‘This Is It’: A Genuine Thriller
by Carl KozlowskiMichael Jackson was the epitome of a human Rorschach test. To his fans, he was a Messiah of entertainment, seemingly able to transcend the mere mortal abilities of nearly anyone in the history of show business. To his detractors, he was an eccentric who was also repeatedly accused of molesting children. To yet others, he was both.
When he died of an apparent drug overdose just shy of his 50th birthday on June 25, while rehearsing for an intense 50-show engagement in London, it seemed that this conundrum would never be solved and that his life and legacy would be forever shadowed. Then word emerged that concert promoter AEG had decided to sell extensive footage it shot of the show’s rehearsals and put it up for bidding war, which Sony Pictures won for $60 million. Debate raged throughout Hollywood and the business world about whether this was an appropriate outcome, or if it reeked of exploitation.
Viewers can now decide for themselves, as the resulting documentary, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” comes out today. Packing dozens of hours of rehearsal footage into a 100-minute running time, the film offers both expected and unexpected insights into the creative process of one of the ultimate creative visionaries ever to walk the planet.
On the one hand, audiences expect to see Jackson tearing it up as a dancer and possessing an insanely high-pitched vocal range. But they also might expect him to be a demanding diva, or to be too frail to work due to the massive array of drug addictions that allegedly killed him. Yet time and again, even on the final night of his life, his command of the stage is thrilling to watch and he’s fully friendly and engaging with all those around him.
But there are far more compelling reasons to watch “This Is It” than the mere car-crash curiosity of seeing how obvious his afflictions preyed on Jackson. They lie in the jaw-dropping moments of creative invention and joy to be found in song after song after song in this film, as Jackson supervises and then unveils a super-suped-up 3D version of “Thriller” where he eventually bursts out of the onstage screen and into real-life action on the boards.
There’s a goosebump-inducing, near-acapella rendition of his underrated ballad “Human Nature” that shows the self-proclaimed King of Pop was still in perfect voice, as well. Another segment shows Jackson directing CGI effects wizards on how to turn 10 onstage dancers into an onscreen field of 1000 dancers in military gear for a rousing rendition of his defiant “HIStory” song “They Don’t Care About Us.”
But the biggest showstopper comes with “Smooth Criminal,” in which Jackson and his tour director/choreographer Kenny Ortega insert footage of Jackson jumping and running and sliding down bannisters into a Humphrey Bogart movie. As Bogie pumps a machine-gun full of lead into Jackson while the Gloved One explodes through a window for his getaway, it is impossible to keep from bursting into applause, as the audience of jaded critics did at Los Angeles’ historic Chinese Theater.
Throughout it all, there is only one slight weak spot; when Jackson’s voice-over discusses the planet’s environmental problems in a way that’s simultaneously childlike and heavy-handed. Audiences are subjected to sticky-sweet footage of a young girl running through CGI footage of a rain-forest, surrounded by butterflies as the turgid ballad “Earth Song” plays. Yet, even here, the film is revealing a little-known side of Jackson as a social activist.
Ultimately, director Kenny Ortega, who would have been the live concerts’ choreographer, has done a valuable service to Jackson’s legacy and for all those who are curious about the creative process of pop music’s apparent last great visionary. It was not exploitative to make this film, but rather an absolute necessity, as it strips away the horrid memories of Jackson’s alleged dark side and leaves us with him pointing us all towards the light of joy through sheer entertainment.
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Newsflash to all the 110 IQ'rs in Hollywood. A warmer earth with higher CO2 content in the lower atmosphere would in fact increase the percipitation cycles, shrink deserts and dramatically "green-up" the earth because boreal, rain and tropical forests all thrive when the earth's overall climate is about 1-6 degrees C warmer than now. Serious scientists know this fact. Thousands of science years worth of studied from institutes and universities all over the earth know this. The GW fears are a hoax and while a warming climate could potentially lead to some population dislocation trends over 300 years, a warmer earth would be much better than the more likely ice age we are probably headed back into now that we are very likely nearing the end of the current interglacial era (200-100 years hence). Sorry to inform you folks, but the CO2 fear is a complete hoax and don't nbother trying to convince me otherwise, I am just too damn well educated in math, statistics, science (especially earth sciences and physics) to fall for it. Are you?
I'm unfortunately a lousy typist.
a great, even inspired entertainer, humanistic icon- and tortured soul…
The late Mr Jackson really didn't deserve the life he led. And we mean that in the best way. Like Elvis, his life was not his own. Unlike Elvis, however, was the evil, controlling and debilitation presence of his father- truly the bad guy in this morality tale.
Deprived of his childhood, all of his millions couldn't recapture innocence lost. Instead, he stood accused of pedophilia, a heinous and soul destroying crime.
To which he was most likely innocent. No one knows for sure, but the creep out factor was always more significant than the thin evidence. Million dollar paydays make people claim that which is not.
No matter. That is for a Higher Authority to deal with. Let's remember him for what we KNOW he was- a brilliant, gifted, and massive creative force that pleased countless millions.
R.I.P. Michael Jackson…
What does this have to do with the thread topic?
I believe you, but what does this have to do with Michael Jackson?
Looks like a renter.
"one of the ultimate creative visionaries ever to walk the planet."?
- For God's sake, someone grab me a shovel.
I'll pass. Didn't like him and despise his father, who is surely to make millions off this. Daddy-J won't be getting one dime from me.
Thanks for the review, I must say I'm at least now interested in seeing the film. I've been pretty discusted with all things Jackson, so it's refeshing to see a piece that's strickly devoted to his creativity, and not his personal life.
Actually it's strictly devoted to recouping AEG's loss from the aborted concerts.
More like a Genuine bore…. :-/ I wasn't a Jackson fan while he was alive and I'm not going to become one after he has died… so I will not be wasting $9.50 to see this 'documentary'…
DRUGS! DRUGS! DRUGS! ALCOHOL? after this any other issue was a distant second; I would only watch that movie if it contained an explanation from his family as to why they didn't beat down his door and try to save him 20 years ago. Please can we finally let this family of fukked up nose jobs fade away.
Maybe he's also too well educated to read forum topics?
Here they go again………Let's praise a Pedophile!
Let's not let Polansky get away!
Jackson was a big greeny. I assume "climate change" is featured in the movie.
I have never been Michael Jackson fan even leaving aside the issues involving children and drugs. I jut was never a fan of his style of music or entertainment. The efforts to raise him into some sort of historical icon also strike me as more than a little grotesque. He has now crossed the border from son and entertainer to profit center for the Jackson family. I choose not to participate. One thing that is really starting the grate is the implication that those of us who simply aren't Jackson fans (and don't subscribe to his post-mortem secular canonization) are somehow bad people. It's as if our status as an acceptable member of the community somehow depends on private decisions about pop culture. It's like being the protagonist of Camus' "The Stranger" where Meursault ultimately goes to the guillotine because he can't work up the proper display of emotion for his mother's death.
"Didn't like him and despise his father, who is surely to make millions off this"
Actually, I think the money goes mostly to a trust for MJ's "kids"and the people behind the concerts. We can be almost certain Joe was cut out, given how he's joined in with Latoya to allege that a the movie uses a body double to make him look more human than he was.
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Sorry, have you seen Latoya lately? She looks like a freak as much as her brother. There is such a thing as too much plastic surgery folks.
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"Debate raged throughout Hollywood and the business world about whether this was an appropriate outcome, or if it reeked of exploitation." Hollywood? Exploitation? I really need to refrain from drinking coffee when I read some of the columns here. Spitting java from unexpected outbursts is plain ole messy.
Carl. Riveting review. I just have to ask…what's your cut? I mean. You really sound sincere about this. That can only mean one of two things: either you are on payroll or it's a savvy production that compels one to digress into the freak show and all that is wrong with this brand of celebrity.
Michael Jackson was truly THE one-of-a-kind artist. Truly original.
And Michael Jackson was truly all too common. He was a victim of child abuse who became a perpetrator of child abuse. How child abuse as an issue gets pushed out of the spotlight in favor of silly "work for free" agendas is perplexing. Child abuse is the root of all evil. MJ epitomizes this.
Instead of compelling children to volunteer don't you think the money spent on that propaganda would be better spent trying to stop parents from beating the crap out of them.
Chambers, truer words have not been spoken. While I was a sorta-fan of Jackson's, this attempt to deify him is bizarre and troubling. Had he died unexpectedly from outside sources, like Princess Diana or John Lennon, the madness would make a bit more sense. But this man pretty much destroyed himself with his odd drugs of choice. His suspicious dalliances with young boys will always hand over him like a rain cloud.
Yes, I'm sorry he died, but frankly I was much sadder when Farrah Fawcett passed away after her valiant effort to defeat her cancer. Her documentary about her struggles will help countless others who are battling cancer.
What, are you saying you don't believe that MJ deserves the same accolades we'd give to, say, Leonardo Da Vinci?!?
Thanx dcase.
Well put.
Rick V
After I hit "post," it occurred to me that there probably are people who think MJ is just as talented and has contributed just as much to Western civilization as Da Vinci. So, I should've been clear: I was being sarcastic.
His fans can have a blast with this film all they'd like. They are allowed to have fun.
I however will pass.
I'll say what I always say when the discussion is about Michael Jackson.
Prince was/is better.
Period.
blah blah blah – michael jackson – a boy's butt's worst enemy.
I am SO glad this guy is dead.
what a freak.
You may be right, but I always thought Neverland Ranch was one hell of a kiddie-lure. It always struck me as really, really wrong. But you're right that he's dealing with the ultimate authority now– so any judgments I have on the issue are moot.
There is almost no behind the scenes action or candid moments. It's just him singing for 2 hours.
Apparenlty this movie is so wonderful that it will already be nominated for an academy award. I'm sure it is deserving and has nothing to do with the cannonizaton of St Michael of Jackson.
Did you read the article? Hint: 2nd to last paragraph.
No American president has the balls to do what Chairman Mao did…besides if that stuff started happening no-one would pick up their gun and start acting like Rambo, you'd all just crap your pants.
That's because having Michael Jackson and his "BEHIND the scenes action" would have taken the film in an entirely different (and uncomfortable) direction.
This article didn't say anything about GW. Just enviromental activist was one of MJ's closet activities. There are many flavors of enviromental activities. GW is just one of them.
No argument whatsoever, but damned if Michael didn't give the Purple One a decent run for his money in the 80s.
Maybe if he died in 1990 this would have meant more. It's really sad what happened to him after the 80's, but also sad his family never really tried to help him out… I understand those who want to respect his legacy, but it seems that his legacy was built about 30 years ago and steadily went downhill.
It's weird, isn't it? Especially coming from people who avoided him at all costs and constantly mocked him while he was alive. It's so fake and hypocritical. I'm not much of a fan of Jackson's, and I don't doubt that there was something not quite right going on with him, so watching the turn around everybody's been doing has been so strange to me. Nobody cared one little bit about him or his "influence" when he was alive. He hadn't had a hit since I was in elementary school, and public opinion thought he was a freak at best, and a predatory pedophile at worst, but h died and now they suddenly worship the ground he walked on? Okay, sure.
Mr. Kozlowski, I'm begging you – please change your profile pic. Please.
Prince wrote, performed, and produced all of his own music without the help of a gaggle of collaborators.
Nuff said.
The fact that some call Jackson a genius is mind boggling to me.
But Al Gore, Obama, and Arafat get Peace Prizes. So there ya go.
Funny coming from a guy without the guts to show his own pic in public.
Mr. Kozlowski, I'm not trying to be funny. I'm also not asking you not to show a pic of yourself – I'm asking you to get rid of one with that horribly cheesy, unfunny, goofy pose.
his childhood was so hideous that it's so hard for normal folk to comprehend. As said, the creepout factor was a 10- but what really happened? He seemed the eternal innocent…
Did they include the awesome CGI scene wherein he's burning in hell for being a pederast?
Cause that would be epic to see on big screen or IMAX.
We agree there, too. Prince = musical genius (and soooooo very overlooked by the masses for his guitar virtuoso), Michael Jackson = amazing entertainer.
Ahhhh, but will President Obama try to claim the award?
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Enough of Michael Jackson. Please!
I was never a fan of his music, But somebody must have liked it, He was very successful at it, As for the other stuff, I don't know, he was maybe a bit of a target for anybody looking for money and he had a bit. Also he put himself into situations that made it easy for others to target the fellow. Seems to me that he was never happy, and could not find a place for himself after his staying power in the Music business wained. Sad thing in a way. There is so much rumor about him that its hard to tell what is the truth of the matter and what is made up BS. I guess that is the price you pay for that kind of talent. As for his father, gee's somebody should have taken him out of the situation years ago. Seems like the only ones that gotten out of it ok or appears to are the sisters. The brothers seem to be all screwed up.
I think I'd pay $10 just to hear the rendition of "Human Nature" you mention. Just a beautiful, beautiful song.
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I'm kinda in the middle. I liked "young Michael" but pretty much everything after "Bad" I gave up on. He was just another musician in a death dive. I might catch this one but I'm not going out of my way to see it.
As for the Oscars, this is a no duh one. Of COURSE they're going to give it to him. :p
I'm waiting for the play.
Not to mention the extortionists that accused Jackson of being a child molester just so they could get a big piece out of him (and I'm referring to money, in case you didn't realize, you perverts.), yet never could convict him.
No, I'm beginning to think that alleged skin disease is not as alleged as I thought, and it may just be hereditary…
Unlike Polanski, Jackson was never convicted of child molestation, as there was never any proof. The stark difference between Jackson and Polanski's cases are as clear as the stark difference between cats and dogs.
For the last goddam time, he was NOT a pedophile. Roman Polanski is a pedophile because there was proof, but Michael Jackson isn't because there wasn't. Can we at least stop lying about the "Thriller"?
And as he watches from St. Peter's backyard, he is all but crying over the morons who think he is in a less pleasant place.
I've always thought the two most overrated things in American cultural history are "Gone with the Wind" and "Camelot" (the administration, not the musical). I think now that Michael Jackson deserves a place on that list, making it a three-way tie.
No, I'm not, and I don't trust you to be, either. There are many topnotch scientists who've been rigorously trained, and shown (proven) themselves capable of educating me.
I strongly suspect you're 100% right, though.
Poor Mikey Mike. Those kids probably deserved getting fed alcohol, and then some good old-fashioned "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."
Right on, A.
By the way, waddup A?
LOL — You could be right.
You sound like a rational man. Perhaps there's some of Michael in you.
Praise him!
Nothing tops the time Ike got possessed by Jackson and won that beauty contest!
Sure, he only won after some quick thinking and action from the gang, but he still pulled it off.
Clearly, it was Jackson's best performance of his lifetime, right up their with Ben Affecks torrid love affair with Cartmen's hand! (Otherwise, Affleck stinks and just plays Affeck – really lame, but in that one instance there was a little something extra. . also clearly, his best performance ever)
Anyway, Jackson possessing Ike and winning the beauty contest should be the grand finally of this movie!
Oh goody, more MJ exploitation.
Snore.
He was a Child Molestor. Nothing to see, Move along, Nothing to see.
" One thing that is really starting the grate is the implication that those of us who simply aren't Jackson fans (and don't subscribe to his post-mortem secular canonization) are somehow bad people. It's as if our status as an acceptable member of the community somehow depends on private decisions about pop culture."
While the effort to martyrize Jackson is real and pervasive, I've experienced nothing close to what you describe here. Where do you find all this phantom peer pressure? If anything, in my experience, people have been split between saying he's God's chosen dancer and peple saying "Ew, he was a pedophile."
Everyone seems to agree that he was a po-culture icon on the order of Elvis and Sinatra. But this has not translated into ostracism for all dissenters.
Here's a better title for the film:
" That's That! "
Now, can we please move on?
[...] Big Hollywood: (We’re Quickly Becoming) A Nation of Idiots Carl Kozlowski, Big Hollywood: ‘This Is It’: A Genuine Thriller Horiwood’s Blog: MICHAEL JACKSON WAS ONE OF THE THREE MOST FAMOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD [...]
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