoming awfully difficult to resist.
Back in the day when I first learned of this movie, there was simply no way to know anything more than
that it was the movie 'filmed with barbie-dolls', so I had zero interest-- believing it to be a cheap attempt
to make light of Karen's illness. However, as time has marched on, and other information has altered the
initial opinion I might have held-- not to mention my disappointment in the officially-sanctioned
CBS Television movie, there is a strong possibility that I will view the film in the not too distant future.
However, given the artistic license given in the CBS movie--a move which perturbed me--I can only imagine
that another movie, without Richard's participation, would be even further removed from reality.
Who knows?
It's trippy, dark, thought provoking, and the worn down bootleg VHS generation after generation copies mirrors Karen's own bodily deterioration.
That's a brilliant observation!
and I've never listened to the solo album outtakes because richard hasn't authorized me to.or a morbid execution.
I've never seen the film nor do I have any desire to watch it.
Thank you, Newville fan! It's one of those things that just tragically goes along with the art after the fact. Life imitating art imitating life. The desire of Richard and A&M, and possibly Mattel trying to suppress Haynes's progressive, non conservative view of the world by trying to banish the film from being seen and heard, mirrors Karen's own life in ways. Even in death Karen doesn't have much control, regarding this film. I had read something once about how the VHS tapes reflect Karen's illness, so i cant take full credit, but on my own I thought about how it speaks on both personal and social levels.
It says something about a persons individuality and an (American) culture that has been sucked dry ever since. It suggests that whatever innocence was left throughout the 70s died right along with Karen, and she barely made it into the cold, corrupt 1980s where their sound was old-hat to the public. VHS tapes are a thing of the past, and they can wear out and become old and not look as sharp any more visually. If VHS' are not handled with love and care and respect they can easily have a short lived life. They can jam and their film gets torn out; they get put into something by force and they have the possibility of being ruined while trapped inside. You watch one of these tapes at home and its in the home where It's almost a metaphor for humanity in a bizarre way, and has obvious parallels in Karen's story.
The inescapably fuzzy, distorted Superstar is not only saying goodbye to an era of film viewing (DVD and blu ray and digital film now taking over), but to a real, vibrant culture and innocence that has dwindled from the world since. The world has taken vibrancy and innocence from those times (60s and 70s) and reduced it to a "relic" of the past, something to wistfully look back on, even as so many of the time allowed it to be taken over and corrupted.
It's interesting to see the visual change from Offering to Made in America, as well as the titles themselves. The first we have the two dressed in clothes of the time, their full of youth, energy and spark. They stand higher than the camera looking down slightly, with Karen holding sunflowers out in front of her. A symbol of the era used almost as a shield against what's to come, not only to her but to millions of others (particularly in the later 70s). It may not be a great picture, but it's authentic to those times.
Then you have Made In America, the last album in her lifetime. I actually love a good deal of the album, it's not as great as the early stuff but still holds up. The cover is now an airbrushed drawing, the humanity is gone from the image. Their smiling faces, a contrast to their mournful looks on "Offering", disguisng and distorting the truth; figuratively and literally (Karen didn't look like this in 1981). The two wear what almost looks like white robes of some kind, as if their in a cult or something. Both were made in America, and their product, this album, is as well. The same America that changed drastically in the early 80s and introduced new horrors and fear into the world.
It's almost less of an album title then a melancholic statement. They sprouted from and became assimilated into the American public that once loved and embraced the change they represented, like seeds become beautiful, bright flowers. By 1981 they were both spit out by and trapped inside that American popular opinion (their longevity and unwavering love from Japan and the like contrasts this). The lovely yellow sunflowers that Karen holds on "Offering" have since wilted and the color faded away. Their life is now over.
The sunflowers are fully bloomed on the cover, the seeds have already been planted, but they've been unnaturally ripped from the earth. Karen told friends that she ever never wanted to be "planted" or buried when she died.
Much like the innocent flowers, Karen is now torn from the Earth, gone, but not buried in rest. She rests above ground as she desired in peace, much like how the sunflower simply wanted the same. Karen is even dressed in the same colors as the flower in the picture, they are nearly one and the same. Karen offers herself to us and waits to plucked from Earth; they are almost eternally bound together as she existentially foreshadows the loss of her own life.
This movie topic always seem to strike a nerve with me yet I can't really speak much of it as I've not seen it and don't care to either. My problem with all this quote above is that unless you knew Karen personally (which I'm guessing you didn't) your basically speaking on her behalf and all this symbolism is a little strange for me. Also relating her anorexia to the deteriorating of a VHS tape I feel is just in bad taste. I think these terms show disrespect to her legacy and to who she was as a person. Karen had a real illness that should not be taken lightly, it was worse than any of us could have ever known and took her life.
I have to commend you, Charlie, for excellent writing and analysis! I have not seen the Todd Haynes film and am thus unable to provide my own viewpoint. And I won't jump into this argument. Others here are also giving heartfelt thoughts and analyses on this sensitive topic, and I am appreciative of everyone's views.Thank you, Newville fan! It's one of those things that just tragically goes along with the art after the fact. Life imitating art imitating life. The desire of Richard and A&M, and possibly Mattel trying to suppress Haynes's progressive, non conservative view of the world by trying to banish the film from being seen and heard, mirrors Karen's own life in ways. Even in death Karen doesn't have much control, regarding this film. I had read something once about how the VHS tapes reflect Karen's illness, so i cant take full credit, but on my own I thought about how it speaks on both personal and social levels.
It says something about a persons individuality and an (American) culture that has been sucked dry ever since. It suggests that whatever innocence was left throughout the 70s died right along with Karen, and she barely made it into the cold, corrupt 1980s where their sound was old-hat to the public. VHS tapes are a thing of the past, and they can wear out and become old and not look as sharp any more visually. If VHS' are not handled with love and care and respect they can easily have a short lived life. They can jam and their film gets torn out; they get put into something by force and they have the possibility of being ruined while trapped inside. You watch one of these tapes at home and its in the home where It's almost a metaphor for humanity in a bizarre way, and has obvious parallels in Karen's story.
The inescapably fuzzy, distorted Superstar is not only saying goodbye to an era of film viewing (DVD and blu ray and digital film now taking over), but to a real, vibrant culture and innocence that has dwindled from the world since. The world has taken vibrancy and innocence from those times (60s and 70s) and reduced it to a "relic" of the past, something to wistfully look back on, even as so many of the time allowed it to be taken over and corrupted.
It's interesting to see the visual change from Offering to Made in America, as well as the titles themselves. The first we have the two dressed in clothes of the time, their full of youth, energy and spark. They stand higher than the camera looking down slightly, with Karen holding sunflowers out in front of her. A symbol of the era used almost as a shield against what's to come, not only to her but to millions of others (particularly in the later 70s). It may not be a great picture, but it's authentic to those times.
Then you have Made In America, the last album in her lifetime. I actually love a good deal of the album, it's not as great as the early stuff but still holds up. The cover is now an airbrushed drawing, the humanity is gone from the image. Their smiling faces, a contrast to their mournful looks on "Offering", disguisng and distorting the truth; figuratively and literally (Karen didn't look like this in 1981). The two wear what almost looks like white robes of some kind, as if their in a cult or something. Both were made in America, and their product, this album, is as well. The same America that changed drastically in the early 80s and introduced new horrors and fear into the world.
It's almost less of an album title then a melancholic statement. They sprouted from and became assimilated into the American public that once loved and embraced the change they represented, like seeds become beautiful, bright flowers. By 1981 they were both spit out by and trapped inside that American popular opinion (their longevity and unwavering love from Japan and the like contrasts this). The lovely yellow sunflowers that Karen holds on "Offering" have since wilted and the color faded away. Their life is now over.
The sunflowers are fully bloomed on the cover, the seeds have already been planted, but they've been unnaturally ripped from the earth. Karen told friends that she ever never wanted to be "planted" or buried when she died.
Much like the innocent flowers, Karen is now torn from the Earth, gone, but not buried in rest. She rests above ground as she desired in peace, much like how the sunflower simply wanted the same. Karen is even dressed in the same colors as the flower in the picture, they are nearly one and the same. Karen offers herself to us and waits to plucked from Earth; they are almost eternally bound together as she existentially foreshadows the loss of her own life.
I have to commend you, Charlie, for excellent writing and analysis! I have not seen the Todd Haynes film and am thus unable to provide my own viewpoint. And I won't jump into this argument. Others here are also giving heartfelt thoughts and analyses on this sensitive topic, and I am appreciative of everyone's views.
I'm actually really surprised that there are so many of you who haven't seen the film yet, as it's been available online for years. Curiosity got the better of me nearly 20 years ago, and it didn't kill this cat!
The film may seem weird at first, what with using Barbie dolls as "actors", but I do believe that Haynes was genuinely sympathetic to Karen's story. I think that every serious fan owes it to themselves to at least watch it once, if only to be able to have an "informed" opinion.