This Is It

This Is It is not a documentary in the truest sense, nor is it purely a concert film. Comprised of footage shot for Jackson in high definition for his own personal collection, this material never was meant to see the light of day, and had Jackson not died unexpectedly in June it never would have. But with his much-hyped final concerts now left up to our imagination, the film provides rare insight into what the concerts could have been and, more important, how the mind of one of our generation’s greatest showmen really worked, at the raw artistic level.

So no, it’s not a concert film or a true documentary, but This Is It works on a more basic level because it’s such a straightforward, unvarnished look at Michael’s creative process; more than that it’s a document which shows the level of complexity which goes into the development of such a varied stage show, particularly with an artist who had a true perfectionist’s touch. There’s no lip-syncing here or use of basic music tracks. Jackson was preparing for a tour-de-force of showmanship that would have taken the touring world by storm. This Is It shows Jackson taking the reins and running with this concept from start to finish and it works, provided audiences are interested in that level of behind-the-scenes interaction.

The scenes which work best are those which show Jackson and his background dancers and the band’s musicians working through complete songs. Despite what we’ve learned since his death, this was not a Michael Jackson you’d think was doped to the gills with absurd drug cocktails. He remained, to his death, a top-notch performer, singer, dancer, the whole works. And on film we see him demanding that same level of performance perfection from the musicians and dancers he’s working with, along with the production crew making sure everything is set to work upon the tour’s launch. More important, since Kenny Ortega – the film’s director and the concert’s chief producer – was filming this on only a handful of high-def cameras for Michael’s personal use, he didn’t have a wide ranging ability to constantly flip from cut to cut. Thus, we’re able to see these rehearsal sessions with frequent long pans, allowing the dance moves to be shown in crisp detail on the big screen. That really allows Michael’s strong visual sense of detail to shine through perfectly.

This is It is largely critic-proof; those who want to see it will, and those without the interest in a two-hour behind-the-scenes look at a concert that never was will largely ignore it. That said, it’s a rarity in the world of music films, providing audiences with a look into the mind of a genius musician who truly was the king of pop showmanship. This Is It is a window into the planning which goes into the two hour shows we pay our $50 to see from the cheap seats. More than that, it’s a loving tribute to Jackson made by those who were working with him in his final days. It rightly ignores the circus which followed his death, and is not a documentary which would explore the eccentricities of the performer’s life. Rather, this film is for the fans, for the dancers who earned the one chance to work with their personal hero, for the musicians who followed in his footsteps and who know how much the world will miss him.

More to the point, for fans of meaningful music, This Is It is a cathartic two hour experience which puts us as close to the conceptual process as we’re ever going to get without living it. And that alone is worth the price of a ticket.

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