By Maggie Mineo
Staff Writer
“This is it”, said Michael Jackson to a crowd of fans in London, where he announced his upcoming final tour. “The final curtain call.” Although we will never be able to see MJ on stage in front of our eyes, we are left with a magical documentary, showing step by step the hard work and dedication that Michael put into his last tour.
The film was directed by Kenny Ortega, also the director of the “This is It” tour and a close friend to Michael himself. It shows rehearsals from April through June 2009 leading up to the tour’s opening night this coming summer. The footage was shot by several cameras, meant to be a part of Michael’s permanent collection, depicting the entire journey from start to finish.
The film opens with emotional interviews from many of the dancers on the tour, telling the camera how it was a dream come true to be a part of Michael’s show. This film goes above and beyond what music documentaries share. It dismisses any rumor or speculation that he was too weak to perform or not emotionally stable enough for the tour. The film shows Michael in a light contrary to the media speculation. He was polite and compassionate toward his dancers and crew. He treated everyone with dignity and respect, something which is rare to see in the entertainment industry these days. And four decades later he could still hit every high note, every spin, and every high kick. And yes, his moon walk was still untouchable.
Whether you are an MJ fan or not, seeing this spectacle will surely blow you away. The special effects in the tour are monumental— original horror movie clips, fireworks, and Michael reaching out to the audience in a cherry picker, just to name a few. Expect to hear all of your favorite songs from “Billie Jean”, “Thriller”, “Human Nature” and “Beat it” and also a tribute to the “Jackson 5”.
This is It opened in theatres just before Halloween and will be showing until Thanksgiving weekend. Fans will surely come away from this film with a greater respect for the man, the “King of Pop”, and the impact he has had on the music industry today and for many years to come.