So, on Friday I went to see This Is It!, the Michael Jackson (MJ) movie. It was a dear friend's birthday, and the birthday girl calls the shots, and wanted to go see the movie.
I was not exactly thrilled about going to see the movie, but I wasn't completely turned off. Why not? My early days of MJ fandom were pleasant ones, and like most everyone on this planet, most of his music videos blew me away.
I have to say, I was intrigued by MJ throughout the movie. I got to see him engaged in his process of putting together not only a show, but a well crafted presentation of the MJ.
The movie starts off with his background dancers tearing up about having the opportunity to perform with him on tour. Living legends have this affect on the people around them. Yes, there was a sense of idol worship, but hey, it's MJ.
MJ was actually very sweet and appreciative of all the dancers, musicians, and singers in the production. He would often praise what they do and ask god to bless them.
He encouraged the fellow performers to take their moment in their show to shine. He told one guitarist, that her guitar solo is her moment and that he would be there for her.
Also evident, was MJ having moments when his stamina both physically and vocally were faltering him. It's not easy to age as a pop-star.
However, he was very hands on, and kept going. While one may think MJ just shows up to a show and does his thing, a lot of preparation and thought go into creating the end result.
It was also sad to see moments where it was evident MJ was being maintained through the use of the quackery of multiple medications. At times he talked with a clench jaw, and would seem a bit disconnected.
I'm sure the MJ aura kept many near to him from saying anything. The onlookers probably just said he was having an off day.
When the movie comes out on DVD I would recommend you rent it. You will get a glimpse into the final days of a human being that created his own art that entertained millions.
There are some funny moments, and it was interesting to see MJ act up a bit. Oh, and you will get a sense of his awareness of how he knew how to deliver the MJ experience to the people.
6 comments:
As a non fan of MJ, I most say I loved the movie. I got to see is creative process and it was fascinating. The way he went about creating a track, was amazing. He reminded me of BJOrk, in so many respects. Artists like him are capable of venture into these other spaces and he was gifted on that way. I loved the part that he was singing a duet with the beautiful singer and they started singing to one another it was magical. I have to reconsider some of my views about MJ. You can tell that he was a very complex character. I for one thought of him as a sell out.
I'll be giving Mike a pass with this one. I will say that watching the commercial that played on You Tube reminded me that under all of his "issues" Mike was a hell of an artist and no one comes near him. I guess the one thing he knew he had control of was the stage so he was a perfectionist about what happened on it.
I'm still thinking about seeing this
Miss Kitty I love the Michael they presented to me. I got to see the magic behind his persona. I loved what I saw. I got to see him for what he was an artist. a freaking artist. Capable of venturing into very complex spaces.
I have been a fan of his since my teen years and I appreciated his music, even after all the scandals in his life. I was never very fond of the persona, rather I fell in love with his raw talent and his creative genius. His videos still impress me to this day. I will probably see this when it comes out on DVD. Thanks for the recommendation Allan.
Thanks for the review! I gotta see this! I'm sure it'll be around a while!
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