The Karen Carpenter Story

1989 "She'd only just begun... and suddenly it was over."
6.9| 1h32m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 01 January 1989 Released
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Story of the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Karen Carpenter, who became a famous singer before battling anorexia and bulimia. This made-for-TV movie is the authorized version of the life of Karen Carpenter and was made with the approval of Richard Carpenter and the Carpenter family.

Genre

Drama, Music, TV Movie

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Director

Joseph Sargent, Richard Carpenter

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The Karen Carpenter Story Audience Reviews

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!
Mjeteconer Just perfect...
Console best movie i've ever seen.
wbiro I never saw the movie before - the bland TV acting, direction, and production aside, I found the movie well-researched, in that it captured most of the key career moments in their music and performances. I wasn't interested in all the details of their personal lives, and I see critics complained about skimping there, I was more interested in the psychological aspects - the faulty mindsets people had back then, and the issues they faced as a result - self-image being among them, and at the core of the main issue here - anorexia.Matching an extraordinarily beautiful face with an extraordinarily beautiful voice was intriguing, as it gave new insight into the voice - how extraordinary it really was.
haridam0 There have been a lot of opinions expressed as to the crux of Karen's problems. Certainly the eating disorder was a result and not a cause of the talented singer's anxiety.The "controlling mother," need for romantic love, and career stresses all undoubtedly played a part. However, my feeling is that the act of moving Karen from her drums to the center stage mike was the real trigger.The young musician felt comfortable and natural behind the drums. It was where she really belonged, despite professional dictates. A drummer's always a drummer at heart, sitting behind those traps and wielding those sticks. Her singing emanated from and was intertwined with the drumming, and not an isolated entity.The move to center stage and abandoning her trap set was the beginning of Karen's downfall. The move robbed her of her base, grounding and natural habitat. It threw off her balance, and began her downward spiral to a rash of personal problems.Seems like a small thing, yet my feeling is that had Karen remained behind those drums singing her songs, she might still be with us today.The TV movie includes lots of great Carpenter hits, and includes the contribution of her protégé brother, Richard, who currently (in 2006) is alive and doing well in California.
matt_tawesson-1 I first saw this movie back in 1994 or '95 during my freshman year in high school when it was on Lifetime. After I first saw it, I thought it was wonderful. Sure, it may not have run longer, but it is as accurate as can be in my own opinion (regardless of what anyone else may think). Cynthia Gibb was great at portraying Karen, and Mitchell Anderson was okay as Richard. Louise Fletcher (Yes, who played Nurse Ratched in 1975's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") was fine as well, but I found her version of Agnes (Karen and Richard's mother) to be a little bit of a control freak. I am an EXTREMELY HUGE fan of the Carpenters, and I believe that Karen's voice was and still is so wonderful. It really saddens me about the fact that she is gone and had left this earth too soon, but thanks to the never ending popularity of her music and her angelic voice, the music will live on. Anyway, back on track to this movie, it really is a mystery to me and possibly other people (fans and non-fans of the Carpenters) as to what caused Karen to end up getting this problem with her health. Was it the media that was responsible or was it just Karen's decision? I would not believe that it was her decision. It could have been the media from one article that was printed out about her somewhere in '70, when their hit "Close to You" came out (from what was shown in the film). There are some other moments in the movie as well. Richard's struggle with drugs, and Karen's brief marriage. I did not hear about her loss in February of 1983, as I was not yet into watching the news; I had found out years later. I don't know if there will be another movie about the Carpenters or Karen made in the future, but until then, this movie will do fine. I will say this though: If Karen had disregarded the false details of that article or any future articles that might have been published with similar content calling her "chubby" (which must have been quite an insult), she would still be here on this earth today. I know that she is in Heaven and probably entertaining everyone with her beautiful voice. God bless you, Karen!!
MarieGabrielle I am very diplomatic in my reviews, and as an academic writer, try to give creative license to TV writers trying to explicate a true story. This story, about Karen Carpenter, could have helped so many, yet due to the directing and editing, does not.The story, in this case, is not fully addressed, unless one reads psychological journals. While Cynthia Gibb portrays a realistic Karen, it is sad that so much has been edited...Louise Fletcher portrays her mother, and does an excellent job, with limited material and dialogue. In this case, I give the actors credit for surviving this project.Why is the audience not permitted to see causation factors?....American audiences are quite savvy, and if they have cable, usually educated.I sincerely feel that I could have written a better story, would not have edited out the truth, and allowed the actors to project the reality.Richard Carpenter, as director, has seriously underestimated and insulted American audiences. Karen's story is important, and it is sad we will never hear it.