‘This Is It’
Directed by: Kenny Ortega
Starring: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson, since his untimely death this June, has been so frequently mentioned, the bringing up of his name causes more annoyed glares than sympathetic sighs as of late.

Many have tried to analyze his life, both musically and personally, but, for the most part, the public has been allowed only speculation to base its opinions on.

His new posthumous concert film, “This Is It,” came out Oct. 28, giving his millions of adoring fans a glimpse into what the man was really like. Edited down from hundreds of hours of footage of his rehearsal at the Staples Center for his “This Is It” tour, and directed by Kenny Ortega, “This Is It” just shows both what a spectacle Jackson’s 50-date stint at London’s O2 arena would have been but what Jackson was like as a performer, a musician and as the King of Pop.

The documentary starts by showing the many dancers associated with the tour giving shout outs to Jackson. Tears are shed, and members of the audience not completely devoted to Jackson as a performer immediately understand the point of view of those who are.

The film then goes into footage taken of Jackson doing what he did best: dancing. Very rarely in the film do we get to see Jackson let himself sing and when we do, he scolds himself for it. He say he needs to conserve his voice, but when he slips, it is apparent how much he enjoys letting loose.

That is what the documentary provides where little else has: introspection into how tirelessly devoted Jackson was to his music and performances. Often he criticizes the most miniscule things, fixating on them until everything is up to his standards. Jackson may have his faults, but he cannot be criticized for not being extremely involved with everything he does.

It’s obvious he wasn’t putting on this show as a self-fulfilling gesture. Jackson so dearly wanted to give his fans a show of epic proportions so they would remember forever. When the musicians who support Jackson are interviewed, you can tell just by their facial expressions how much they admire the man. As much as Jackson’s fans love him, he reciprocates that love equally.

The concert footage is great to tap your feet to, showing what it is that makes Jackson’s music so great, but it’s secondary to the emotions that are felt and displayed throughout the film.

For the better part of the documentary, Jackson is seen wearing sunglasses, symbolic of how he has always been hiding behind something.

But with the cameras constantly rolling, Jackson’s cover cannot help but be seen through.

With “This Is It,” though it wasn’t intentional, the planning of the concert is shown, and for anyone who is into music, it’s a joy to see all the intricacies that go into planning a show on such a large scale.

This is made even more captivating because it’s a Michael Jackson show, full of innovation and originality.

With the film, you can tell that the footage was never intended to be a full-length feature film viewed by millions, and, at times, things can become dull. Also, when seeing the enormous scale of the concert that never was, you can’t help but question if the film was made to pay back the millions spent on the show.

What “This Is It” does is reveal Michael Jackson to be a human — a thing that much of the world has forgotten and needs to be reminded of.

Reach the reporter at pmelbour@asu.edu.