Close to You - Remembering the Carpenters

Starring:Carpenters
Studio: Mpi Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
When Karen Carpenter died on February 4, 1983 at the age of 32, more than one generation mourned. Karen and her brother, Richard, had achieved monumental success as purveyors of soft-rock soulfulness, aided by their wholesome, wistful looks. After all, these were the hard-rocking, disco-throbbing '70s, yet with classics like "Close to You," "Rainy Days and Mondays," and "We've Only Just Begun," the pair blurred the lines of musical class. But no one knew--or at least talked about--Karen's debilitating bouts of bulimia and ongoing battle against the ravaging effects of anorexia. Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters is more a gracious memento than a documentary and presents a rather biased view, heavily influenced by Richard's opinion and commentary. Beginning with the duo's early major success, winning a Battle of the Bands at the Hollywood Bowl, it's a quick trip through the salad years including the first record deal with Herb Alpert's A&M Records. Alpert calls his initial listen to the Carpenters' demo tape "love at first hear." That appears to be true for everyone who came into contact with them, as band members, songwriters Burt Bacharach and Paul Williams, and singer Petula Clark readily testify. The hits and the TV specials are reviewed, too, but something feels missing from this glimpse, which barely scratches the surface. It's obvious to anyone watching the film that Karen, who really wanted to be known as a drummer who sang, not the other way around, was in immense pain and terribly conflicted. Yet by the final credits, we know little more about her than we did before. She remains an enigma and this peek at her life--and Richard's--feels too protective of her memory to tell the whole truth. --Paula Nechak

Close to You - Remembering the Carpenters
Average customer rating:

It carries a full load of the history and charm of Carpenters.

Karen and Richard

Remembering the Carpenters

The Story of Richard and Karen Carpenter

Highly recommend

Close to You - Remembering the Carpenters
Starring: Carpenters
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Pop | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Rock & Roll | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video
Carpenters | Artists | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video
Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
Documentary | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Used DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
Similar Items:

The Carpenters - Gold: Greatest Hits

Carpenters - Interpretations

Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music

Now & Then

Horizon

ASIN: 6304861702
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Amazon.com

When Karen Carpenter died on February 4, 1983 at the age of 32, more than one generation mourned. Karen and her brother, Richard, had achieved monumental success as purveyors of soft-rock soulfulness, aided by their wholesome, wistful looks. After all, these were the hard-rocking, disco-throbbing '70s, yet with classics like "Close to You," "Rainy Days and Mondays," and "We've Only Just Begun," the pair blurred the lines of musical class. But no one knew--or at least talked about--Karen's debilitating bouts of bulimia and ongoing battle against the ravaging effects of anorexia. Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters is more a gracious memento than a documentary and presents a rather biased view, heavily influenced by Richard's opinion and commentary. Beginning with the duo's early major success, winning a Battle of the Bands at the Hollywood Bowl, it's a quick trip through the salad years including the first record deal with Herb Alpert's A&M Records. Alpert calls his initial listen to the Carpenters' demo tape "love at first hear." That appears to be true for everyone who came into contact with them, as band members, songwriters Burt Bacharach and Paul Williams, and singer Petula Clark readily testify. The hits and the TV specials are reviewed, too, but something feels missing from this glimpse, which barely scratches the surface. It's obvious to anyone watching the film that Karen, who really wanted to be known as a drummer who sang, not the other way around, was in immense pain and terribly conflicted. Yet by the final credits, we know little more about her than we did before. She remains an enigma and this peek at her life--and Richard's--feels too protective of her memory to tell the whole truth. --Paula Nechak

Customer Reviews:

It carries a full load of the history and charm of Carpenters. .......2007-05-12

I would like to give not 5Stars but 10Stars to this DVD. An image is beautiful and there are also many precious scenes. A sound is also excellent.
It is also interesting that the famous various persons concerned also sometimes appear. The song of Karen is beautiful and the arrangement of Richard is wonderful. There are so many hit songs of theirs that they do not count and go out.
Their special edition was telecast even in Japan last month. Much more materials are included in this DVD from it. I also got to know that Richard was playing the piano of Japanese-made YAMAHA for the first time. Although two commercials were recorded with the additional material, I thought as a Japanese that I was glad for it to be Japanese chocolate and soda pop.
It is an image in which the scene which held the concert in front of President Nixon is also precious in the White House.
Anyhow, it is altogether moving from the beginning to the last. This is likely to be set to one of the treasures of mine.

Karen and Richard.......2007-03-07

I remember their singing in the seventies but didn't pay as much attention to them then. Times change and after playing their album I realize how good they really were.

Remembering the Carpenters.......2006-01-29

I received exactly the product I expected. I looked around for a long time to find the right DVD, and now I got it. A happy man is writing theese words. Lots of good memories from a long past time, came baack to me. Good to know, that I can find products in Amazon, that usually are difficult to become.

The Story of Richard and Karen Carpenter.......2005-08-01

"Close To You - Remembering the Carpenters", is a touching DVD that recalls the career of the Carpenters and the life of Karen Carpenter. Richard Carpenter is the primary "host", although there are many others who contribute stories and information about the Carpenters, such as Petula Clark, Joe Osborne, Les Paul, Herb Alpert, Burt Bacharach, and members of the Carpenter band.

The DVD tells the entire story of Richard and Karen, from their childhoods in New Haven, Connecticut, their family move across the country to Downey, California (to further Richard's budding career as a musician), their meteoric rise to the top of the pop music charts, and finally the tragic end with Karen's death from complications from anorexia nervosa. Along the way, there are wonderful clips from many of their major hit songs, how the songs were "born", and how Richard's genius at arranging the songs made them hits. It is all very well done, a quality production in every detail, and it does an excellent, although brief job at introducing the Carpenters career. I had hoped that there would be more details of the Carpenters personal lives, but this is just barely touched upon or hinted at in the DVD. Personal details would have so enriched this DVD and helped the fans of the Carpenters understand the duo even better. The DVD states that for additional information, one is directed to the book by Ray Coleman, "The Carpenters: The Untold Story : An Authorized Biography". I highly recommend this book to any fan that wishes more information about the Carpenters, as it provides additional details about their lives.

To anyone who views this DVD, please do not turn off the TV after the post-production credits run! There is an encore after the credits that you will not want to miss! I missed it the first time I watched the DVD, as I was partially overcome with grief at the scenes of Karen's funeral.

For Carpenter fans, this DVD will be a cherished item in our collections. I would like to give it 10 stars if I could.

Jim "Konedog" Koenig

Highly recommend.......2005-01-03

First I will say that I am only 24 so I obviously did not grow up hearing the Carpenters on the radio. That is why this DVD was helpful for me. I was very curious to learn about the Carpenters and try to get a glimpse of what their lives were like. I really appreciated the fact that Richard had a lot to do with this and personally talked throughout the whole DVD. I absolutely love the Carpenters music and watching this made me love them even more. It is filled with Richard's comments, video "snippets," stories from people that were involved in their lives, radio jingles, commericials and even has their White House concert. An absolute must for your Carpenters collection.

Average customer rating:

Close to You Remembering the Carpenters
Starring: Carpenters
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Indictment - The McMartin Trial

See How They Grow - Jungle Animals : Video

Fast Times at Ridgemont High/Dazed and Confused [2 Discs] (R

DVD: Santa Vol 2

Sabotage