Tina Turner’s life story from her point of view: Tina documentary makers on how they see their biopic of the legendary singer
- Now 81 years old, Turner retired from performing more than a decade ago; in HBO’s Tina she opens up about overcoming her painful past and finding happiness
- Despite her current contentment, Turner is still coming to terms with the trauma of her rocky and often violent relationship with ex-husband Ike Turner
It only needs one word: “Tina”.
The new documentary about the hardscrabble life of one of music’s most vaunted superstars – Tina Turner – is a blazing dive into the seesawing success and horrors of her life with the abusive Ike Turner, her unlikely – yet spectacular – return as a middle-aged rock strutter in the ’80s and her current state of retirement in Europe with long-time love Erwin Bach.
Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin, the Oscar-winning directors behind Undefeated and LA 92, teamed up again to tell the story of Turner’s extraordinary life in the film, which is currently streaming on HBO Max.
Even fans familiar with her story – one of both disturbing soap opera and resounding triumph – from her 1986 autobiography with Kurt Loder, I, Tina, or the acclaimed 1993 film What’s Love Got To Do With It, named after her 1984 Grammy-winning single, will be riveted.
Precious early footage of Turner, her arms both graceful and feral as they tangle in the air, as well as her performance of I Can’t Stand the Rain in front of 186,000 people in Rio during her late-’80s “Break Every Rule” world tour, are moments that show the sweat and determination.