So much hype had surrounded the Michael Jackson rehearsal tapes, released in small soundbytes and news snippets, and a torrent of eager fans clutching their money quickly formed at cinema kiosks the world over. The opening night was a huge success.
Michael Jackson This Is It Hype
Was it worth all the attention? Well, Jackson's fans will have seen it anyway, and for anyone else who is not a fan, this piece of film alone will not convert them. What viewers get is exactly what is stated on the tin; two hours of Michael Jackson performing for the O2 arena shows, no more, no less.
What surprises about the footage is what a hands-on man Jackson was. He had such an understanding of the key elements of music; the knowledge of signature keys, tempo and transition. Surely there cannot be many pop stars today who could analyse the performance of their backing band in such detail. Will there ever be a rehearsal tape released of Britney Spears sitting down with her keyboard player and studying the fraction of a second where the backbeat is too quick and strikes on the bar? Perhaps not.
Michael Jackson This Is It Acclaim
Jackson's dancing was still world class, even at the age of 50. He appeared to have lost a little of the twirling verve in tracks such as Smooth Criminal, but fans will counter and say that it's just a rehearsal. Michael's voice is left unstrained for much of the rehearsal period, only occasionally belting out the higher notes on songs like Man In The Mirror. He makes regular comment that he is saving his voice - what shows they would have been. Yet even from these early practice tapes, it is clear that the O2 Arena set would have been something of a world-stopper.
The pyrotechnics and video graphics are here in full effect, and gorgeous Orianthi Panagaris provides the Slash-inspired solo for Black And White, and apes wild-woman Jennifer Batten's whammy-bar madness of Beat It, complete with ubiquitous wind machines and strobes.
Michael Jackson This Is It Conclusion
This is a unique look at a man who once had the world in his hands, and the sheer scale of what was being attempted in creating the shows was resplendent in his desire to re-establish this coveted footing. Those who are not true Jackson hardcores will probably find their attention wandering towards the end, but for those who were in awe of the man, then they have probably seen this already, and without any prompting.
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