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Post by BunnyWhit on May 24, 2023 23:39:21 GMT
Tina (2021, HBO Documentary Films)
Emmy-nominated
Roger Ebert's 4-star review here
I saw Tina last year, but I thought I'd mention it here now, this the day of her passing.
The film uses interviews with Tina Turner, Ike Turner, Tina's son, Tina's husband Erwin Bach, and others to chronicle the journey Anna Mae Bullock endured to become Tina Turner. Hers was a life of abject poverty, neglect, outright abuse, violence, and hard work. HARD work. If you come away from the film with no other opinion, you surely will see that Tina was always resilient, creative, and willing to reach within herself to move forward.
The film does a nice job of crediting Ike Turner for his song writing skill, and it gives him due credit for giving Tina the opportunity she needed to get started. It does also explore Ike's abusive nature, and some of the interviews with him are shocking, as they give an insight into his inability to admit his wrong. The interviews with Tina's mother, Zelma Bullock, are also quite eye-opening. Clearly, both Ike and Bullock viewed Tina as a commodity.
The film uses a lot of footage from Ike & Tina televised appearances. The film provides these at length rather than merely in short clips, which does an excellent job of demonstrating the power and exuberance with which Tina performed. It is this drive that allowed Tina to build a solo career for herself after splitting from Ike. She had nothing, she worked tirelessly, and she turned herself into a superstar.
One thing this film explores that I've not seen elsewhere is Tina's distaste for constantly being asked about Ike. In interview after interview, she was asked about Ike and the abuse, and Tina makes the point that for the press to constantly do this never allowed her to heal. Though Tina became something of a poster woman for abused women everywhere, it was never her intent to be so. I am glad she had the opportunity to address this in the film, as I believe she should have the respect and recognition for being a talent rather than for being abused.
Tina is currently streaming on Max. Even if you are only a casual fan, it is well worth seeing, but Tina Turner fans will love it. Highly recommended.
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Post by I Love Melvin on May 25, 2023 23:08:58 GMT
One thing this film explores that I've not seen elsewhere is Tina's distaste for constantly being asked about Ike. In interview after interview, she was asked about Ike and the abuse, and Tina makes the point that for the press to constantly do this never allowed her to heal. Though Tina became something of a poster woman for abused women everywhere, it was never her intent to be so. I am glad she had the opportunity to address this in the film, as I believe she should have the respect and recognition for being a talent rather than for being abused.
Yes, and some interviewers persisted even after she explained her distaste for the subject. She also seems to have been asked to recount the events of the day she finally left over and over again, which I'm assuming was equally distasteful. She was smart enough not to make an enemy of the press but it must have taken a lot of restraint at times. The film also goes into the centrality of meditation and spirituality in her later years, which helped her shake off some of that early trauma. A remarkably self-made woman, considering how far she had to come from the early abuse and isolation. |
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Post by BunnyWhit on May 26, 2023 23:05:41 GMT
One thing this film explores that I've not seen elsewhere is Tina's distaste for constantly being asked about Ike. In interview after interview, she was asked about Ike and the abuse, and Tina makes the point that for the press to constantly do this never allowed her to heal. Though Tina became something of a poster woman for abused women everywhere, it was never her intent to be so. I am glad she had the opportunity to address this in the film, as I believe she should have the respect and recognition for being a talent rather than for being abused.
Yes, and some interviewers persisted even after she explained her distaste for the subject. She also seems to have been asked to recount the events of the day she finally left over and over again, which I'm assuming was equally distasteful. She was smart enough not to make an enemy of the press but it must have taken a lot of restraint at times. The film also goes into the centrality of meditation and spirituality in her later years, which helped her shake off some of that early trauma. A remarkably self-made woman, considering how far she had to come from the early abuse and isolation. |
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Post by Guest on May 27, 2023 2:56:02 GMT
Sounds interesting. I always wondered when Tina left Ike with little with her but her name, why no one in the music business never reached out to help her. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to be the way I've heard it told.
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Post by I Love Melvin on May 27, 2023 13:15:01 GMT
Sounds interesting. I always wondered when Tina left Ike with little with her but her name, why no one in the music business never reached out to help her. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to be the way I've heard it told. I believe that was all decided in court. To expedite the whole mess, all she asked for was her name and her freedom. She built up everything which followed from scratch. There were some big debts due to the cancellation of Ike and Tina shows and she took on her share of the debt like a trouper and basically worked like a dog for not a lot of money to pay it off. I remember that at the time Private Dancer hit big in 1983...and it basically did so instantly thanks to MTV...Tina still had some shows contracted at really small venues like hotel ballrooms, which many would have blown off, but Tina with her strong sense of right and wrong played those gigs at dinky halls while she was already becoming one of the hottest acts in the business. As for people reaching out, it's probably true that most people probably thought of her as a nostalgia act at first, but she was able to work on high-profile television shows like The Sonny & Cher Show and Donnie and Marie, where her talent was recognized. That helped keep her name alive and probably accounted for Bob Mackie designing a whole new wardrobe for her. Rod Stewart invited her to duet on his hit Hot Legs on Saturday Night Live, which was the audience she'd be able to tap into a few years later, and The Rolling Stones asked her to open for them in 1981. She wasn't without allies and believers, but it was still a rough time for her. |
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Post by Guest on May 27, 2023 19:52:03 GMT
Sounds interesting. I always wondered when Tina left Ike with little with her but her name, why no one in the music business never reached out to help her. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to be the way I've heard it told. I believe that was all decided in court. To expedite the whole mess, all she asked for was her name and her freedom. She built up everything which followed from scratch. There were some big debts due to the cancellation of Ike and Tina shows and she took on her share of the debt like a trouper and basically worked like a dog for not a lot of money to pay it off. I remember that at the time Private Dancer hit big in 1983...and it basically did so instantly thanks to MTV...Tina still had some shows contracted at really small venues like hotel ballrooms, which many would have blown off, but Tina with her strong sense of right and wrong played those gigs at dinky halls while she was already becoming one of the hottest acts in the business. As for people reaching out, it's probably true that most people probably thought of her as a nostalgia act at first, but she was able to work on high-profile television shows like The Sonny & Cher Show and Donnie and Marie, where her talent was recognized. That helped keep her name alive and probably accounted for Bob Mackie designing a whole new wardrobe for her. Rod Stewart invited her to duet on his hit Hot Legs on Saturday Night Live, which was the audience she'd be able to tap into a few years later, and The Rolling Stones asked her to open for them in 1981. She wasn't without allies and believers, but it was still a rough time for her. Thanks, I Love Melvin. I saw the Rod Stewart/Tina Turner clip posted on the other thread. I had never seen that pairing before somehow but they certainly worked well together. I love that he invited her to join him on on SNL. I guess I never thought of her as a nostalgia act. Many big names from the 1960's kept going but you may be right. Plus she was now a solo act. I read that she had to work as a cleaning woman just to make ends meet after the divorce, which is nutz. She certainly worked her way back and found her audience in the 1980's. Her songs were everywhere. I wonder how many people knew behind the scenes about the abuse at the time. Was it just their inner circle or like Cosby, it was something that many people heard rumors about. I can see people not wanting to get involved especially with a married couple. OK, I think I need to watch this documentary! |
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Post by BunnyWhit on Jun 1, 2023 4:14:58 GMT
I believe that was all decided in court. To expedite the whole mess, all she asked for was her name and her freedom. She built up everything which followed from scratch. There were some big debts due to the cancellation of Ike and Tina shows and she took on her share of the debt like a trouper and basically worked like a dog for not a lot of money to pay it off. I remember that at the time Private Dancer hit big in 1983...and it basically did so instantly thanks to MTV...Tina still had some shows contracted at really small venues like hotel ballrooms, which many would have blown off, but Tina with her strong sense of right and wrong played those gigs at dinky halls while she was already becoming one of the hottest acts in the business. As for people reaching out, it's probably true that most people probably thought of her as a nostalgia act at first, but she was able to work on high-profile television shows like The Sonny & Cher Show and Donnie and Marie, where her talent was recognized. That helped keep her name alive and probably accounted for Bob Mackie designing a whole new wardrobe for her. Rod Stewart invited her to duet on his hit Hot Legs on Saturday Night Live, which was the audience she'd be able to tap into a few years later, and The Rolling Stones asked her to open for them in 1981. She wasn't without allies and believers, but it was still a rough time for her. Thanks, I Love Melvin. I saw the Rod Stewart/Tina Turner clip posted on the other thread. I had never seen that pairing before somehow but they certainly worked well together. I love that he invited her to join him on on SNL. I guess I never thought of her as a nostalgia act. Many big names from the 1960's kept going but you may be right. Plus she was now a solo act. I read that she had to work as a cleaning woman just to make ends meet after the divorce, which is nutz. She certainly worked her way back and found her audience in the 1980's. Her songs were everywhere. I wonder how many people knew behind the scenes about the abuse at the time. Was it just their inner circle or like Cosby, it was something that many people heard rumors about. I can see people not wanting to get involved especially with a married couple. OK, I think I need to watch this documentary!
I think another thing to consider regarding Tina's relative obscurity in the music business upon splitting with Ike is the fact that Ike was so big. He had been in the business for such a long time already as a writer, performer, session performer, agent, and scout. As a talent scout, Ike had a major hand in establishing the foundations of careers for blues greats Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Blue Bland, B.B. King, Otis Rush, and others. Ike was also a busy and respected session guitarist. And let's not forget that Ike wrote "Rocket 88" with Jackie Brenston. Though the recording was credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, it was actually performed by Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. (Ike was bitter about not having received this credit.)
Although Tina fronted for the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, make no mistake -- it was Ike's act. He recognized Tina's talent and used it to grow the popularity of his group, not to grow a career for her. So when she left the group, she left behind any notoriety she might have had, and it was back to ground zero.
Because we know her as a superstar, it's hard for us to look back and see that Tina had to build her solo career on her own. Working as a cleaning lady was not beneath her though, as she had kids to care for. She did what many single mothers do -- she did her best at everything she could. She was a good woman. |
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Post by Guest on Jun 1, 2023 13:21:48 GMT
Thanks, I Love Melvin. I saw the Rod Stewart/Tina Turner clip posted on the other thread. I had never seen that pairing before somehow but they certainly worked well together. I love that he invited her to join him on on SNL. I guess I never thought of her as a nostalgia act. Many big names from the 1960's kept going but you may be right. Plus she was now a solo act. I read that she had to work as a cleaning woman just to make ends meet after the divorce, which is nutz. She certainly worked her way back and found her audience in the 1980's. Her songs were everywhere. I wonder how many people knew behind the scenes about the abuse at the time. Was it just their inner circle or like Cosby, it was something that many people heard rumors about. I can see people not wanting to get involved especially with a married couple. OK, I think I need to watch this documentary!
I think another thing to consider regarding Tina's relative obscurity in the music business upon splitting with Ike is the fact that Ike was so big. He had been in the business for such a long time already as a writer, performer, session performer, agent, and scout. As a talent scout, Ike had a major hand in establishing the foundations of careers for blues greats Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Blue Bland, B.B. King, Otis Rush, and others. Ike was also a busy and respected session guitarist. And let's not forget that Ike wrote "Rocket 88" with Jackie Brenston. Though the recording was credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, it was actually performed by Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. (Ike was bitter about not having received this credit.)
Although Tina fronted for the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, make no mistake -- it was Ike's act. He recognized Tina's talent and used it to grow the popularity of his group, not to grow a career for her. So when she left the group, she left behind any notoriety she might have had, and it was back to ground zero.
Because we know her as a superstar, it's hard for us to look back and see that Tina had to build her solo career on her own. Working as a cleaning lady was not beneath her though, as she had kids to care for. She did what many single mothers do -- she did her best at everything she could. She was a good woman.Thank you, BunnyWhit. Good points about Ike's legacy and influence at the time. If I remember correctly from What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), the attention Tina received as part of their act contributed to or exacerbated his abusive behavior. I agree that Tina was a good woman. No shame in taking a job to keep food on the table for your kids but it's such a departure from the heights of her singing career. It just makes her renaissance as a solo artist that much more remarkable. She worked hard to get her career back. I look forward to watching the documentary. |
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