30 Oct, 2009

Rollcall: Michael Jackson
Running time: 112 mins

Curiosity made me scramble, along with millions of others worldwide, to see This Is It on it’s opening day.  The film is compiled from hundreds of hours of professional and amateur footage of rehearsals for Michael Jackson’s hugely anticipated ‘final curtain call’- what would have been 50 sold out concerts in London.

After years of controversy, living in seclusion and rumours of health problems, many wondered if the ‘King of Pop’ could pull it off.  It was with wonder, delight and a sense of loss, we discovered that This Is It would have been a spectacular performance, and Michael Jackson was as good as ever was.

Most of the footage is of Michael onstage, performing all his hits.  Recordings over several weeks of rehearsals overlap, piecing together choreography as it developed.  The most rewarding parts however, are when the music stops and Michael interacts with his crew. 

There are many funny moments, usually when the mild-mannered star chastises his musicians- before adding ‘I say it with love though, L.O.V.E.’ We also see the famous child-like quality in his delight with a ride in his cherry picker and giggling at a crewmember’s joke.

One thing is made clear- despite spending a decade away from the stage, Michael knew everything there was to know about music, and putting on an incredible show.  A perfectionist, he knew every beat and melody from his songs and his direction to the musicians showed it. The brilliance is in the detail, and there was a dance move, gesture, and stage direction for every beat.

While thin, MJ could hardly be called frail- he looks to be in excellent health, and has no problem keeping up with (and outshining) his back up dancers. In fact, just when you are admiring how incredible his voice or dancing is, he will mention that he wasn’t pushing himself, that it will be much better in the real thing. If that was MJ just warming up, we really did miss out on something spectacular.

Criticism of the film seems to come from audience members who expected a video version of the final concert. However I think the most intriguing parts of the film were watching the genius behind the production. At times it’s a bit of a patchwork quilt, but that is because director Kenny Ortega was not too egotistical to dismiss amateur recordings if they could give a true insight into the man behind the performer.

Why it’s worth your time:

All the hit songs are there, and it gives a feel for how amazing This It It would have been, while giving you unprecedented insight into Michael’s genius.

By Andrea Magrath