<p>I went back and saw it a second time, this time at an IMAX theater. I wish it had a longer run so my daughter could go with me! I’m not too keen on trying to see in demand movies on the weekends.</p>
<p>Loved it just as much the second time.</p>
<p>Have not seen it but a co-worker saw it last night and raved about it at work today.</p>
<p>Saw it today with D. Really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>I am glad the movie was made - so many people worked so hard on this show, and it clearly would have been phenomenal. For many of the performers, they were viewing this show as the pinnacle of their career - the chance to dance/sing/play music with someone whose artistry had inspired them for years. At least with this movie they will have SOMETHING to show others. I can’t imagine how disappointing it was to not be able to actually perform this show.</p>
<p>I was also very impressed with Michael’s creative process (I am always fascinated by the creative process - where do choreographers/musicians get their inspiration? How do they translate it to stage/song? I loved to peek in the window at D’s studio when the directors were choreographing, just to see how they created the dance.) I really liked the way he “corrected” others in a gentle and caring way - he was an absolute perfectionist, but he never berates anyone - just told people matter-of-factly what needed to be changed, usually adding the phrase “with love” or “that’s why we rehearse.” What a nurturing environment to work in.</p>
<p>Again, I was never a huge MJ fan, but I truly enjoyed this movie and so I wish we could have seen the actual show. It would have been amazing.</p>
<p>^^^ Wow, you really summarized just how I felt!</p>
<p>I too, thought how sad for these dancers to have this show never happen.</p>
<p>I saw This Is It on Sunday … and I too LOVED it…I agree Lafalum84 that I was mesmerized by Michael’s ownership of everything… he micromanaged every movement and every sound… watching him move as he rehearsed was like watching liquid music… I am reminded of how dogs hear higher pitched sounds than we humans do… I feel like Michael Jackson heard notes/beats in his songs we don’t hear… but not only does he hear these notes, he captures them with his movements… and we do get snippets of his creative juices, when he tells the musicians to let something “sizzle” … he describes how he wants the intro to one piece to go slower, like when one gets up and out of bed in the morning… he was completely involved in every aspect of his music and performances and I agree that he appeared to be very even handed in his manner in dealing with others. No diva behavior… rather, a real vision… and definite smiles when he was happy with the results… I felt real sadness for all the supporting singers and dancers whose big break died with Michael…</p>
<p>I strongly encourage anyone who has an interest, to go and see the movie in a theater with a large screen and a great sound system. </p>
<p>I went out yesterday and bought the CD of the songs…and I have been listening to The Way You Make Me Feel over and over… it is my new “favorite” MJ song… I watched the music video for it today and was really tickled by his performance, he was very convincing in his pursuit of the gal in that video … </p>
<p>I think he was unequaled in his musical and dancing talent… I am sorry his life ended so abruptly… Kenny Ortega did a great job with this movie… in my opinion…</p>
<p>“The Way You Make Me Feel” has always been my favorite MJ song. I loved the changes in the opening that Michael devised for this performance. The slow opening with the dancers in the city set was brilliant. When he told the musicians to “let it simmer” and slow it down “like you’re dragging yourself out of bed,” I saw that genius that so many of his coworkers have mentioned over the years.</p>
<p>I think the female guitar player is going to be famous as a result of this film. I heard an interview with her on the radio and she is putting out an album. My daughter already has her single on her Iphone.</p>
<p>“Simmer”. Wasn’t that a perfect word to get across what he wanted them to do with the music in that spot? Once he said that word, I felt EXACTLY what he meant.</p>
<p>Michael Jackson was one year older than me, so I feel like we “grew up together”; even if I was never head over heels for him.
In fact, I was surprised how his untimely death affected me. I really felt my life go by as I heard all his old and older songs on the radio they triggered so many memories.</p>
<p>I was not going to see “This is It” until a co-worker, a few years younger than me, saw it and loved it. She also said seeing the movie made it obvious to her that he was healthy at the time of his death.
I am going to see if I can drag one of my kids to see it with me.</p>
<p>I grew up with Michael and so felt like I knew him. He was always my favorite out of the Jackson 5. There was just something about him that drew you to him. He was truly a genius, and I agree with what some others have said. It was like his whole being was music. He heard notes and beats in his head and how to translate it into dance. And he knew exactly what he wanted and how he wanted it and was never a prima donna or mean spirited.<br>
I have about 60 of his songs including Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, and his death really hit me hard. I bought about 10 magazines with his various looks on them, but I didn’t see him as weird. I saw him as someone who gave up his own childhood to bring happiness to millions of us around the world. I know most of the dance moves from the videos and taped all of the video marathons that played right after his death, so me and the kids were laughing and dancing, and the music still sounds good and can get you moving. How many artists can say that after 20 or 30 years?</p>
<p>My three kids and I saw it Sunday, but I plan on going to see it again, maybe this time on an IMAX screen. And I agree also to stay until the end of the credits. Man, I miss him.
Long Live the King of Pop:)</p>
<p>His physical self WAS the music. Yesterday I was thinking about the various ‘dance’ steps he executed and how not a one of them was out of place or off cue. They were crisp and perfect. When he did the ‘beat box’ and kept working with his lead guitarist (a 24 year old girl from Australia) to get higher on a note, I watched her trying, trying, trying and his voice pitched so high up on the scale…there was genius and magic. Another thing that stuck with me…there were 185 cast and crew in that auditorium (Staples Center, Los Angeles) and at one point MJ was placed in a ‘cherry picker’ (which would have been used for a couple of numbers and he would have floated around in the air). They were just testing it to see how it felt, and MJ was simply adorable, looking around and saying “thank you” and “god bless you” to various crew, quietly but sincerely. </p>
<p>His guitarist Orianthi Panagaris in action [YouTube</a> - Michael Jackson’s guitarist Orianthi Interview HD](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YGCQrdSSOc]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YGCQrdSSOc)</p>
<p>Orianthi Panagaris: That’s what put it on my radar first place and then the whole movie was terrific. Wasn’t it fun to see how thrilled the dancers were, to be chosen for the show? A dream come true.</p>
<p>Going to see it tonight- in IMAX. Bought tickets online. Sad that we qualified for the “senior” discount :(</p>
<p>Oh Jym626…it isn’t sad you qualify for the Senior discount…I think it is a testament to his magic and wonder how many senior discount tickets will be sold… </p>
<p>Let us know if IMAX is worth it… I lobbied for it with my girlfriends when we went to see it and was defeated… my next screening might have to be IMAX…</p>
<p>Maineparent, I could be wrong, but I don’t believe there was anything different visually in the film at IMAX other than screen size vs. regular as it wasn’t filmed with that in mind. I think the main difference could be the sound system. My impressions were that the sound was much better in our IMAX, but a newer theater with excellent audio equipment could probably be just as good.</p>
<p>Thanks Nrdsb4 (nerdsbefore??) I suspected that Imax might not be right for this film… completely agree that a good sound system is a prereq for this film… there is a new “Imax” in Saco Maine…but it isn’t as big as the ones in Boston or NYC… the screen is very, very wide, but not equally as tall… we saw the last Harry Potter there…which we also saw in a regular theater…and I felt like this extended Imax screen was tooo wide … almost had to keep turning my head to see the movie…like watching a tennis match!!</p>
<p>Just returned for the movie. Really well done. I am very glad we saw it in IMAX. Yes, some of the clips were out of focus a bit, but IMAX just really filled the theater and immersed you in the film. There was no need for any head-turning. The sound was incredible. I remember at the end thinking “who is snapping their fingers in the back left of the theater??” Of course it was the sound system. </p>
<p>I have to wonder if they really only planned to save the film for his personal library, or if all along, if the London tour was a success (and judging fron the incredible scale of everything they did it would have been tremendous) they planned to release a “making of the final tour” type film. Two hours of footage after all the editing they had to do, getting permission from the family, passing it by all the lawyers, and getting it out to theaters just 4 mos after his death, you have to wonder…</p>
<p>Also, as active as he was, the energy he had (I wish I had half that energy at his age) how in blazes (pharmaceuticals aside) could he not sleep at night?? </p>
<p>Other observation-- he always had his arms covered. Had on a long sleeved shirt and jacket, or 2 shirts, and only rarely one long sleeved shirt, all the time. Probably to cover the vitiligo, and possibly to cover injection sites. No matter, go see the film. Really does show what an incredible talent he was.</p>
<p>jym626 wrote: I have to wonder if they really only planned to save the film for his personal library, or if all along, if the London tour was a success (and judging fron the incredible scale of everything they did it would have been tremendous) they planned to release a “making of the final tour” type film.</p>
<p>I don’t think so, especially since the quality of the footage is not really that great. They shot on 2 very small hand-held video cameras, not at all professionally shot. I have a friend who is an editor and he says the editing time is about right for someone(s) who knows what they’re doing.</p>
<p>^^^ I suppose. But it had that sort of homemade documentary feel. I thought most of the footage was pretty good quality, but I am no expert.</p>
<p>Anyone going to rush out and buy the DVD tomorrow (Jan. 26)? I know I will! I’ve heard there will be some wonderful special features.</p>
<p>To add one more thing…</p>
<p>After seeing *This is It *in the theaters, I wanted to see more live performances of Michael Jackson. I bought a DVD *Dangerous Tour: Bucherest. * Basically, This is It tour was going to be a revamping of that tour plus any new songs written after that time. That DVD is great. It was filmed in 1994 or thereabouts. The DVD performance took place in Bucherest and I was blown away by all these Romanian kids who knew every lyric in English and sang along to every song. I don’t even know all his lyrics; it kind of reinforces the point that other nations are so much better at learning other languages and how interested they seem to be in our pop culture.</p>
<p>Anyway, I loved this DVD because it showed Michael at his peak. He has had cosmetic surgery, but doesn’t look “freakish” yet. He smiles a lot. He’s a good ten (healthy) pounds heavier. Child molestation charges were brewing back home, but he hadn’t yet been forced to face them head on yet. He seems truly happy; the singing and dancing was just incredible. When you see him at 50 in This Is It, it’s amazing that he could come so close to replicating a performance from 15 years prior.</p>
<p>Oh, and you see some of the same people from *This Is It *in this DVD. Michael apparently was loyal…</p>