Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters (1998)

My Review

“Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters” is an interesting look at the brother & sister musical group popular in the late 1960’s through the early 1980’s. The documentary’s director, Ron Tosches, covers their move from New Haven, Connecticut, to Downey, California, in 1963; the Richard Carpenter Trio’s win of the Hollywood Bowl Battle of the Bands in 1965; the first recording of Karen Carpenter’s voice in 1966; the first big hit “Close to You” in 1970; the subsequent string of hits that went on for years throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s; television specials from 1976-1980; and Karen’s untimely death at the age of 32.

Some celebrities interviewed include Richard Carpenter, Burt Bacharach, Herb Alpert, Petula Clark, Paul Williams, and Les Paul. The 100 minute documentary also included numerous musical clips from the Carpenters’ large playbook, and film of them at the White House with President Richard Nixon. Fans of Richard & Karen Carpenter’s music should enjoy “Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters” that was first broadcast on PBS and released to DVD, all in 1998.