Tina Turner – Video 45 (1984) Video 45 featuring Tina Turner.

Theme Song: Four glorious music videos; see below.

Interesting Dated References: Tina Turner’s success. An attempt at creating a new music format (the video 45), which was ill-advised for a few reasons covered in the Social Context section.

Best Line: None.

Social Context: Why people were trying to come up with new music formats is a question that has one simple answer: Money. And so we get the ill-fated and ill-advised “Video 45.”

Why was it so terrible? A few reasons, the first being kids were already getting videos for free from MTV. Yes, there was a cable bill, but that didn’t really factor in.

The second reason is only bands on Sony’s music label roster had releases in this format and the results were just another example of how Sony screwed up the entire Betamax line.

I must have 20 of these Video 45’s and a lot of them are for weird unpopular bands (Blotto!?) that clearly were being force-marketed to people so Sony could try to recoup some expenses.

Summary: This Video 45 starts out with “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” Not the terrible movie that needed to be named after a hit song in order to interest people to see it, but the actual video for the song.

Now, I know you saw this video when you were growing up, but somehow I think you forgot about:

This guy. That guy has some type of mohawk-mullet hybrid going on and he and his friends swarm around Tina as she walks the streets of New York. It is also very clear Tina is uncomfortable in the high heels she is wearing.

Then she walks the streets some more, forcing pastel-laden couples to make up with each other. Then the video ends. Back in the day this was the point you would get really excited thinking Weird Al’s Eat It video would come on.

The next video on the tape is for “Better Be Good To Me,” which is just some fake concert footage and neon lights. Then a white version of Ike Turner shows up on stage and pushes Tina around.

She gives him the what-for and then everyone mugs at the camera a bunch. Next up is “Let’s Stay Together,” which is a cover. This video features a ton of close-ups and ridiculously stupid 1980s set design.

The last selection is “Private Dancer.” So Tina walks around a bunch of different rooms and a bunch of guys who look like 1980’s David Bowie try to woo her. Then there’s a sax solo.

Poster and Box Art: Nothing of note.

Availability: Amazon has one for $64.00!