It’s just four short months since the untimely death of Michael Jackson but already there have been countless television programmes, news bulletins and tabloid stories, all reaping the financial benefit of speculation and revelation behind Jackson’s life, be it mental, physical or personal. But now the cinematic release of ‘never before seen’ rehearsal footage from the King of Pop’s 50-date sell-out This Is It concert – to have been performed at London’s O2 Arena - is hitting our screens.
Had Jackson been alive to complete his 8 month stint at the O2, this 100 minute documentary would surely have occupied the second of a double disc feature on the This Is It tour DVD. But overnight the material became priceless and now the footage is released under the guise of giving fans the opportunity to say one final emotional farewell to the troubled performer.
Are Sony and AEG Capitalising on Michael Jackson's Fans’ Grief in This Is It?
Regardless of how many times we’re told that this is Michael’s final gift to the fans, the financial possibilities for Sony and AEG – the entertainment company who organised the This Is It showpiece – represent an expediency that appears to overshadow any moral or emotional justification for the release of the Jackson rehearsal material.
With AEG out of pocket after returning thousands of tickets to fans, the simultaneous release of This Is It across 99 countries represents a serious opportunity to recoup. The company may only be bringing home 10% of the profits, but a film that has been marketed as giving fans the opportunity to see Jackson ‘as they’ve never seen him before’ is estimated to tip the $200m mark worldwide in just a few short weeks.
This Is It – Jackson’s Last Controversy
This Is It will attract attention from two types of cinemagoer; ardent fans of Michael Jackson desperate for a final glimpse of his ethereal genius; and those with a morbid curiosity, hoping to see the tell tale signs of the entertainer’s decreasing health. On reflection, neither will be satisfied.
There are only flashes of Jackson’s un-paralleled ability – this was only a rehearsal after all – nor does he appear the dishevelled 50 year old that was reported to have struggled with the mammoth challenge put upon his frail body.
This Is It begins on April 15th 2009 with sound bites from the lucky backing dancers selected to perform on the tour. It’s a tearful opening for many of the performers who idolized Jackson and for whom this opportunity fulfils a lifelong dream.
Punctuated by brief interviews with the music men and women behind the scenes, the documentary is up close and personal with concert maestro Kenny Ortega and Jackson and his dance troupe. We’re taken through the preparation and raw performances of Jackson’s classics, beginning with Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ and working through the signature tunes of the singer’s colourful career. It’s a typical Michael Jackson show, blatantly over the top but wildly fascinating nonetheless.
Sad Last Act of Music Superstar and Legend Michael Jackson
However, the overwhelming feeling when watching This Is It is that of sadness. Jackson was clearly a fantastic talent and the world of music is certainly a worse place for having lost him, but we aren’t given any more of an insight into Michael Jackson’s life than in previous documentaries (however good or bad).
There’s something also slightly dated about his routine too, Jackson seems an artist still living and thriving for better, happier times - his 80’s pomp maybe. The scale of the show and its components seems to overshadow Jackson’s central performances in a way that may well have been orchestrated to cover his waning voice and physicality, even if, for a man of half a century, he was still remarkably nimble and in apparent good health.
The financial implications for Jackson undertaking such a huge tour also prey heavily on the mind while watching the film. The necessity for Jackson to service his (rumoured) huge debt certainly clouded the man's motives to tour again and the enthusiasm clearly seen on the faces of he and his team only serves to leave a sorry aftertaste. What was supposed to mark triumphant return to the top of world music would end in disaster just days later.
This Is It – Final Verdict
The real winners from This Is It are choreographer Kenny Ortega, his army of dancers and, again, AEG. The planning of each dance routine in its minutiae, coupled with the visual set-pieces, clearly ensure that This Is It would have been some spectacle. But this behind-the-scenes insight only serves as a reminder to those who possessed tickets for the O2 concerts of what they very nearly had.
Surely Jacksonites would be better off remembering the phenomenal performer in his prime; the Jackson who unleashed the moonwalk upon us on Motown 25 back in 1983; the man who broke new ground with his Thriller album, or the showman who wowed audiences worldwide on his Dangerous tour, not the half-baked Jackson in rehearsals, where – due to the nature of the documentary and its intended role - heavy emphasis is placed on his dancers and production team, not the artist himself.
Some might argue that this film has been released a little too soon after Michael Jackson’s death, and they certainly wouldn’t be wrong. But then again, if This Is It was released in 10 years time would it possess the same financial benefits?
Verdict: 3/5
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