There are many tragic elements to the death of Michael Jackson, one of which is highlighted in This is It. On this evidence, his scheduled shows at London’s O2 Arena would have been amazing and marked a triumphant comeback. Whatever questions there are about his eccentric behavior, there is no doubting that as a performer, Jackson was a genius. Coming in the wake of the controversy surrounding his death on June 25th, where the world once again focused its attention on all the bizarre aspects of the singer’s life, This is It is a timely and welcome reminder of what exactly it was that made Jackson the King of Pop.
Coming so swiftly after Jackson’s death, the film, which chronicles the rehearsals for the This is It tour, was met with the inevitable claims of being opportunistic and exploitative. The fear was it would comprise of hastily cobbled together rough footage from cast member’s cameras. What comes as a pleasant surprise is the excellent quality of the material director and Jackson’s artistic collaborator Kenny Ortega had to work with. Shot in high def with multiple cameras, it’s clear that the footage was intended for public release at some point, though sadly not under such somber circumstances. That such a well-documented record exists is fortunate or sadly we’d never have got to see what promised to be a spectacular show.
A celebration of his music stretching back to his days with the Jackson 5, the This is It show involved dozens of dancers and musicians, huge sets and innovative staging of his greatest hits. There was a 3-D film of Thriller and Smooth Criminal was set to a black and white film sequence with Jackson interacting with Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Rita Hayworth. Dancers were launched in the air like bread from a toaster and at one point a giant excavator rumbles on to the stage to represent man’s destruction of his environment.
But no matter how elaborate the spectacle, it never overshadowed its star. Jackson, even at 50, had clearly lost none of his gifted talents. As a dancer he outshone those half his age. One thing the film showed was that, however meek and fragile Jackson might appear, when it comes to making sure everything is just exactly how he wants it, he was ruthless. Throughout rehearsals he was absolutely in charge and never afraid to correct someone and demand they get it right.
Still partial to his flamboyant and glittering outfits, in This is It Jackson sparkles in every sense. He showed that from a young boy to his last day he was a rare and sublime talent. The King is Dead, Long live the King!
Kevin Murphy
