I'll never be over it.
This Is It, the quasi documentary/concert film assembled from candid footage of Jackson's rehearsals for his planned comeback tour is bittersweet. When it hit movie theaters worldwide last fall, I was delighted to see it. Once it was over, I was both awestruck and upset. Michael's attention to detail and innovation was peerless. But since I was armed with knowledge of his sudden death before those destined-to-be-amazing concerts ever happened, I vacillated between joy and despair.
Watching the DVD will do the same thing to me.
This film does one thing extremely well. It reminds those who may have forgotten of Jackson's breathtaking abilities as a performer. Indeed, even though he only gives half-speed effort during the rehearsals, it's still enough to astonish. His dancing, even at nearly 51 years of age seemed to redefine the limits and laws of physics and gravity. His singing soars through the mostly empty arena and his voiced concepts of how the show was to play out was precise and ambitious.
Given the fact that Michael's public reputation had been on a steep decline for at least 15 years, this film is perfect because it strips away the controversy, scandal and criticism. All it shows is a master in his element, filled with focus and drive and eager to rekindle his status as the greatest entertainer in history. After seeing the epic scope and magnitude of what Michael had planned for those London concerts, it becomes an absolute certainty that he would have crafted the greatest live show ever. But instead of the finished product, us fans are left with a skeletal blueprint of what could've and would've been.
But with Michael Jackson front and center, it's still an awesome treat.
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