THIS IS IT (Michael Jackson)

[Johann]

I was given a free pass to This Is It, the final "film" of Michael Jackson's last concert(s). I'll be seeing it today.
(Might as well use the pass)

I am not a fan of Michael Jackson. I recognize his stature as a performer/dancer and I know what a colossal impact he's had on the world. When I was a kid I was into G.I. Joe, Batman and Rambo, not MJ, like so many of my friends were.
In 1983/84 you could not escape the Jackson-mania.
Everybody had the Thriller album, people in my neighborhood bought (and wore!) the red "zippers" jacket that Michael wore in the "Beat It" video, people had the doll of him that looked like a barbie, he was all over the place!

For some reason he just didn't turn my crank.
I've never bought a Michael Jackson album and I don't think I ever will. His music doesn't speak to me at all.
It's good, I don't cringe when I hear his songs, but I don't think I'll be buying an album any time soon.
My first girlfriend was a huge Michael Jackson fan and that was part of my reasoning for breaking up with her- all she ever played was Michael Jackson and Madonna tapes.

I don't hate him, but the whole child molestation thing is just so pervasive in my thoughts about him that I can't seem to get into his corner. Plus his sheer WIERDNESS...His face morphing every week....
I'm a little curious to see what this final footage reveals, so I'm going to see the film. I'll post later today about it.

[Johann]

What can I say about THIS IS IT?

Well, he would've probably put on a snazzy concert, given the preparations and rehearsals seen in the film. He still had a lot of energy, right to the end. I liked "Smooth Criminal"- that number would've come off pretty good. He does versions of most of his hits, and it looked like he was trying to sincerely give his fans a great show. But, in the end, I guess his music just doesn't grab me enough to tell everyone I know to go and see it.

For a "rehearsal film" (first ever?) it's put together well.
I suppose I could recommend it, I was engaged while watching it.
But Michael Jackson is not a guy that I get excited about too much.

A friend of mine on facebook is a die-hard MJ fan and she said she was shaking the whole time she watched it. (?)
The "gloved one" certainly gets SOME people all a-twitter....

[Johann]

This Is It is a film that brings closure to Michael Jackson's famous career.

I found myself looking over my notes for the film, and I think more needs to be said. (Chris likes long film reviews, so I'll indulge him ;)


First, I found myself wondering if the film vignettes that accompany some songs were conceived after the fact and I'm sure they were. "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal" obviously had prior work done for video/cinematic treatments for the stage (as backdrops to the performances?) and I loved the Rita Hayworth/GILDA aspects of "Smooth Criminal", but I found myself wondering how much Kenny Ortega "doctored" in order to mete out a film. Time will tell. Maybe a DVD commentary will shed more light.

I was very entertained by "This Is It". How so?
I'm still thinking about it. That's proof right there that Michael had some magic. As I say, I'm not a fan of Jackson. But he had a charisma and a mystique that cannot be denied. He was clearly the most talented in his family. After reviewing my notes I feel I must say that I don't feel he was a total freak, just a circumstantial one. His astronomical fame created this bubble where he could do anything he wanted, create the childhood he never had, install a "neverland" where he could be and do whatever fun/insane shit he felt like doing. Very priviledged man, by virtue of making records that sold like wildfire...

The songs in THIS IS IT are great. I can say it. Not my particular cup of tea, but great nonetheless. I found myself wondering if Michael was truly innocent, that he was just a man who wanted a better planet, filled with love. I really don't know. His life is so strange and bizarre and iconic that I truly don't have an answer.

I love films.
And This Is It satisfied me as a film record.
I like the rehearsal of "Smooth Criminal" the most, with the Rita Hayworth juxtaposition, but "Billie Jean" was amazing too, with his demonstration of his dance moves to his principal dancers to "get a feel for it" annihilating all watchers...it was really cool to see him pop and lock and bust out wild dance moves to his arguably best track.
"Thriller" seemed to be too glossed over, too "staged". Maybe it was because it was just a rehearsal, but I didn't get the vibe that it was a finished "number". It seemed like a work in progress, that Ortega just gussied it up with a "video' for the film. Maybe I'm wrong. But it just didn't have enough punch. Stick to the 14-minute video by John Landis. It's the definitive "Thriller" statement for all time.

"Black or White" had amazing guitar parts by a female guitarist who should have you wondering "Who is she?!?!"
And I don't know.
Who was she?
Whoever she is, she can shred on electric guitar.

Based on rehearsals, Michael Jackson was going to give amazing concerts for his fans. I found myself thinking about what a polished, fine-tuned show would have looked like.
It would've been quite cool, if I say so.
This is an important record of a major musical artists' final hurrah, and for what it is, This Is It is a very cool coda.

[Chris Knipp]

This is hardly over 500 words, not a "long review." An English writer gives some more detail and speculation about the issues you mention in an online review. (http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=437:film-of-michael-jackson-s-final-performances&Itemid=27) You say MJ was never your cup of tea. He was mine, at least in the disco era, when I danced to early solos and the Jackson Five late into the night. And the Motown 25th Anniversary "Billie Jen" on TV, which you can watch on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RuxoCDfbjU) as often as you want, is one of the most riveting performances I've ever seen in my life, anywhere -- and one that caused none other than Fred Astaire to call up Michael and congratulate him.. These few minutes are such perfection of gesture, movement, and timing that people will be studying them and copying them till the end of time. How anybody who likes entertainment, dancing, and music could say that's not their cup of tea is a complete mystery to me, but I may be more into dance thanou are.. You run to overhyped movie events; I run from them. But I realize that I should probably go out and see this, and it's actually showing very nearby, last I saw - in the theater where I slogged through MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS.

[Johann]

The Motown 25th is considered the best thing Michael ever did.
And it's pretty cool what he did there. No denial from me on that.

Jackson's music doesn't speak to me, it's as simple as that.
I appreciate his dancing more than the songs.
He could dance like nobody else. You must see "This is It" just for his dancing- especially the Billie Jean rehearsal- his dancers who watch him go ballistic.

I don't do long reviews. I fear being long winded or boring, saying things that maybe don't need to be said. I gotta work on that. I have very few long reviews. I run to *some* overhyped movie events only to see for myself. But I wasn't running out to see this one. I had a free pass.
Is "This Is It" overhyped?
Because it's MJ it might be. But this one actually satisfies as a film.
The hype is justified. It has a poignancy due his sudden death that gives it an incredible feel. It leaves you thinking "what if?" and "what would the final shows have been like?" but the answer is onscreen- he would've given his all. To everyone who went.
Kenny Ortega and Michael were working on a SPECTACULAR series of concerts, must-sees, actually. That much is evident in the footage in This Is It. While watching it I was thinking to myself "I'm almost turning into a fan- it can't be!"
I was so turned off of all things Michael Jackson that I couldn't believe that I was digging the songs. But I can say it- the songs are pretty damn good, for what they are. And the crowd I saw it with were clapping and hooting whenever certain songs began- the "DAT Dun!" organ opening of Thriller, Beat It and of course Billie Jean.

Jackson was very hands-on with the whole thing.
You see him totally immersed in the way the songs will be presented/choreographed. His interactions with Ortega and musicians was cool to watch. You see how he operates as an artist. If you're a fan Chris, then run out and see it on a big screen. It's a fan's dream.

[Chris Knipp]

The film was very heavily hyped and people stayed up all night to see it. However the hoop-la may have faded quickly. See what Box Office Mojo has to say about that. You don't write long reviews I'd say because you are not into analysis. You like to express your enthusiasms, which are often contagious. MJ's songs are an offshoot of Motown. Probably what was a teen phenomenon in the Eighties wouldn't appeal to you. I listened to a lot of Motown music and also was into disco. I was not that much of a fan, and certainly didn't stick with MJ as the strangeness grew. i would not hav gone to one of his concerts as I did to Earth, Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder. However Motown 25 is a moment that I'll never forget, and I still can enjoy the early music. In discussions (see Wikipedia or the New Yorker article after his death) he is often pointed to as more notable as a dancer than as a singer, even though his dancing was somewhat limited and vernacular in style, the execution was brilliant, and the performances riveting. The singing had a fine use of gospel tricks and perfect pitch and timing, but it was obviously not a great voice. I can't go out a lot now but if the movie's showing a while I will see it. I would like to see his dancing .

[Johann]

You can't go out a lot? That's no good! Leg injury hampering you?
Get a chauffeur- we need your wisdom on movies!
No Chris Knipp, no FilmLeaf!

I'm definitely not too interested in analysis.
I'm not very wordy, either.
I just say what I think and move on.
You find me contagious- great!
Like a disease...I'll take it.. ha ha

Hoopla has definitely faded for This Is It.
But I heard the run in theatres has been extended due to the enormous money it's made.
Money's always a reason to keep a movie in theatres.
Mo Money Mo Screens...

Michael's voice was so effeminate that I think it was hard for him to belt out songs like a true singer would.
He does a duet with a young black girl in This Is It that shows him trying hard to really soar with her, but he doesn't quite make it- she's just a much better vocalist. I wish I could remember what song it was-- "Man in The Mirror"? or "The Way You Make Me feel"- I can't remember.

I also must point out that there are some humourous moments, like Michael on the cherry-picker and when he covers up a mistake by saying to Kenny "I'll Feel It" and going back to reminding everyone that it's about love: "L-O-V-E" "Love!", as if no one in his orbit knows how to spell the word...

Check it out, let me know what you think of the movie.
That goes for anyone here!

[Chris Knipp]

Thanks for the support. I'm just trying to avoid any unnecessary effort to recover as soon as I can from the bad case of bronchitis that forced me to fly back home early from Paris two weeks ago. No leg injury this time. And I did have a busy six weeks away from home, starting with the NYFF.

Box Office Mojo tells us that THIS IS IT has already grossed over $190 million, 67% of that abroad. Remember how huge Michal Jackson was in Europe and globally: "We Are The World." BO MoJo says the "two-week only" declaration was just a ploy, the extended run preordained.

Yes, MJ did have a thin voice, in contrast to the deep mellowness of many black male singers. But there was great emotionality to it, and sometimes an edge of almost hysterical excitement -- and joy.

[Johann]

You're always busy. Puts the rest of us to shame...

I wish I had the time to post everything I wanted to.
I got several threads I'd like to add to but I just don't have the time right now to do it justice. My vow is to devote more time to that in 2010. I really like posting here, just can't do it enough...

$190 million. Wow. Doesn't really surprise me tho.
He had the ability to engage you, whether or not the music grabbed you. And I can't knock that.
But his wacko-jacko side is also something that grabs you (and not in a good way).
He was a worldwide phenom, for sure.
People loved him from Japan to Jakarta.


Sip some hot lemon beverages Chris.
I hear lemon cures almost anything throat-wise.

[Johann]

An unrelated question for you Chris:

I was wondering which version of the Goldberg Variations you prefer: the faster '55 or the '82?
Apparently there's a debate among Gould fans which is better...

[Chris Knipp]

I like them both. I don't know. The earlier one might have a slight edge, for old time's sake, and because it was the one that made Gould famous and me a believer. But the second one has better sound, and stereo.

[Chris Knipp]

This Is It

My take -- by Chris Knipp

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/622/00027510.jpg
CLICK TO SEE MICHAEL DANCING IN THIS IS IT


This is Michael Jackson, still brilliant at the last

As music documentaries go, This Is It is not really so unusual. Kenny Ortega, of the High School Musical franchise, is good at covering song and dance, but he's a journeyman rather than a genius and his aim is to please not to thrill or explore. There's not much variety here. Despite some film shoots within the film shoot of elaborate projection pieces to be used in the tour that never was, and a few quick emotional and adulatory interviews, cheers from the crew so to speak, most of this consists of rehearsals, and not from many points of view. There's a vast team on hand of dancers, singers, musicians, and stage crew, yet we don't get an in depth picture of their work. The music is all pretty familiar.

But on the other hand, this is the last living record we have of one of the great performers of the last century, because the show that was to play in fifty cities for the fifty-year-old singer and dancer who had not toured for a decade, was Michael Jackson. And whatever you may have heard, he is in top form, and this is a close look at his artistry and genius. And also, ironically perhaps, the nicest of men, with a heart of gold.

Rumors were about that Jackson was "frail" (he is very thin) and faltering. He holds back, especially to save his voice. Sometimes maybe he's just going loosely through the motions of the dances. But Michael Jackson going loosely through the motions is still something to see. And there's no faltering. In fact what's striking is the man's form and discipline at all times; his professionalism; his humility and good manners; and his perfectionism. He knows exactly what he wants. He knows the tempos and rhythms. Mostly he wants the songs to sound the way they do on the albums. The performances will differ, the performers have been hired for the tour. But he's not looking for innovation; he's looking for perfection.

As for the dancing, which is the main thing, of course it doesn't have the energy and excitement of earlier MJ performances. But it's composed, precise, stylish, elegant at all times. He is the leader. It is a unique pleasure, a matter of awe really, to watch him move. His moves were always evolving at every stage of his long performing life, and they're at a further point here. Above all watching him is to delight in the precision, the clarity of the movies, the extension and grace. There's no sign of aging in the movement that you see. You do wonder a little bit how he was going to make it through a tour of fifty cities, if he is concerned about saving his voice. We'll never know. But there would have been ways to get around that. He could have done it. This was no vanity project. The confidence and composure are there. And genius, otherworldly talent.

It's nice to see Michael Jackson going out this way: working in good form, and working cooperatively and with authority. As crew members say, he's "hands-on" all the way. He's there watching all the details, not hounding or obnoxious but, again, precise, pointing out when the tempo picks up too fast or doesn't go down slow enough or where a moment needs to be allowed to breathe. You'd think he was directing the whole show (which he wasn't), but doing so seamlessly and with a light but firm touch. This certainly was a consummate professional. And despite the fact that his education might have been sketchy, his world on the solipsistic side, he speaks articulately and sensibly. He sets a good standard of communication and leadership. He may be a tricky megastar with a history of erratic behavior, but we see none of that. Good manners and clear communication prevail. Mostly he points out others' mistakes, but always gently. Sometimes he points out his own mistake. "I'm sorry guys," he says at one point. "There is no second verse. We just go right to the bridge." But then, he forgives himself as readily as he forgives others: "That's why we have rehearsals."

That's why we have rehearsals! Yes! But thankfully, we had these also because of the record they provide of what it's like to rehearse a big production and what it was like to work with Michael. The sequences are touching and beautiful, and the music recalls some magic moments, but they're also sad, because they reassure us of what we have lost. Michael could still put on an incredible show. This might have been one of the most tasteful and meaningful tours. This one seems to go easy on the corn and the crotch-grabbing (though a dancing coach is seen practicing a group of male dancers in just that). It's also without a moon-walk. And that's okay, because Jackson is replaying old songs, but not copying himself. His moves still feel improvised, natural to him, never forced. They flow out of him and are part of him. This is his essence. And he's having a good time. And Why shouldn't he be? This is a big crew packed with firm admirers, and their only desire is to please him.

Despite the years of scandal and craziness, there are people that want to be Michael Jackson. For them he is what he was for himself, a performer to emulate. While you may see this as a promotional film, its subject is something worth promoting, pure pop genius and a dancer even Fred Astaire, for very good reasons -- there's a kinship there -- admired. For them and for any of us, this film is a worthy and fascinating record, something, like the Motown 25 performance, that you can watch many times and not get tired of. It's all about the moves. Above all this is a celebration of the art of dance.

OFFICIAL TRAILER. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyrkcz7msfY) TASTE THE MAGIC.

[Johann]

Bravo!
Precise review, just like Jackson's dance moves.
Happy you got to see it. (on a big screen..)
You nailed the movie down Chris.

[Johann]

Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars and wrote a perfect review of the film too, FYI.

[Chris Knipp]

Thanks, but I was really just stating my reaction---that I love to watch the way he moves and that he was definitely still good at this time. Your coverage was already much more detailed on the film but I just wanted to acknowledge that I'd seen it and enjoyed it. My reaction was the same as Roger Ebert's: this is not the dysfunctional, impaired individual I had been led to expect but quite the reverse.

. Yes, the precision does appeal to me. I noticed it even when he was very young. Precison in dance unifies form and timing. He nails the beat and defines the shapes. Note that in the famous Motown 25 "Billie Jean" performance, especially the classic first 60 seconds, he adopts a series of sharply defined, stylish, witty, static poses. In that photo I linked to (and used for the review on my website (http://www.chrisknipp.com/writing/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1385&p=1403#p1403) ), notice that his body looks more elegant and rightly posed than those of the younger supporting dancers The long, lean limbs define the lines. He had a history of losing weight and not eating, and dieted to gain a "dancer's body," but post morten reports say his weight was within the normal range for a man of his height. Reports of his height range from 5'9" to 5'11"; but due to his shape he looks taller. A UC doctor who reviewed the autopsy report for AP according to Wikipedia said Jackson's "overall health was fine." However behind the serene, supremely competent exterior at the rehearsals there was probably much mental stress and worry. And yet, I don't think his death was intentional. LIke Heath Ledger's it was a tragic mistake at a time of stress.