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  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Full Frame
  • Dual Layer (RSDL 1:10:40)
  Languages
  • English: DTS 5.1 Surround
  • English: Dolby Digital Stereo
  • English: Dolby Digital 4.1 Surround
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
  • Behind the scenes footage
  • Booklet

Tina Turner - One Last Time in Concert

Warner Vision/Warner Vision . R4 . COLOR . 120 mins . G . PAL

  Feature
Contract

One of the rock industry’s great survivors, Tina Turner is perhaps its most dynamic and universally respected female artist, wielding an inimitable charismatic and sensual persona, coupled with a powerful, soulful voice that is the musical equivalent of an atomic bomb. From her scorching performances as the lead singer and focal point of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1957, to plunging into the depths of commercial obscurity in the mid-1970s, Tina had managed to resurrect herself, phoenix-like, in the 1980s with a string of smash singles, the 1985 Grammy award-winning album Private Dancer, and a host of small but prominent film appearances.

In the process, Tina has carved for herself a niche in the mainstream music market, ensuring that her status as a high-profile artist continues into the twenty-first century. Her rise from humble origins to superstardom is well documented and immortalised in her self-penned autobiographical 1973 classic "Nutbush City Limits."

Born Anna Mae Bullock near Brownsville, Tennessee, her musical career began as a choir singer in her father’s Baptist church. However, it was her chance meeting with the bandleader cum musician Ike Turner at the Club Manhatten, an East St. Louis nightspot, in 1955, that allowed her to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. Within two short years, Tina - supposedly named by Ike after his infatuation with the 1950s B-grade film character, Sheena of the Jungle - was the lead attraction in Ike’s soul revue, The Kings of Rhythm. (Incidentally, it should be noted that Ike’s contribution to popular music cannot be denied; he is credited with releasing one of the first definitive rock and roll records: “Rockit 88” in 1951.)

Scoring their first hit single in 1960 with “Fool in Love,” which represented Tina’s first vinyl debut as the principle vocalist of the group, the Ike & Tina Turner Revue enjoyed a series of smash hits between 1960 and 1963: “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine” and “I Idolise You” in 1961, and “Poor Fool” and “Tra La La La La” the following year. Ironically, the Revue’s songs, with their recurrent themes of love triumphing over domestic adversity, reflected the turmoil of Ike and Tina’s turbulent professional and personal relationship. The lowest point in their partnership occurred when esteemed songwriter and producer Phil Spector collaborated with Tina on his 1966 magnum opus “River Deep, Mountain High”; although acknowledged on both the single and subsequent album release, Ike did not participate in its recording.

With the advent of the 1970s, the fortunes of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue began to wane as they produced several lucklustre albums which failed to achieve commercial success but, almost paradoxically, they released some of their biggest hits in this troubled period: the soul-injected cover of “Proud Mary,” the intriguing rendition of the Beatles’ “Come Together,” and one of the seventies’ seminal disco greats, “Nutbush City Limits.” Drained emotionally and creatively by Ike’s increasing irrational behaviour, Tina left her husband and the Revue in 1975.

Tina secured a role in the Ken Russell screen adaptation of The Who’s rock opera Tommy as the maniacally depraved prostitute and drug-pusher, the Acid Queen; her outrageous and over-the-top theatrical performance in the 1975 film remains its singular most effective highlight. Despite recording several albums for United Artists during the late 1970s, which included the woeful Let Me Touch Your Mind and the bizarre country-orientated Turns the Country On, it seemed that her career was destined for oblivion. However, Tina rose to prominence in 1983 after her collaboration with Heaven 17’s B.E.F. production wing on the track “Ball of Confusion,” lifted from the album Music of Quality and Distinction; impressed with her vocal performance, Capitol Records granted her a recording contract within that same year.

Her first single for Capitol, a seductive cover of Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together soared into the U.K. Top Five charts and received the Silver Disc Award in England. In conjunction with EMI, their sister organisation in Britain, Capitol advanced Tina $150,000 for what was to be her comeback album; Private Dancer was recorded within two weeks in the spring of 1984 and produced a number of chart-topping hits: “What’s Love Got to Do with It” became one of the year’s biggest single releases, spending three weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts, catapulting Private Dancer into multi-platinum status. The album spawned two more international Top Ten singles, the title track and “Better Be Good to Me.”

In 1985, Tina secured the supporting role of Aunt Entity in the third instalment of George Miller’s post-apocalyptic Road Warrior trilogy, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, and contributed to the film’s soundtrack with two songs, “One of the Living” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero.” The latter proved to be yet another worldwide hit.

Although she continues to chart occasionally with monster smashes such as 1986’s “Typical Male” and 1991’s “The Best” and respectable-selling albums including Break Every Rule (1986), Foreign Affair (1989) and Wildest Dreams (1996), Tina’s success has never quite reached the same delirious heights as her triumphant return with Private Dancer, which is now considered by many respected music critics to be a modern classic. However, it would be unfair to suggest that her career is in decline; indeed, it would seem that she has never been in a more comfortable position than now.

Directed by the talented David Mallet (responsible for all of Tina’s concert presentations, including Nice ‘N’ Rough, Private Dancer Live, and the awesome Wildest Dreams: Live In Amsterdam) and filmed at the Wembley Stadium, London during her much-touted 2000 Twenty-Four Seven Tour, Tina Turner: One Last Time In Concert features a sterling performance from an inspirational artist embarking on what is to be her last world tour. Utilsing a sophisticated array of cameras, covering every aspect of the concert stage, Mallet succeeds, as he always does, in capturing the boisterous, kinetic fury of Tina’s performance. More than just the perennial rock chick and musical icon, Tina is the embodiment of entertainment, an inspirational role model for women and the seat of deep-rooted admiration for men. Little wonder, then, that her fan base is so dedicated.

Track Listing:

  1. I Want To Take You Higher
  2. Absolutely Nothing’s Changed
  3. Fool In Love
  4. Acid Queen
  5. River Deep, Mountain High
  6. We Don’t Need Another Hero
  7. Better Be Good To Me
  8. Private Dancer
  9. Let’s Stay Together
  10. What’s Love Got To Do With It
  11. When The Heartache Is Over
  12. Baby, I’m A Star (Stacey Campbell & Lisa Fisher)
  13. Help
  14. Whatever You Need
  15. Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay
  16. Try A Little Tenderness (Duet with John Miles)
  17. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
  18. Addicted To Love
  19. Simply The Best
  20. Proud Mary
  21. Nutbush City Limits
  22. Twenty Four Seven

  Video
Contract

Tina Turner: One Last Time In Concert is presented in a screen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is anamorphic.

The presentation is a problematic one, illustrating the technical difficulties, nee nightmares, associated with transferring a live concert to the digital format. Compounding its near fatal flaws is the fact that Mallet uses no less than eighteen cameras to capture Tina’s energetic performance, ensuring that there are rapid directorial cuts in order to maintain its pace and vitality; this often results in mild pixelation, and is most noticeable with the advent of night, starting from “Sittin’ On The Dock of The Bay.” While this reviewer concedes that the compression artists have attempted to do their best with a vexatious task, the transfer cannot compare to the splendid Live In Amsterdam.

Black levels are quite low and seem to be almost opaque in places, but this can be attributed to the intense stage lighting, which is perhaps the transfer’s singular most disruptive aspect. In addition to obscuring shadow detail, the lighting often succeeds in suppressing detail, with the worst instances occurring during Tina’s scorching renditions of “Simply The Best” and “Addicted To Love”, where both the artist and her band are indistinct for several moments, due to the blindingly white-hot pulsating flares which blanket them. However, when the lighting permits, details are sharp, and provide excellent definition.

As expected, aliasing is evident throughout the presentation, affecting the standard objects: microphone stands, keyboards, guitar strings, and portions of the stage’s architecture. But the worst offender is the arena itself, Wembley Stadium; there is a horrible amount of aliasing which can be witnessed in the overhead camera shots of the venue, proving to be most prevalent during "I Want To Take You Higher" and "Nothing Ever Changes." Merciful in its brevity, it is, nonetheless, obvious and distracting; fortunately, the aliasing becomes more passive as the concert progresses.

There are, as mentioned beforehand, compression artefacts in the form of mild to moderate pixelation; although noticeable, it is not too distracting, and its impact will certainly be minimised on a standard size screen. Minor oversaturation and colour-bleeding betrays itself throughout the concert, most notably during Tina’s achingly-wonderful execution of Private Dancer. Due to the overwhelming abundance of vibrant saturation exhibited in the stage’s prismatic lighting, this is, to a certain extent, unavoidable with a live presentation. Moiré is also quite prominent on the large video screens that form a backdrop to the stage; while it is noticeable, it proved not to be intrusive.

The layer transition is situated at 1:10:40, after “Whatever You Need,” near the end of Chapter 14. Although it creates a disruption to the crowd’s noise, the change is logically placed.

  Audio
Contract

There are three audio selections available, as opposed to the two actually stated on the DVD cover slick: the English Dolby Digital 4.1, the English DTS 5.1 and the Dolby Digital 2.0 sound tracks. This disc is compatible with all world regions, and it is this reason that perhaps accounts for the discrepancies associated with this title; as far as it can be ascertained, the Region 1 version contains a Dolby Digital 4.1, a DTS 4.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 track, while there seems to be indications that an edition is available in Region 4 which includes both a Dolby Digital 5.0 and a DTS 5.0 mix. However, it must be stressed that the latter statement is a tentative assumption, based on limited information.

The Dolby Digital 4.1 demands that the centre speaker remains inactive, with the remaining channels providing a multi-directional soundfield; the emphasis is focused on the front soundstage, while the rear surrounds supply general reinforcement when needed. The subwoofer is particularly aggressive and exhibits deep resonating bass modulation; whether it be the dynamic intro of “I Want To Take You Higher,” the rapturous “Baby, I’m A Star,” or the gospel-tinged “Whatever You Need,” the pulsating bass-line beautifully compliments the songs. Despite the lack of the centre channel, both instrumentation and vocals are clear and audible, if slightly underwhelming.

Comparison between the Dolby Digital and DTS sound formats is always a contentious issue, with advocates on both sides proclaiming their pros and cons. Normally, to my perception at least, there is often very little to distinguish between the two in regards to sound quality and fidelity; but the triumphant victor in this case is the DTS 5.1 selection. Whether it has anything to do with the supposedly superior DTS format or the inclusion of the additional centre speaker, it must be said that this audio track delivers, for approximately two hours, an intense aural assault which will not so much pin the viewer helplessly into their chair, but batter them into submission.

As with the 4.1 mix, the DTS 5.1 seems gravitated towards the front soundstage, however, the support from the rear surrounds is far more profound and makes for a truly encompassing concert experience. Again, this is a debatable comment, but the LFE appeared to be enhanced, exhibiting reverberation which can only be described as being of seismic intensity. The pyrotechnic explosions signaling the end of “We Don’t Need Another Hero” and heralding the start of a smouldering version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” demonstrate just how deep it really is, literary sending thunder through the floorboards.

  Extras
Contract

Exclusive backstage interview and behind the scenes footage. Presented in a non-anamorphic screen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and running for 17 minutes and 50 seconds, this featurette is nothing more than an eclectic collection of avid fans relating their admiration for their idol, obligatory shots of technicians involved in sound checks, and Tina’s preparations for the concert event. Nothing is revealed about the lady that is not already known; the 30 minute interview with Tina on the Live In Amsterdam disc is far more comprehensive.

To regard it as an extra is somewhat dubious, but a four page booklet, containing minuscule information about the DVD’s track listing, a reiteration of the cover slick’s promotion blurbs and a brief catalogue of her tour history, is included. As an additional feature, it is of little interest.

  Overall  
Contract

Tina displays more vitality and artistic integrity than the majority of today’s wannabe divas. Yet, she is more than just another gusty and emotive voice who can make even the most pedestrian song transcend its formulaic limitations. Tina is the consummate performer whose musical legacy extends beyond all racial and generational barriers and, it seems, time. Her reinterpretations of The Beatles’ “Help,” Robert Palmer’s “Addicted To Love,” and Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” sit respectably alongside the originals, while her standards “We Don’t Need Another Hero” and “Simply The Best” have attained anthemic status and deserve to recognised as modern classics.

When compared to the magnificent Wildest Dreams: Live In Amsterdam, the transfer for One Last Time In Concert appears decidedly lucklustre, suffering from a multitude of problems which cannot be attributed to the transfer itself, but rather to the source material. However, it can be argued that Tina herself is the focal point here and that the inherent flaws in the presentation are rendered more tolerable because of it; but this is a statement which is subject to heated contention. Nonetheless, for devotees of Tina Turner, this is an exceptional performance by one of the hardest-working artists in the music industry, enhanced to no end by a devastating DTS sound mix.


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      And I quote...
    "A dynamic concert from a performer whose unbridled energy alone could fuel a small nation, complemented with a devastating DTS sound mix... "
    - Shaun Bennett
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Panasonic SC-HT80
    • TV:
          Panasonic TX-43P15 109cm Rear Projection
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard Optical
    • Video Cables:
          standard s-video
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