Michael Jackson in IMAX: It's a thriller

If the documentary “Michael Jackson's This Is It” is the closest audiences will come to seeing the content of what Jackson had in mind for his comeback concerts at London’s O2 Arena, then viewing the film in IMAX is the closest analogy to the way 90% of fans would have actually experienced it had they scored a ticket.

During the screening I caught over the weekend at the IMAX theater in Burbank, I quickly realized that this is how most people would have seen him: on a huge video screen, as opposed to being close enough to the stage to watch him in the flesh.

In addition, the 12,000-watt IMAX sound system helped considerably to replicate the visceral impact of the sound he and his band wanted to put across in concert. The sultry pulse of “The Way You Make Me Feel,” the explosive rock funk of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin' ” and the sonic crackle of “Thriller” are all the more impressive in IMAX.

Yet, for all the extra square screen footage and audio wattage, it was the movie’s small moments that had the most impact on me. The real appeal of this documentary is showing how Jackson approached his artistry, not just the bedazzling finished product, which of course now will never be seen.

The most revelatory scenes for my money were those in which he spent time with the multitude of musicians, dancers and crew members to communicate his vision of his music and live performance.

As the band was working up the elegantly fluid “The Way You Make Me Feel,” the King of Pop gently coached the keyboardist in how to find the elusive but more seductive groove that falls behind the beat, rather than the obvious one that sits squarely on it.

In another number, he explained — admonished is too strong a word for the gentle band leader — to a guitarist that the riff he was playing wasn’t aggressively funky enough and, therefore, Jackson wasn’t feeling the funk. It became tacitly clear that Jackson needed to feel it to his core, rather than simply move in time with the beat.

Surprisingly, even on the giant IMAX screen, scenes of Jackson’s dancing were often framed in a way that eliminated his feet: a faux pas akin to filming Segovia or Jimi Hendrix from the elbows up, or Madonna from the shoulders up.

The many scenes where his feet were visible offer a priceless reminder of what an endlessly inventive dancer Jackson was — a fact that stayed etched in my mind since seeing him in his prime in the 1980s. As others have noted in reviews of "This Is It," it's impressive to see Jackson, at 50, displaying a grace and ease of motion that even the corps of dancers working with him — most half his age — couldn't come close to equaling.

It’s a huge part of what always made him such a thriller in concert.

-- Randy Lewis

Photo: Michael Jackson during rehearsals for "This Is It" at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Credit: Kevin Mazur.

  
 

Comments

[elaira]

i love mj rip u will always be in my heart

[LG]

Thanks for your most excellent review. I saw the movie in a regular cinema but I'm going to the Imax this week. Can't wait.

[MarCanada]

An amazing film experience. Watching it in Toronto on a regular screen - I would have loved the IMAX experience - my emotions moved from awe, to tears and back numerous times. The wonderful, emotion-evoking singing and dancing, and all the elaborate effects to go with each song - they took my breath away. I miss Michael and if prayers could come true, mine would have been to have Michael put everything he did in This Is It onto the real stage. To Michael, with Love - as the master put it throughout the move.

Marlene from Toronto

[Deb]

Thank you for your article. I'm a longtime fan and I appreciate your kind words towards the King of Pop

[jojo]

Let's be aware that there is about 120 hours of footage and about 121 minutes of that made it into this movie. I am sure there are many many many hours of footage which reveal his footwork.

[Kristen]

Thanks for this great review, I also loved This Is It; I felt it was an incredibly moving inspiring and entertaining documentary.

I agree about wanting to see his feet all the time; his dancing is fascinating to watch, I kept on forgetting he was almost 51 at the time of the footage, he seemed more like in his 30s or even 20s

[#1 MICHAEL JACKSON fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

i watched this is it on a normal everyday cinema screen at the movies. Then i wondered how it would look 3D. I am an absolute total fan of Michael Jackson, and as a fan, i would really love to see this is it in 3D. I agree with you that it would feel like he was really there with you, if it was in 3D. I CANT WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Monica]

This is such a nice review of the movie and such a positive comment on the king of pop's artistry. I grew up with his music but I never appreciated his work before. I was so sad when he passed away. Just like that song w/c goes something like "you'll never know what you've got till it's gone"... Now I am a huge fan and had purchased almost all of his CDs.

[Kjack]

Yes, for me it was also the "small moments" that captivated my attention.
The comments to his guitarist..."We're right here with you...it's your moment to shine" or to his admiring young dancers... "Don't be nervous...we are a family"
or the still young at heart Michael in the cherry picker exclaiming, "wheeeee" while Ortega tells Michael to please hold on.
I choked up when he thanked his family, softly calling out their names one by one (which I knew would be for the last time)
and when I heard his powerful message how we need to nuture our planet like she nurtures us during the Earth Song rehearsal.
Of course, we see he still had the moves, and we are entertained by "the show" but it's the small moments when Michael shows us the human being he was while showing us his vision that left me wanting more.

[froggytuff]

What a lovely piece of information. Devoid of the usual tabloid attention grabbing news. this piece was refreshing to read, thank you. I, too, may go and see it.

[YANA]

I've watched this movie twice already but I still want to see it one more time. I've never seen anything like this before. The experience was like I won a back-stage ticket to see a rock concert. I got to get "upclose and personal" with my favorite musician, saw him perform live right in front of me and even got the feeling like he was interacting with me in a discrete way. His dance, his moves, his vocal, his music ... simply amazing! But that was not all. The whole stage production: the special effects, the 3D short movies accompanying some of the numbers, the ensemble of the cast and crews simply proved that MJ was still capable to fascinate the world with his creative genius. MJ is still and always will be the THRILLER to me! I love this movie. Until the dvd comes out, I got to see "THIS IS IT" once more time. This time will be at an IMAX theater.

[Hiroe]

I was also impressed by this process as well -working so hard to bridge between his vision and the reality.

It is no doubt that he had so much talent in dancing and singing.

I have to confess that I did not know so much about him till recently. When I saw his old music videos in YouTube, I thought myself, this person has so much talent---no wonder this gift made him so famous and special.

But then, after seeing this movie, I realized that I was wrong.

What made him so special was his effort to express himself with passion through hard work. He worked hard, but very gently, always humble, respecting others while not compromising what he believed.

This is art, I thought.

And I was reminded that I should work harder to express myself with passion in my own way. Whether one is singing, working in the office, taking care of other people, we can all work like that. We can all be an artist in our own way.

I learned something special. Thank you for living in a way you did, Michael Jackson.

Peace.

[Sam]

Great Point there about the feet. This would be an even bigger hit if we could see shuffling feet.

And his hat in Smooth Criminal was going out of the screen-in the regular theatre.

[Darlene ONeil]

I agree with everything you said and I seen it at a regular screening with my grand daughter and she is fasinated with him. I have never seen him in concert but I have been watching everything that I can of him. I grew up with him and his brothers. I loved to watch him dance and his music is magical it's something you never forget. I am going to quote from one of his songs Gone To Soon. RIP MJ I love and miss him so much. I did not think that his death would be so hard on me, I am still greiveing everytime I see him in anything or read anything I still cry.

Darlene ONeil

[sam]

Loved the movie but watched on regular big screen. Planning to watch it on IMAX. There is something about this movie which leaves you even hungry for more....or was it MJ. So sad we do not have MJ with us now.

[claire]

thanks for the nice review of TII

i have seen this movie twice already and everytime I am still glued to the screen, you just cannot take your eyes of Michael. i went to a roller coaster of emotions watching this film. i have been a fan of michael for 20+ years now that is why this movie meant so much to me. seeing him that alive on these rehearsal footages, his dancing, his amazing voice, which is stronger than ever , just left me speechless after watching it the first time.

[sc341]

I loved the movie and plan on seeing it again this weekend. I love you and miss you Michael Jackson, you were truly "The Greatest Showman on Earth". R.I.P. sweet King of Pop.

[Sam]

IMAX IS OVER!

ENDED NOV. 5TH!

Screw Sony for not announcing an end date!

[factsonly]

I was lucky enough to see This Is It three times. It got better each time. Michael's irreplaceable. Am thankful that we can re-visit him on YouTube. I keep discovering wonderful songs by him that I never had the chance to hear before because of U.S. deejays who joined the unjustified witch hunt against him.