The Skinny on Karen

I never saw Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story because it never really came out. Right after Todd Haynes graduated from Brown, he got a camera, bought a Barbie and Ken doll to go along with his Carpenters' records and made the creepiest and most impactful films about anorexia nervosa ever. He didn't get permission from the Carpenters (Karen's brother, Richard, filed an injunction so his movie could never be released publicly) or the toymaker Mattel (they like to sue people almost as much as Disney). He just fucking did it. The film rightfully entered cult status and thanks to the use of the Internet (Thanks again, Tim Berners-Lee!), you can watch it on YouTube or download a decent copy off a torrent out there somewhere.

So what about Mr. Haynes? What ever happened to him? Well, he didn't move back in with his parents or pack it in. He has continued to make films about dirty little secrets and not so dirty secrets the rest of the world has trouble handling. What films of his do you watch? Go get a pile of hash and see them all, but you didn't hear that foolish advice from me. Your shrink would be very angry about that.