(Courtesy of Michaeljackson.com and AEG Live)
This week, Sony Pictures released video rehearsals from the late Michael Jackson’s would-be comeback tour, compiled by “High School Musical” director Kenny Ortega into the concert film “This Is It.”
But after months of hype, should the King of Pop’s fans head out to watch the film? The answer is a definite yes. The two-hour and one minute “This Is It” showed the King of Pop at his finest and will leave viewers wishing he wasn’t “Gone Too Soon.”
The songs:
When Jackson made his prolific announcement of a series of “final curtain calls” in London earlier this year, he promised he would perform the songs his fans wanted to hear. Sure enough, he kept his word.
Throughout “This Is It,” viewers see Jackson performing his famous songs from “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” to “Man in the Mirror,” live with a new crew of phenomenal entertainers handpicked by the King of Pop himself.
Some of the film’s best moments come from the use of a green screen, which transports the viewers to different settings. These locales include the Chicago gangster days in “Smooth Criminal” and a creepy graveyard filled with zombies, mummies and a giant mobile spider in “Thriller.”
However, one setback of the film is that because is Jackson singing live, he occasionally repeats a couple of verses in different songs. For example, he sang the first part of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” twice. Despite that setback, it is well worth it to hear Jackson sing and dance his standards one last time.
The supporting players:
One of the benefits of “This Is It” is the ability to see Michael Jackson interact with everyone on the stage. Whether it’s with tour director Kenny Ortega or the costume designer, the movie shows how each person played an important role in the making of the tour.
While the King of Pop was the main star of the show, there were several standouts in his supporting cast. Lead guitarist Orianthi Panagaris will blow viewers away with her fantastic solos on “They Don’t Really Care About Us,” “Beat It” and “Black or White.” When Jackson says to her that it was time for her to shine and asks her to play her highest note, she does just that and tears up the fret board.
Another very important group that stood out was the dancers. The footage makes it clear they worked tirelessly to earn the right to dance next to their idol. One of the best dance numbers takes place in “They Don’t Care About Us,” where 11 of them dance in military garb and all of a sudden there are eleven hundred of them imitating Jackson’s moves on the green screen.
Overall Impression:
“This Is It” demonstrates that Jackson could have pulled off his London comeback concerts with a little help from his supportive players. Like Maya Angelou said in her poem at his memorial service, “We had him.” But Jackson’s musical legacy lives on, not only this movie, but in the hearts and minds of millions of fans around the world.
For more information about “This Is It,” visit the film’s Web site here.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jacob Elyachar at Elyachar@Colorado.edu.
2 comments
Those who have relationships with millions are often alone. And what is left afterwards are their stories – written in books, made into movies…… I personally think ‘This is it’ is an irony of what we see and what we precieve. Sad end though.
This film could have easily come across as a love letter to a fallen legend. It would have also been taken as a slap in the face to an already tarnished legacy left behind by a dimming star. This Is It is neither. This is a film that cuts deep, and leaves a memorable scar of hope. Jackson may have been an odd seed, but at least he wasn’t a sheep (black, OR white). He had heart, faith, and an understanding of what brilliance sounded (and looked) like. What we see here are both moments of defying confidence, and others of coyly depicted shy self-doubt.