Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story

Glyn Davis

October, 2008
Paper, 144 pages, xxx
ISBN: 978-1-905674-88-6
Wallflower Press
$15.00

Banned by the Carpenter estate, Todd Haynes’ experimental biopic Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (which uses Barbie dolls to narrate the tragic life of the American singer) has become a cult hit because of both its controversy and its rarity. This study details the film’s fascinating history: its production and initial reception, its journey through the courts, and its bootleg circulation among fans. It also explores Superstar’s rich, provocative, and moving content, paying close attention to the film’s aesthetics, generic form, and cultural position as a hybrid text.

Related Subjects

• Film

Series

• Cultographies

About the Author

Glyn Davis is a lecturer at the Glasgow School of Art. He is the author of Queer as Folk (2007) and the co-editor of Queer TV (2008).

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