Misael Castillo Lopez
Active Member
I think we all realize the sequence of events in the late 80s that really forced Richard to be involved with this project. The cognitive dissonance for him, with Karen's death still so recent, must have been immense. The film was made in order to marginalize Todd Haynes' Superstar and to prevent a more invidious version of the story from appearing in a major network context. As with any project, once Richard is committed he gives it his all--but there were so many impediments at that time to telling the story that the end result just couldn't help leaving him dissatisfied and without any additional closure for all of his hard work.
The problem is that there really is no closure for such a devastating public and personal tragedy--even a full accounting of the psychological dynamics involved in it all can't provide any real means for a remedy. We all suffer from this as well, but from a great remove compared to Richard: the pain we feel at Karen's loss, while both palpable and heartfelt, is negligible compared to his. That's why I will always give Richard infinite kudos for making the effort with THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY: IMO he made the best he could from a miserable, no-win situation.
I think exactly the same as you, I believe that in such tragic bibliographical situations, your friends or close friends have another perspective that is even more realistic than the protagonists' own, who are blinded in their mental problems .... Pd. Some time ago I recorded the movie of the TV in Latin Spanish, and in the dubbing of the voice of cintia gibb it is quite good in comparison with the Original voice.