[ad_1]
This original version of this article was created in August 2021. It has been updated and republished in light of the death of Tina Turner in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland on May 23.
Tina (M, 118mins) Directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin ****
The woman born Anna Mae Bullock’s life has certainly been an eventful one, as this rollercoaster ride of a documentary reveals.
Over the course of two compelling hours, TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay offers viewers the chance to revisit how the initially charismatic and groundbreaking Ike Turner (who performed on what is believed to be the first rock-and-roll hit in 1951, Rocket 88, even though it is officially credited to saxophonist Jackie Brentson and his Delta Cats) made her a star (under the moniker of Tina Turner) and then trapped her in abusive relationship.
Left bankrupt, but not broken by the experience, Tina then made an incredible comeback in the mid-1980s, becoming the most popular singer on the planet in her mid-40s, dominating the charts and selling out stadiums around the world.
READ MORE:
* Hearts of Darkness and other great documentaries capturing film-making disasters
* Eight great Minnie Driver movies (and where you can watch them)
* Eight great Val Kilmer performances (and where you can watch them)
* Eight great Christian Slater performances (and where you can watch them)
* NRL on verge of making Tina Turner the face of rugby league again
* Tina Turner reveals husband gave her a kidney for transplant
Via a mix of fascinating archival footage and candid contemporary interviews with close friends, you’ll learn everything from, how she appeared on virtually every variety show in the mid-1970s just to pay the bills, to how interviewers would never let her escape the spectre of Ike, even after his death.
Like Framing Britney Spears, the media here are shown in a poor light, bullying their subject and, in Tina’s case, constantly forcing her to relive her nightmare.
Supplied
Left bankrupt after the end of her marriage to Ike Turner, Tina Turner then made an incredible comeback in the mid-1980s, becoming the most popular singer on the planet, dominating the charts and selling out stadiums around the world.
As well as its intimacy, what makes Tina captivating, is not only the images of her whipping up the crowd with her energetic performances (she was the woman who taught the moves to [Mick] Jagger) and larger-than-life hair, it’s how it paints its portrait in many shades.
While Ike certainly doesn’t come out of this well, there’s a focus on their “initially beautiful” big brother/little sister relationship. It was Ike who came up with her stage name, inspired by Sheena: Queen of the Jungle. It was one she would eventually have to go to court to retain, after just barely surviving their tempestuous marriage
Likewise, Tina places just as much emphasis on her struggles as her successes. How her first collaboration with Phil Spector – River Deep, Mountain High – only found success outside of the US and that her initial foray into rock was also given a cool reception in America.
Supplied
HBO’s highest-rating documentary since the first part of Leaving Neverland, Tina is an engrossing look at a music icon and thoroughly worth seeking out.
The story of how her best-selling single, 1984’s What’s Love Got to Do With It?, came to be, is a highlight. It was a song Tina never really liked, a demo most people hated, a tune originally destined for British pop quartet Bucks Fizz. But, with the help of MTV, she turned it into a monster hit, kick-starting a glorious run which resulted in millions of album sales and a jaw-dropping (for the time at least) 230 shows in 18 months.
While some may be disappointed that there’s little in the way of her classic music videos, or newly conducted interviews with the now 81-year-old “Queen of Rock’n’Roll” (her more recent life-threatening illnesses are also sidestepped), this lovingly assembled Emmy-nominated documentary features more than enough never-seen or heard before audio recordings and B-roll footage to shock, open eyes and ultimately satisfy (a soulful cover of The Beatles’ Help is truly haunting).
Supplied
Tina features plenty of footage of the energetic performer in full flight.
The “commentators” are also well-chosen, everyone from actor Angela Bassett (whose turn as Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It? was a career-making one) to Tina’s good friend Oprah, long-term manager Roger Davies and second-husband Erwin Bach.
Tina is an engrossing look at a music icon and thoroughly worth seeking out.
Tina is now available to rent on iTunes and GooglePlay.
[ad_2]