INXS: Never Tear Us Apart has been a hit with the Australian public, but is it true to life? Michael Hutchence’s sister is angry with the way her family is depicted, speaking out in radio interviews and describing the tele-movie as a ‘complete fabrication’.
Tina Hutchence has been vocal in her disapproval of the film, accusing the writers of ‘trashing’ her family and describing the tele-movie as ‘a soap opera’
“Michael is the only Australian so far who has become a bona fide rock star on the international stage as far as I know,’ said Tina in an interview with Nova 100. ‘And I really think they really owed it to the Australian public, who let’s face it, supported them on the pub circuit on the way up, to give a true account of the INXS rise and fall… I mean they certainly owe it to Michael and his family and friends to do better than that soap opera.”
1.77 million viewers tuned in for the second part of the tele-movie, which aired on Sunday night. The second segment of the INXS TV Show Channel 7 depicted Hutchence’s struggle with personal demons, and as being tormented by aspects of his childhood. After a head injury, caused by assault, Hutchence is depicted as emotionally unstable as prone to aggressive outbursts.
Whilst Michael Hutchence’s final moments were not dramatised in the tele-movie, Hutchence was shown as making destructive life choices, and having a crumbling relationship with his bandmates.
INXS band members, and manager Chris Murphy, collaborated in the making of the tele-movie and have spoken in its praise. Tina Hutchence has said that the show made Michael Hutchence’s bandmates ‘look good’ and that ‘I’m really going to get into heat over that one.’
Tina Hutchence says that she is both sad and disappointed by the writers’ choices. ‘They were going to go soap opera on us, they could’ve shared some of the petty jealousies they displayed in real life. Now that would have been real good television, you know? But so far what I’ve seen is, you know, them trashing Michael’s families… but, you know, people that are no longer here to protect their name, they’ve done some injustices too… I’m very disappointed.’
Image Credit: au.tv.yahoo.com