IS THIS REALLY IT?
I still remember the many times I sat in front of the TV feeling mesmerized by the newest video from the King of pop Michael Jackson. His music and his image were so avant-garde at the time that one's attention could not help but to be captured by them. Twenty years later, it is now almost 2010 and the king is no longer ruling.
I was shocked like the rest of us when MJ's death was announced earlier this year and I am certain that the memory of that day will always be with me. I have been reluctant to blog about this as the media frenzy on this issue has been intoxicating enough on its own. Recently however, I went to watch Kenny Ortega's movie THIS IS IT and I was reminded of the true grandeur of Michael's music and of the importance of writing an article like this to commemorate the many memories I lived through the king's music.
Ortega's movie flows really smoothly as it is a documentary and concert hybrid. While sitting at the movie theatre you literally feel like Michael is performing a rehearsal in front of you and that all of his energy and passion are being transmitted as if he were still alive. I have heard mixed reviews from some other friends who also watched the movie. Some of them loved it and others found it quite long and boring. In my opinion, this movie should be watched by anyone who truly respects and admires Michael's musical influence. This film helped me to get to know a side of MJ that I had never been exposed to. I knew that Michael had some of the greatest songs and videos of all time but I never really understood just how involved he was in the process of creating these musical masterpieces. Michael was not a typical pop performer, but rather a perfectionist musician who understood the theories behind creating superb billboard hits.
Through THIS IS IT, I also learned that Michael was a true philanthropist who believed that each member of humanity has enough power to change our world. In the film, Ortega creates a very visual representation of this through an extremely touching video of the "Earth Song". As shared by Michael himself during the documentary, the purpose of these series of concerts was to remind people of the importance of feeling love towards one another. He believed that Earth was sick and that we should make a change before it is too late - I could not agree more.
Overall, I found the movie to be educational, entertaining and above all inspirational. Michael's life was always plagued with controversy, but behind all of that was a human being with feelings and flaws like the rest of us. Money and fame are a privilege but they can also be one's worst enemy. I thank Michael for the many times he inspired me to feel music flow through my body, for the many visual images I will always carry with me, and especially for sharing his passion and his art with this world. Rest in peace king of pop. No one will ever replace you.
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