Every Michael Jackson fan should watch “This Is It”. No question about it. You WILL love it!
Others who don’t really love Michael’s music may not be wildly excited about watching the King of Pop rehearse for what would most certainly have been a musical extravanganza to blow our minds.
Anyway, “This Is It” mattered to me for many reasons other than simply because Michael Jackson is my all-time favorite entertainer.
1. Practice.
Here is a man who has thrilled audiences of MILLIONS of devoted fans with his talent and skill. And in “This Is It” we see the reason why. No, it’s not only because Michael Jackson was blessed with an incredible and rare gift. It was also because he was in such great touch from constant practice.
The entire movie was made of clips recorded during rehearsal sessions, and originally meant for his private library. Considering that there was no reason to “play to the peanut gallery” in these candid ‘behind the scenes’ shots, it’s an eye-opener to see just how much effort, repeated practice and rehearsing goes into creating something world-class.
2. Perfection.
Michael Jackson, by all accounts, was a master craftsman. He knew his music, every part of every song he sang and performed, the notes, the tempo, the rhythm, the instrumentation and just about every component of the entire process.
He is hands-on with every bit of the production, offering gentle suggestions and indicating whether or not each part was just as he intended or wanted it to be. And doing it all, not by being touchy or arrogant or condescending, but in the most easy-to-accept way of all – by placing the focus on delighting their audience.
“I want them to see it the way they should” he says in his soft voice.
Minor deviations from the perfect performance are picked upon instantly. “You’re a bit too early with that,” he says. “Let it sizzle”. Or suggests making it sound “like dragging you out of bed”. Or… “That’s too fast. Da-da-da… pause. There. Just a little”. Tiny tweaks, for sure. But that’s how perfection happens!
3. Passion.
Michael loves to sing and dance. He gets involved, body and soul, in the practice sessions. You can see and sense the passion in his expression, the tone of his voice, the enthusiasm of his actions. It reaches out and engulfs everyone on the team.
And the entire team shares that passion. At the very start of “This Is It”, we hear dancers who auditioned tell about their experience. Their words drip with passion. One man from Australia was almost crying.
A Michael Jackson show is about pushing beyond boundaries, creating something no one has seen before, exploring the limits of what one is capable of doing – and being. Given the raw talent of the final cast, only passion would make the difference between ‘just another show’ – and a ‘once in a lifetime event’
4. Participation.
Everyone participates in the rehearsals – even when they aren’t practicing! When they’re not on stage, they are watching others perform… and cheering, raving and celebrating – just as real fans would have, if the show had gone on.
The key to that is revealed in the end of the movie, when they all stand around in a circle – and Michael says how proud he is to be a part of this team, thanks them for their support, and calls them “family”. In a sense they are… and that’s why they participate so enthusiastically in everything.
5. Personification.
Not everyone will have sensed it – or even agree with me on this. But I felt it strongly. Michael Jackson is the personification of the songs he sings, the dance moves he makes. He BECOMES his performance!
Other dancers are good. They are energetic, technically sound, carry out some awesome steps. But MJ is great… because you can see how he FEELS the music. And moves WITH it.
When an artist identifies with his art to reach this point, it is almost as if we are watching something abstract come alive. The personification of pop music.
That’s how I’ll remember Michael Jackson after watching “This Is It”.
That, and as a genius and consummate artist driven by a passion to share his talent with the world through his music.
A man who was not afraid to practice hard for a come-back concert after a decade off the stage.
A producer and manager who would settle for nothing less than perfection.
A celebrity who assembled a passionate cast around him, motivated and excited about being part of a show that in all probability would have been a memorable landmark event in pop music history.
THIS IS IT!
Also, see Words, Music and Impact and RIP MJ
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