As you might imagine, there is a major bittersweetness involved while watching Michael Jackson's This Is It.
Consider the entire documentary, which began a limited two week run at Canadian theatres at midnight on Tuesday night, is fascinating behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for a concert comeback for Jackson that never happened after his untimely death on June 25 at the age of 50.
As Jackson is prophetically shown saying himself at the March press conference to announce the run of London shows: "This is the final curtain."
So not only do you mourn for the man himself - revealed to be an eccentric, playful, and creative perfectionist in the film, and more importantly still a vital singer and flashy dancer for anyone who had doubts about his health - but for what might have been the next great phase of his career.
Jackson, who hadn't toured in more than a decade, was just eight days away from leaving from L.A. for London and a 50-show run at 02 Arena when he died at his home from a cardiac arrest.
This Is It was culled from 120 hours of footage of Jackson rehearsing at the Staples Centre with show director Kenny Ortega, who also directed the movie, and various choreographers, dancers, the band and filmmakers who shot striking footage to be used in the live show.
I cannot watch it. You can never understand that part of me, just like Diana Ross did not attend the funeral nor the memorial. I met Michael as a teen.
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