Concert movie reminds audiences how talented Jackson really was
Posted by The Skyliner on November 11th, 2009Jordan Ecarma
Staff Writer
“The man is here.” Four simple words summed up Michael Jackson’s presence on a rehearsal set and were said by director Kenny Ortega in the concert film This is It. While Jackson was preparing for his “farewell” tour, a few lucky cameras caught the incredible last moments in the spotlight for the King of Pop.
Given the fact that the footage from This is It was never meant to be viewed, the results are surprisingly coherent. While he danced his way through classics like “Smooth Criminal,” “Billie Jean,” and an exciting stage performance of “Thriller,” Jackson looked exuberant and happier than he had been in a long time. This concert movie shows how much value as a performer Jackson had, even after years away from the limelight.
Audiences viewing the film will be reminded how lucky the world was to have him for the time that it did. They will also wonder what the finished product would have like, if the raw footage is this fascinating. Judging from it, the This is It “farewell” tour would have been an unbelievable experience. Jackson at rehearsal level was amazing; the man himself at full potential on stage would have been a revelation.
This is It shows the care that Michael Jackson put into his shows. MJ knew his lifetime’s worth of hit records, number ones, and innovative dance moves like he knew his own name. One scene showed Jackson working over the song “The Way You Make Me Feel,” having the musicians play the musical introduction over and over till it sounded just right. He felt that it was vital that the song sound “the way the audience expects to hear it, the way I wrote it.” Jackson’s dedication to his work could be seen throughout this film.
This is It is not only a record of the possibilities wrapped up in this tour that ended so tragically in June. It is also not merely a concert movie, entertaining as it is. It is at its heart an unusually intimate portrait of one of music’s greatest and most mysterious legends. Behind the scenes moments reveal a Michael that the world has not seen in a very long time: carefree and joyous, lost in his music. Viewers can marvel at the enigma of a man completely connected to his audience yet entirely wrapped in his own world.
Jackson’s career was many things. It was iconic and unforgettable. It was also marred by controversies that will never be fully cleared. Jackson the man will always be obscured by the legend. Michael Jackson tried his hardest to keep the personal aspects of his character behind the scenes, always hoping to appear larger than life. This desire probably ensures that he would not have been happy with the release of This is It and all it reveals. But the film also offers insights into Jackson as a person that his fans will appreciate. So maybe he would not have minded.
After all the hype, what was This is It? It was an incredible, over-the-top concert experience that entertained and also showed the world the man behind a talent gone far too soon.
It was Michael.
Tags: Fall 2009, Vol. 109 - Issue 9