What Could Have Been It
If I was the kind of person who dresses up for Halloween, I would have dressed up as Michael Jackson. Especially after seeing the film-documentary, This is It, the more I was convinced that he took care of himself for the biggest tour of his life.
Initially, I thought that the docu was not to be shown in the country, and that I had to patiently await for a DVD from the US. Upon seeing the ads in the papers, and Crix' review here, I ran to the cinemas and bought tickets.
Just like her, I would die to be in a Michael Jackson concert --- not as a dancer but as a guitarist, side by side the lovely and talented Orianthi Panagaris, whom MJ told onstage during the Black or White guitar solo part, "This is your time to shine."
Many times in the movie, I nudged the BF's arms, to tell him how cute I found MJ when he was so anal about his music. I mean, who wouldn't? He wrote and choreographed the songs himself. It was only apt when he told the musical director that he wanted the beginning chords of "The Way You Make Me Feel" to "let it simmer." Or that time in the beginning of the show when he was rapping what he wanted the opening to be like. He was there throughout the selection of the dancers, and he was co-directing when they were shooting the video for the "Thriller" part, an eerily scary video, I must say. One of my favorite parts, as it always have been is the Smooth Criminal video,where the original video was recreated for a more 50's theme, complete with singers, and in black and white. It was amazing how a fifty year old Michael Jackson can outperform a whole lot of dancers and singers younger than him. It was amazing how he always had a way to do things --- he knew every lyric, every chord, every dance step with his heart. Even the songs he performed from his Jackson 5 days were rendered as if it was only yesterday when he wrote it. Part of watching the movie was a sinking realization, one we never really got over, is that we could never watch him in person, ever. And it was a sad, sad thought.
Would I recommend watching this? Yes. Most people think that since it was only a video of his rehearsals, he may not be in his 'performance level.' On the contrary, each of the songs he performed were extraordinary -- he even dressed up for each. It was noticeable how he was wearing the same red undershirt but he was changing jackets everytime, whatever is apt for the song he's singing.
I'm still incredibly sad now, in fact I may never get over it in a couple of years. But if watching the controversial documentary was all I could do to support Michael Jackson [or his estate], and see him larger than his image in my TV screen, despite getting the sinking feeling, I'd gladly watch this in the cinemas [which I did] and buy the original DVD just so I can revisit all his last moments as a performer whenever I want.
Goodbye, MJ. You are a great loss I will not get over with the next couple of days, or years.
Just like her, I would die to be in a Michael Jackson concert --- not as a dancer but as a guitarist, side by side the lovely and talented Orianthi Panagaris, whom MJ told onstage during the Black or White guitar solo part, "This is your time to shine."
Many times in the movie, I nudged the BF's arms, to tell him how cute I found MJ when he was so anal about his music. I mean, who wouldn't? He wrote and choreographed the songs himself. It was only apt when he told the musical director that he wanted the beginning chords of "The Way You Make Me Feel" to "let it simmer." Or that time in the beginning of the show when he was rapping what he wanted the opening to be like. He was there throughout the selection of the dancers, and he was co-directing when they were shooting the video for the "Thriller" part, an eerily scary video, I must say. One of my favorite parts, as it always have been is the Smooth Criminal video,where the original video was recreated for a more 50's theme, complete with singers, and in black and white. It was amazing how a fifty year old Michael Jackson can outperform a whole lot of dancers and singers younger than him. It was amazing how he always had a way to do things --- he knew every lyric, every chord, every dance step with his heart. Even the songs he performed from his Jackson 5 days were rendered as if it was only yesterday when he wrote it. Part of watching the movie was a sinking realization, one we never really got over, is that we could never watch him in person, ever. And it was a sad, sad thought.
Would I recommend watching this? Yes. Most people think that since it was only a video of his rehearsals, he may not be in his 'performance level.' On the contrary, each of the songs he performed were extraordinary -- he even dressed up for each. It was noticeable how he was wearing the same red undershirt but he was changing jackets everytime, whatever is apt for the song he's singing.
I'm still incredibly sad now, in fact I may never get over it in a couple of years. But if watching the controversial documentary was all I could do to support Michael Jackson [or his estate], and see him larger than his image in my TV screen, despite getting the sinking feeling, I'd gladly watch this in the cinemas [which I did] and buy the original DVD just so I can revisit all his last moments as a performer whenever I want.
Goodbye, MJ. You are a great loss I will not get over with the next couple of days, or years.