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The Daily Mail (November 19, 2023)
Was their mother’s undisguised favoritism for the son she called a musical genius the reason Karen Carpenter succumbed to the anorexia that claimed her life?
More than four decades on, a new book and documentary are re-evaluating the life and legacy of one of the world’s best-known singers, who became the first celebrity casualty of an eating disorder and whose death put a face on anorexia, triggering widespread attention and research, for which many young people can be grateful today.
Dallas Observer (April 28, 2023)
The Dallas Film Festival Presents Music for the Film-Loving Masses
Called one of the most beautiful voices of recent times (with a 3-octave range) and still praised for her incredible talent, Karen Carpenter rose to fame alongside her brother in The Carpenters. Many folks remember the made-for-TV stories and specials following her death from heart failure due to anorexia nervosa (a mystery to most at the time).
D Magazine (April 26, 2023)
DIFF Preview: Two North Texans Hope Their Documentary Keeps Karen Carpenter’s Voice Alive
Schmidt has since become one of the foremost authorities on the late singer, authoring an acclaimed 2010 biography and helping to spearhead the new documentary Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection, which chronicles her life and career. The film will screen twice this weekend as part of the annual Dallas International Film Festival, which starts on Friday primarily at the new Violet Crown Dallas theater in the West Village.
The Verde Valley Independent (February 22, 2023)
Local drummer Frankie Chavez in Sedona International Film Festival documentary on Karen Carpenter
The new original AMS Pictures documentary Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection celebrates the life and music of the 1970s pop princess and will be at this year’s Sedona International Film Festival. The screening of the film will take place at the Sedona Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. Sedona resident and drummer Frankie Chavez was interviewed and included in this documentary.
Steven Libwitz, The Montecito Journal (February 15, 2023)
Getting SBIFF-y: Only the Beginning for New Carpenter Doc
There’s no little irony in the fact that Randy Schmidt only developed his interest in the 1970s pop hitmakers the Carpenters from watching the 1989 TV movie, The Karen Carpenter Story, given that he’s the driving force behind the new documentary Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection, that aims to set the record straight.
Taste TV (February 14, 2023)
Best Film Winners and Additional Honorees Announced for The California Music Video Awards- Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection WINS Best Feature Music Film or Documentary
The CALIFORNIA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS Committee is pleased to announce the Winners and Honorees in final category groups for this 6th annual awards season for music videos, films, documentaries, and podcasts.The Film and Documentary award winners were announced on February 13th at an intimate awards dinner in San Francisco.
Julia MacCary, Marc Malkin, Variety (February 9, 2023)
‘Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection’ Trailer: New Doc Explores Pop Icon’s Eating Disorder Struggles
AMS Pictures has released the trailer for its new documentary, “Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection,” which celebrates the pop singer’s life and music as well as details her untimely death after struggling with anorexia nervosa.
Suzy Byrne, Yahoo!Entertainment (February 4, 2023)
Karen Carpenter had a ‘quest for perfection’ in her music that ‘carried over in her life,’ says biographer
Karen Carpenter, half of the Grammy-winning ’70s duo the Carpenters and wholly one of the greatest vocalists of all time, died 40 years ago at age 32.
The lead vocalist and superstar drummer — alongside her brother, Richard, who played piano and sang backup vocals — had 12 Top 10 hits in a span of five years. The “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You” singers won three Grammys, including Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Duo and Best New Artist of the Year. They had their own TV variety show, Make Your Own Kind of Music, drawing A-list guest stars.
Dallas, TX (January 18, 2023) – AMS Pictures today announced a new original documentary Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection, celebrating the life and music of the 1970s pop princess.
She was the first in a long line of celebrities to suffer from an eating disorder during an era when the vastly misunderstood phenomenon brought shame and public humiliation. For the first time, filmgoers will hear Karen Carpenter’s personal struggle in her own voice through never-before-released recordings and through the legendary voices of those who knew her (Carol Burnett, Olivia Newton-John, and Suzanne Somers) and were inspired by her music (Belinda Carlisle, Kristin Chenoweth, and Carnie Wilson).