Fans declare Michael Jackson film This Is It 'perfect'
A scene from 'This Is It' where Jackson rehearses performing 'The Way You Make Me Feel'
Wednesday October 28 2009
Michael Jackson film This Is It premiered around the world to a warm reception from fans – although it failed to answer questions about the singer's health in the weeks before his death.
The documentary was pieced together from documentary footage shot during rehearsals for Jackson's London comeback shows.
In the film, Jackson performs his trademark dance steps with gusto and is seen laughing and joking with the show's producer, Kenny Ortega, and his troupe of dancers.
However, the 50-year-old singer also appears painfully thin and on more than one occasion is shown out of breath after going through his routines. His voice is also weak in several sequences, although the star says he is conserving it. His eyes are hidden behind dark glasses during his performances, and he is not interviewed on camera.
Jackson died on June 25, eight days before he was due to travel to London.
A group of fans have called for a boycott of the film, claiming Jackson was pushed beyond his limits during rehearsals. They have set up a website, This Is Not It, claiming the documentary does not give the true picture of Jackson's physical and mental health.
The group had threatened to hand out leaflets at the London premiere in Leicester Square, but there was no large-scale protest outside the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.
The fans lucky enough to get a ticket to the premiere cheered and applauded Jackson's performances in the documentary, which was drawn from more than 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage shot in Los Angeles.
This Is It gave fans their first glimpse of what Jackson's ill-fated London shows would have looked like – a multi-million pound spectacular involving 3D imagery, pyrotechnics and a series of elaborate stage sets.
Mo Rizwan, 26, a lifelong Jackson fan, said: "The film surpassed my expectations. Some of the things they were planning to do for the shows were amazing.
"I was a bit surprised that we didn't see him moonwalk or do the Smooth Criminal 'lean'. But apart from that it was everything I hoped it would be. It was a perfect way to remember him." Speaking after the premiere, Chris Taliotis, 23, said: "He looked very skinny, but he was never a big guy. He seemed happy though. You saw him smile. He seemed so content in what he was doing, which was great to see. I was very impressed with the film."
Julia Georgiou, a 23-year-old fan, said: "It was so nice to see another side of Michael. We're used to seeing him performing but you also see him behind the scenes, laughing and joking.
"It was a bit sad to watch. There were two girls crying in the toilets at the end - they burst into tears during the end credits." The film launched with 19 simultaneous premieres in 18 countries, with Jackson family members attending the Los Angeles screening, Jermaine Jackson said on the LA red carpet: "I'm very happy but not surprised by all this because Michael was loved by billions around the globe.
"He was a messenger from God, through his music and through his work.
I'm very, very proud. God gave us Michael and he took Michael back, and Michael did a lot of good on this earth."
- Anita Singh
© Telegraph.co.uk
