“Scene Selection” review of ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It‘ by Alex Kartman
for MovieSet.com
If there is a single genre of films I have not viewed enough of, it would definitely be documentary. I have seen enough to know which are good and which are bad, and it helps to have a film class with a music documentary filmmaker this semester.
All of the back story aside, I viewed “Michael Jackson’s This is It” this past weekend, and was blown away.
In the past I brought up themes of nostalgia, especially with the re-releases of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” but the Michael Jackson concert/ rehearsal/ documentary film brings back the glory of his greatest hits. I was thrown into the past, remember the time I first saw the music video to “Thriller” or singing “Heal the World” as a preschooler. The film delivers both these hits, and many more, only leaving out very few chart toppers.
Essentially “This is It” is a glorified concert film, but it expands much further into the development, the grit, and the endurance necessary to put a production on stage. The feature charts the entire planning and production of the concert up until Jackson’s death. The beauty of the film is that never does it glorify his death. That fact seems to be a side note for viewers to already know while watching it. The film jumps right into Jackson’s announcement for a 50-performance engagement at London’s O2 Arena, and immediately charts several rehearsals to put together the tour’s catalogue. It is very intriguing to show the progression of each song, with some regular practices and other cuts of dress rehearsals full of special effects. Spliced between songs are snippets of special features content, ranging from green screen filming to dance try-outs to costume design. I found these to be the more interesting parts of the film, with the massive scale of the production and all of the elements being created.
Certain things wowed me with the film, starting with some amazing editing and shooting through the opening sequences. The press conference announcement segment is cut rapidly and has the same pacing that “District 9” had earlier this year. The frantic chaos set the pace for how high energy the performances to come would be. As a performer, Jackson definitely still has all the talent of old. His dancing was clean and articulate, with some new style thrown in. His voice sounded crisp, and not feeble, as his appearance sometimes would project. The man, no matter personal affairs and such, still had the charisma and power to sell out arenas and bring crowds to their feet.
Other intriguing parts are certain behind the scenes looks. The best for me was an innovative feature. Behind the stage there was a giant screen, which would have 3D projections. The concert creators, and the director Kenny Ortega, filmed in front of monstrous green screens, to create new footage for “Thriller,” “Smooth Criminal,” and “Beat It.” I loved the “Smooth Criminal” content, not only because it’s my favorite tune of his, but also because of the brilliant film noir short film that Ortega made to play on the screen. All of the footage was shot with 3D cameras for the audience to experience in 3D. Now watching a movie with 3D glasses is somewhat annoying, so maybe it wouldn’t have transferred to a concert very well, but it shows how much Jackson still pushed the boundaries.
The film allows you to get completely lost in the music and the concert experience. Even pulling away from the performance feels natural and enlightening. There is never a dull beat throughout the film, and I even found myself grooving along to the songs. The film opens with some of his lesser-known hits, but just wait till the film hits stride and the mega-hits start rolling. I believe that this concert could have rivaled U2 for production value, and it just reminds me even more that I will never be able to see new material from the King of Pop. Take the chance to experience the last material of Jackson’s career, and once again get lost in the music that defined cool.
Grade: A
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