It’s always a unique experience when a familiar song pops up in an unexpected context. Recently, while watching a movie adaptation (without prior knowledge of the source material), a Carpenters Song surfaced in a way that was genuinely unsettling. The scene involved a power flicker, and as the electricity wavered, the iconic melody played at half speed, instantly morphing from comforting nostalgia into something…creepy.
This jarring yet fascinating use of a “carpenters song” was a first. It brought to mind Todd Haynes’ film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, known for its unconventional use of Carpenters’ hits, like a “demented medley” of “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Superstar,” and “Close to You.” But this movie moment was different, it was pure, distilled creepiness derived from the simple manipulation of tempo.
The film’s plot itself, while engaging, touched upon familiar psychological themes. Interestingly, the original poster pointed out its similarity to Anne Rivers Siddons’ The House Next Door, a book Stephen King admires and discusses in his non-fiction work Danse Macabre. The comparison highlights a shared thematic space, and perhaps a shared inspiration for unsettling domestic narratives. The tension built in the movie, culminating when the protagonist confronts a disturbing videotape, was genuinely effective, amplified by the strangely distorted “carpenters song.”
This experience led to reflection on Stephen King’s apparent fascination with The Carpenters. It turns out, references to “carpenters song” and Karen Carpenter appear throughout his work. In The Regulators, amidst neighborhood chaos, a character muses about the normalcy of “every family house still holds a Carpenters album.” Thinner evokes Karen Carpenter’s tragic passing when the protagonist faces his own relentless physical decline. Even in Cell, in the eerie gatherings of those affected by “the Pulse,” “Close to You” is mentioned as one of the songs they seem to collectively “tune into.”
Beyond his fiction, King’s appreciation (or perhaps fascination) extends further. Leadsister.com, a fan forum, has a dedicated thread cataloging Carpenters sightings across various media, showcasing the breadth of this cultural touchpoint. Furthermore, King penned an article for Entertainment Weekly after Anna Nicole Smith’s death, drawing a parallel between her story and Karen Carpenter’s, noting Carpenter’s immense talent compared to Smith, and her tragic fate due to anorexia. He wrote, “American fame machine’s most perfect example may be Karen Carpenter, who was much more talented than Smith, if not so pretty.”
It certainly seems Stephen King harbors a deeper appreciation for The Carpenters than one might initially assume. His references, and the unsettling movie moment, reveal a fascinating, and sometimes creepy, undercurrent to the seemingly wholesome sounds of a “carpenters song,” proving their music can evoke a wider range of emotions than often acknowledged.
