Music triumphs in 'Michael Jackson's This Is It'
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A poster of the movie "Michael Jackson's This Is It" |
It was really hard to say goodbye to the King of Pop. But now he is back, singing and dancing, not on stage but on the silver screen in the concert movie "Michael Jackson's This Is It" which opened around the world on October 28, 2009. Nobody expected this kind of comeback, least of all his fans.
On June 25, just 17 days before his first London concert date, Michael Jackson died suddenly, shocking the world. People speculated that AEG Live, the entertainment company that had signed a multimillion dollar contract with Jackson would suffer enormous losses. But a decision was quickly made to make a movie based on rehearsal footage. "High School Musical" director Kenny Ortega, who had worked with Michael Jackson for months as concert director, would direct.
In August, after a fierce bidding competition, Sony Pictures bought the film rights from AEG Live for US$60 million. Two months later, the movie, carrying the same title as Jackson's planned London concerts, was released globally.
As Michael Jackson promised at a London press conference in March, he performs the songs the fans really want to hear. He has reworked and rejuvenated his classic hits, such as "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Jam", "Smooth Criminal", "Beat It" and "Thriller", among many others, incorporating new dance moves and startlingly original videos. The performances are not a simple rehash. He had clearly deployed all his talents to give his fans a visually dazzling, inspiring and grandiose treat.
For his gangster-themed classic "Smooth Criminal", Michael Jackson created a grand, nostalgic performance against the backdrop of old Chicago, where organized crime used to flourish. Using modern technology, Jackson appears in a black and white video with Rita Hayworth, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. When Jackson and the other dancers' silhouettes loomed large against Chicago's skyscrapers, the effect was phenomenal and drew a cheer from the cinema audience.
Another reworked classic is "Thriller". Michael Jackson has great fun in this number - with zombies, ghost brides, tomb diggers and ragged pirates roaming a cemetery. The gloomy and chilling scenes are reminiscent of the Gothic style of a Tim Burton movie. In fact, Jackson had wanted to shoot the video in 3D. If that had been realized, just imagine what a bone-chilling experience it would have been with fiendish creatures apparently mingling with the audience. Nevertheless, the end of the number when Jackson steps out of the video as a giant spider, is mind-blowing.
For "Earth Song", Jackson creates a more genuinely touching video than the original. It starts with breathtakingly beautiful landscapes and a little girl is playing in a forest. Later a giant bulldozer arrives, felling trees and driving out animals. The little girl's life is in great danger. Jackson is urging people to take action to protect Mother Earth. His message is that everyone must act now - otherwise we will eventually destroy ourselves.
The movie shows Michael Jackson directing every aspect of concert production in London. He clearly knows what he wants and pushes people to realize it. But he is considerate with his band and dancers. He never orders people around and always gives instructions in a polite, modest manner.
Michael Jackson was born a genius and remains a genius. From the movie, you can see that 50-year-old Jackson still has a great singing voice: crisp, fresh, as emotional and touching as before. His dances are no less energetic. He is still able to eclipse the other young dancers. And he truly loves and enjoys every moment on stage.
If the movie has a flaw it is its editing. It is, in some ways, little more than a series of music videos pieced together, a musical mosaic, lacking pace and drama. The shortcomings of the editing mean the movie may be less than engaging for those who are not die-hard Jackson fans.
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