KAREN CARPENTER UK BBC DOCUMENTARY

[PJ]

UK BBC Documentary is due to shown soon either Late January or Early February 2003.

One Hour Doc with many rare Contributors : Mike Curb , Jerry Moss (who has become much more Carpenters Friendly-as compared to Alpert's Championing) and Frank Pooler.

Richard has not contributed any new Interviews -there are however rarely seen early BBC Carpenters Archive Interviews included.

Should be Interesting Programme with hopefully some rare Carpenters Footage / Performances

Documentary will be on BBC 2 -Unusually in the Late Afternoon and not at TV Peak Time Period

Peter...Awaiting New Doc.......

 

[jomy]

for those of us in the u.k. the documentary is on BBC2 on Monday 27th January at 3.30 in the afternoon for 1 hour it is part of a series called Living Famously which is I think about famous people who have all died. I hope this is not all we can expect from the u.k. channels to remember Karen this year when you think of all the fuss we had on Elvis's anniversary again!

Jo - awaiting the powers that be in u.k. t.v. to show some descent Carpenter's shows and awaiting the record company to release some old t.v. specials all the way through and not just clips on a show!!!!!

 

[Harry]

Too bad I won't get to see this one. Not only is the show about Karen Carpenter, but one of the interviewees is Caroline Corr, drummer for my current favorite group, The Corrs.

Hopefully the BBC will see fit to release it on a video compatible with the US system.

Harry
...stuck in NTSC, online...

 

[thestitch]

I'm with you on this one, Harry. I'd LOVE to see this!!

Marilyn
online in the weird friiiigiiiiid state of NJ! Brrrr!!!!

 

[davidgra]

Harry wrote:

"Hopefully the BBC will see fit to release it on a video compatible with the US system."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Sorry, I haven't had a laugh that good in a long time! Good one, Harry.

Seriously, I'd even settle for a PAL, region 2 DVD. But I'm certainly not holding my breath here!

David
ever the cynic when it comes to Carpenters releases

 

[Harry]

The only reason I even suggested that the BBC might release something compatible with the US system is that it has happened in the past -- and I have a tape to prove it.

Back in the late 70s, the BBC produced a made-for-TV production called Count Dracula. It starred Louis Jourdan in the title role -- seemingly an odd choice, but he was rather effective in the role. In the US, PBS picked up the show and ran it as part of its Great Performances series. For a few years, around Halloween, it was a regular on PBS. Then it all but disappeared, except for a showing in the late '80s, I believe. Effectively buried in the vaults, the program never made it to home video until just this past year -- and it was the BBC who provided it. Knowing that US audiences were interested as well, the BBC released it on NTSC VHS, and a region-free PAL DVD. They deemed it too expensive to produce a region 1 NTSC DVD, since they were unsure of the market. As a fan of the Count Dracula production, and one whose ancient VHS from TV was all but unwatchable, I was rather pleased to find this. The website for these limited productions (through a division called BBC Special Interests) is http://www.bbcworldwide.com/vet/specialinterests

So, given the popularity of Ms. Carpenter, and particularly since she originated from the States, my guess is that if the BBC smells a way of making a few bucks here, they might eventually release the program here. I'd keep an eye out on PBS though, as a possible source for broadcast in the US, particularly during pledge-drives. That Close To You: Remembering The Carpenters brought in quite a lot of money to PBS a few years ago, and they'd likely want to try to benefit from any new programs out there.

Harry
...who always hopes for the best and expects the worst, thus never disappointed, online...

 

[Murray]

Those VHS tapes sure aren't cheap Harry... Count Dracula is £25 + £11 shipping = £36. That's $90 Canadian Once customs duty and taxes are added at the border, it would easily top $100!!! Louis Jourdan did a pretty good job as Dracula, but I don't think his acting is worth quite THAT much!!

I sure hope that some kind forum member in the UK will make a VCD of the upcoming documentary, and make it available to us poor deprived souls on this side of the pond!

Murray
... who would love to see the program, and especially Caroline Corr's interview...

 

[PJ]

Hi All,

Looking forward to Karen Carpenter Doc , one of this weeks planned Docs on Keith Moon was postponed and replaced by interesting Doc on Dusty Springfield which included a good number of Music Performances plus interesting overview of her career, life and problems that clouded later years.
No mention of Richard Carpenter's "Something In Your Eyes" , no doubt Dusty's reported personal snub at A&M Credits still rankles with ex-managers & associates

I have written to BBC re : possible Videos -it would be feasible to release several BBC Music Specials (Full -Length) and add Docs as extras or other Carpenters Special Guest Appearances from the 1970's

As this Doc is on smaller viewed BBC2 , hopefully the entire series can be repeated on BBC1 later in 2003.

Another Carpenters Event that would be fitting in 2003 woud be Carpenters at National Film Theatre on the Large Screen with the recent 2002 ITV Doc plus BBC KC with several Music Specials / Extras, this would be great to arrange following on from the successful 1997 NFT Event.Similar Events at New York's Film Museum and other key Cultural Centre's in USA with BBC Docs and perhaps USA TV Specials ? -depends on copyright and clearance issues

I will be recording this Doc as will several friends on Video , dependant on quality , I am sure some copies could be offered as trades / swaps with USA / Canada / Worldwide Fans which avoids any sales and counters illegal selling ?

Peter....Looking Forward to KC Doc....and One Day's Leave !.......

 

[Harry]

Those VHS tapes sure aren't cheap Harry... Count Dracula is £25 + £11 shipping = £36. That's $90 Canadian Once customs duty and taxes are added at the border, it would easily top $100!!! Louis Jourdan did a pretty good job as Dracula, but I don't think his acting is worth quite THAT much!!

Now that I think about it, I remember going to the BBC site to READ about what was released, but actually bought the tape on eBay from an American seller. The price and shipping wasn't that bad, IIRC.

I'm curious if my DVD player will play a PAL DVD. I have several PAL VCDs, and they typically play in one player and not the other. I wonder if it would be the same with a DVD. If so, I'd like to find one of these on a Region 0 DVD.

Harry
...wondering about PAL, online...

 

[Harry]

No mention of Richard Carpenter's "Something In Your Eyes" , no doubt Dusty's reported personal snub at A&M Credits still rankles with ex-managers & associates

That was quite a shocker at the time it was released. I remember the look on the Program Director's face at the radio station I worked for when he realized that Dusty Springfield was given no credit at all on the single. Today it seems unthinkable that a lead vocalist wouldn't get credit on a single (example: Santana w/Michelle Branch, currently burning up the charts), yet back in the '80s, we had Sergio Mendes with the hit "Never Gonna Let You Go". To this day, the great unwahsed masses have never heard of Joe Pizzulo, yet all know his singing on that song really well. I suppose that this is the mold that Richard was attempting to follow -- perhaps that he was an "instrumental" artist with a lead vocal as "another instrument". Poor planning. It should have been credited as Richard Carpenter w/Dusty Springfield.

Harry
...with a few of those promo singles lying around, online...

 

[PJ]

UK Something Single had Richard's Credits as Performer with a really small credit for Dusty Springfield Lead Vocals !

Shame since Richard had sought out Dusty especially for this Song and A&M caused the problems with something so minor

Great for Universal to re-issue Something in UK / Europe / Japan and Actively Promote this Release

Peter....Another Re-Issue......