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Michael Jackson's This is It is a documentary concert film about Michael Jackson. It was released on October 28, 2009 in the USA, four months after Michael died. This movie was directed by Kenny Ortega and has received six awards and 10 nominations.[2] It is currently the second highest grossing concert movie in history and the highest grossing documentary film ever at the global box office.[3][4]
Content[]
The film mainly chronicles, in detail, Michael's preparation for his planned This Is It tour. It reveals rehearsals for 14 songs in total (excluding the "Drill" dance sequence). Additionally, Jackson's conversations with the staff and other behind-the-scenes footage is showcased as well.
During the credits, a montage of Michael's preparations for the concerts is shown with his 1980 song of the same title being played as background music.
Controversy[]
Perfectionism[]
The film received backlash from fans and the Jackson family, as they felt the artist wouldn't appreciate the footage to be released, especially in such state, as Michael was a perfectionist and very likely wouldn't want the viewers to see him not give it his all. To stop the negotiations between AEG and Sony, Michael's nephews even tried to go to court.
"This Is Not It"[]
The biggest concern however, was Jackson's health. In what was shown before the movie, his appearance changed a lot due to lack of nutrition. Because of this, fans started boycotting the release. A campaign was launched called "This Is Not It". Its goal was to show how AEG had neglected Michael's health and is now profiting off of it.[5]
Songs[]
| No. | Title |
|---|---|
| 1. | "Wanna Be Startin' Something" |
| 2. | "Jam" |
| 4. | "They Don't Care About Us" |
| 5. | "Human Nature" |
| 6. | "Smooth Criminal" |
| 7. | "The Way You Make Me Feel" |
| 7. | Jackson 5 Medley (I Want You Back / The Love You Save / I'll Be There / Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) / "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" featuring Judith Hill) |
| 8. | "Thriller" |
| 9. | "Beat It" |
| 10. | "Black or White" |
| 11. | "Earth Song" |
| 12. | "Billie Jean" |
| 13. | "Man in the Mirror" |
Notes[]
- Audio from a "Heal the World" rehearsal (featuring playback vocals) is included during the end credits.
- Other songs were filmed as well, although such didn't make the final cut. Snippets of them made appearances in the Blue-ray extras and online leaks. These include: "Dirty Diana", "We Are the World", "Dangerous", "Stranger in Moscow".
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The rehearsal of "Earth Song" is the last time Jackson ever sang a song in his life, as it was shot on June 24, 2009, less than 24 hours before his passing. It also samples vocals from "What About Us", a demo of "Earth Song".
- All but two songs, as seen in the documentary, show multiple days of rehearsing. "They Don't Care About Us" and "Billie Jean" only show a single rehearsal. According to Kenny Ortega, there was another rehearsal of "Billie Jean" with Jackson wearing the sequined jacket and fedora, but such a performance has yet to be released.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1130530305/
- ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1477715/awards/?ref_=tt_awd
- ↑ https://x.com/theswiftsociety/status/1744233692053053883?s=46
- ↑ https://collider.com/highest-grossing-documentaries-ranked/#39-michael-jackson-39-s-this-is-it-39-2009
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/michaeljacksonthisisnotit/