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Michael Jackson film extended to Thanksgiving
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One of the millions who has already seen "This Is It".
When you have the most popular film on the planet, it’s probably a good idea to keep it in theatres. This simple logic is behind the decision of concert promoters AEG to extend the run of the Michael Jackson rehearsal documentary “This Is It”.
The film opened on October 27th and was originally scheduled to run for just two weeks. It will now be in theatres until at least the week after Thanksgiving. On Thursday November 5, the film passed the $100 million mark internationally and there are no signs it will slow down. “This Is It” will most likely be one of the top five films in the United States for the third weekend in a row.
Michael Jackson made a habit of filming his rehearsals to use as archival footage for his personal library. So, the last few days of his life (at least the time he spent on stage) were thoroughly documented. Jackson was preparing for fifty sold-out shows at London’s O2 Arena, which would have meant over a million tickets sold and more than $100 million for promoters AEG. When Jackson died on June 25, the company decided they needed a way to cover their losses. They quickly edited the footage they had to create what amounts to a documentary of Jackson’s rehearsals.
The film seems to focus on the three days before his death and we get an intimate glimpse of the icon’s creative process and attention to detail. Time and time again, he picks out and alters the minutiae of what his band is playing, hearing things the casual listener would never hear.
And yes, Jackson looked thin, but his energy and genius shine through in preparations for a show that seems like it would have truly been one of the great concert events the world has ever seen. It makes for a film that while entertaining, is shrouded in the sadness of what could have been.
Emmett Williams
www.emmettwilliams.com
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