Jackson’s This Is It Showcases The Music Behind The Man
November 11th, 2009 | Published in Scene & Heard
By Josh Storie
Growing up a fan of Michael Jackson, I was taken back when I heard that he had passed away. A man who was so influential and whose music had connected with so many people was suddenly gone. It was sobering for a lot of people.
In the months after his death, the media became saturated with more information, and even speculation, about what exactly happened, and as is our custom here in America, we feel that we have the right to know every little detail about a person’s life (or death). The discussion then strayed from the man as an entertainer to the man as a person. Regardless of how you feel about Michael Jackson as a person, his monumental influence as an artist and entertainer is undeniable. That is why This Is It is so special.
The 111 minute documentary takes a look at the final days of Jackson’s life while he prepared for his highly anticipated 50-show comeback tour. After a life that had been blemished by turmoil, this film showcases exactly why people celebrate Michael Jackson: the music.
“It’s time to celebrate Michael, to rejoice in all his wonderful messages of peace and love,” said associate producer and tour choreographer Travis Payne. “People are going to enjoy seeing the Michael I always got to see.”
The film was directed by Kenny Ortega and was taken from over 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage. The work ethic that Michael Jackson possessed was unlike that of any artist and this documentary allows fans and critics alike to see Jackson in his zone.
“You see him onstage as if he were standing in front of a full house,” This Is It director Kenny Ortega said. “What we did here was focus on telling a good story and creating a film for the fans, really enabling them to understand what Michael Jackson had dreamed for them.”
In my opinion, this is the appropriate way to celebrate the life of Michael Jackson. We commemorate the music and not the controversy. Jamie Foxx said it best when he said that “music is the soundtrack to our lives and this guy has given us so many hits and so many memories.”
The world of music would not be the same without the songs of Michael Jackson and this film does a beautiful job at paying homage to the King of Pop one last time.
