Tina Turner is a woman beyond comparison. A musical icon of multiple eras, Turner has a story that you might know, but do you really know it? Do you know it in only the way a person can know it if they have lived through it? Is her story one of tragedy, or is it more so perseverance? Many have their own opinion on the matter, but there is only one person from which we need to hear. The new HBO documentary TINA co-directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin aims to give Turner herself the final word on her life, and in doing so it will hopefully make the world view her as the singular force she has always been. The mythology of Tina Turner has always been one inextricably linked to forces beyond the heart and soul she instills in every hip shake and every guttural explosion of her voice. Told over five chapters, this essential documentary delves into the sordid details that feed the tabloids while providing new insights and a greater appreciation for what an unparalleled performer she truly is.
The film begins with a commanding performance from late-80s Turner as she dazzles a stadium of fans with a high-energy rendition of “Ask Me How I Feel.” You are given context for her greatness before heading back to the beginning and tracing a mostly-linear narrative to the present. We see and hear about the unassuming 17-year-old Annie Mae Bullock who finds herself going from a curious fan of Ike Turner and his band to the star attraction of his show. The psychological dynamics are established early on as the brutish Ike used his distrust to manipulate and control a young girl who did not have the confidence or knowledge to know any better. As you gaze upon this early footage of Ike and Tina on stage with one another, you can see the power she had on stage which is perhaps why it came as a shock to so many later on when the revelations of abuse came about. As we learn more about the woman who Ike would rename “Tina”, we understand on a deeper level why she was such a prime candidate to be in a victim position.
The filmmakers utilize some incredible archival footage of performances, home movies and photographs, most of which is given new context from a modern-day Tina. She now lives in Zurich with her husband, former record company executive Erwin Bach, and along with tape recordings of the interviews she did with Kurt Loder, who co-wrote her best-selling memoir I, Tina, she pieces together the essential elements of her life. You get the vicious details of her time with Ike, but despite the looming nature of this abuse over her life she cannot be reduced to this. As Turner points out, her hit 1984 studio album Private Dancer was not a comeback, it was a debut. The meteoric and hard-earned rise of the real Tina Turner is lovingly detailed by all of those who were around to experience it. From the Vegas residency to her turn in the Mad Max franchise to fulfilling her dream of playing stadiums, the rich career of Turner gives equal spotlight to her artistry as well as her determination. Becoming a global superstar later in life as she did is not a common occurrence, and you can feel through this film how much it meant to her.
Tina Turner the person is represented just as well as the superstar. One of the more heartbreaking elements of this documentary is the way in which it details how the toxic curiosity of the media led to her declining mental health. Even years after she had separated from Ike, no one would allow her to move on from her pain despite every attempt to quell the public curiosity. While she is supportive of projects like Angela Bassett’s What’s Love Got To Do With It?, the consistent renewal of the topic of Ike is an albatross. This makes her discovery of love with her current husband all the more heartwarming. The two have a nice rapport in the glimpses we get from the present, and their love story is a charming one. The film culminates with the opening of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway from 2019, a moment where it feels like the performer is finally able to unburden the weight of the world and accept all of the love fans have for her as a musician and a person. Turner muses about her pain and whether or not it got her to where she is now. The answer is more noncommittal, but the reflection on legacy is important. This woman has given so much of herself to the world of music, and it is high time she is able to be honored by being allowed to tell her story the way it deserves to be told.
Video Quality
TINA comes to Blu-Ray featuring a lot of different material in varying degrees of quality. It can be said with certainty that the movie itself and everything within it looks as technically excellent as it can look in high definition. This can be attributed to the fact that Warner Archive has delivered a great encode and given the film plenty of room to breathe. This company has been so great in this respect, and it is always appreciated. The archival concert and home movie footage used seems to be in the best shape possible given the quality of the source material. New interview segments look incredibly sleek and clear with natural skin tones and detailed facial features. There is no evidence of compression artifacts or other digital nuisances of the sort. I do not see how this could have been improved visually. It’s a real stunner as is.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures this story perfectly. Dialogue is the driving force of the film, and it comes through crisp and clear without being clipped by any competing sounds. The filmmakers do a really great job of capturing their subjects and making sure all this information comes through with supreme clarity. Even audio from the old video tapes comes through pretty clearly given the age and the format. The other essential element of this feature is the incredible music that brings you to your feet. Every track and performance is resolved well here as music often pulsates throughout the room. The roar of the crowds at the concerts provide a nice base texture to the proceedings. Ambient sounds from some of the environmental elements are precisely placed in the rear channels. The audio track offers up a very dynamic experience and proves to be an excellent sounding presentation for this feature. There are optional English SDH subtitles included for those who desire them.
Special Features
- #LoveTina Celebrity Tributes: A three-minute featurette in which celebrities such as Adrienne Warren, Cynthia Erivo, Katori Hall, Lena Waithe and Bob The Drag Queen gush over the absolute brilliance of Tina and how she has impacted their lives. It’s a love-fest, but one that you do not mind.
- Culture Closeup: A nearly five-minute featurette in which Candace McDuffie interviews the directors of the film about what went into bringing this story to the screen. The conversation goes into the uncertainty over whether or not two men were the right people to tell this story, the barriers Turner has broken for Black women, what it feels like to interview Tina Turner and more.
Final Thoughts
TINA is an incredibly thorough and thoughtful documentary that explores the known and unknown of one the greatest musical icons of all time. Despite the participation of Turner, this film does not shy away from any tough issues she faced along her journey. The film will make you fall in love with or reaffirm your love for Turner and her music. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a couple of supplemental features. This is an essential film for any fan of the artist, but even those without a connection to her are likely to come away with a valuable new perspective on her as a performer and a person. Highly Recommended
TINA can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
