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Michael Jackson should be remembered for the talent not the tabloids
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With all the buzz surrounding the two-week engagement of the Michael Jackson documentary, 'This is It', I felt it was appropriate to pay my respects to the man who changed the face of music and is undeniably one of the greatest legends of our time.
This is not 'it'.
Our children, grandchildren, and generations to come will gain inspiration and move their hips to the music of Michael Jackson. He doesn't belong in one genre, or one musical era. He transcends all that we have come to love about music and he seemed to do it effortlessly. His personal life may have been less than perfect, but why do we as a society put so much emphasis on celebrities and their lives? Why are we so fascinated by what someone did or didn't do and why? Why can't we leave well enough alone and let their talent speak for itself? With all the propaganda in the media, crazed paparazzi, and tabloids rushing to get the best story even if it contains no truth, how can we invest any faith in what is said/written about a celebrity.
When I heard of Michael Jackson's death I thought of the loss to the world of music and that I would never hear anything new from my childhood crush (yes, I even had the glove and Trapper Keeper). I was heartbroken, but thankful for all that Michael Jackson contributed to music and all of the minds he inspired and will continue to inspire. We hear/feel his influences everywhere from Justin Timberlake to techno dance beats. It's really quite amazing when you think about how many genres he influenced. Sure, that kind of fame sometimes comes at a price, but 'This is It' showcased the fact that Michael was truly happy, truly himself, when he was on stage entertaining. He closed up and became shy when people questioned his intentions, but when he was performing he truly seemed to light up and exuded a confidence we didn't often see in interviews.
I had the opportunity to interview avid Michael Jackson fan, Jeff Malloy, who rushed right out to see 'This is It'. His insights and opinions are below.
Before seeing the movie what were your expectations and did the movie live up to them?
While I was excited about seeing the movie because I am an MJ fan, my expectations were low because it was rehearsal footage and from what I heard it had never intended to be released. The movie over exceeded my expectations. The production quality was top notch, the flow was fantastic, the movie never dragged and in the end I was left wanting more. I thought I was going to be exhausted because I went to the 12:01 a.m. premier, but I was surprisingly not tired at all at the end and could have watched another hour.
Do you think the movie did Michael's life and music justice?
The movie is the first time that I can remember that Michael was portrayed as human. In all the other interviews like the Martin Bashire piece he came across as weird, out of touch with reality and used in the end by the interviewer. Because this movie was not a documentary and the camera were just filming him working he came across as very in control and brilliant. The movie showed he was in control of every aspect of the production from choreographing the dance, designing the costumes, to coming up with different ways of signing his songs. If you were hoping to see Jacko the Wacko, you were at the wrong place.
What was your favorite part of the movie?
My favorite part of the movie was the singing. In past shows like 30 Anniversary Special a few years ago, it was obvious he was lip singing and in this movie you saw him working with a voice coach. All the past shows highlighted his dancing and this movie showed what a great voice he had. I particularly enjoyed when he sang Human Nature. He sounded pitch perfect and he altered it from the original version, which I assume was to showcase his voice.
As a lifelong Michael Jackson fan, did you learn anything from the movie that you didn't know about his life and music?
I never realized that he was so talented in all aspects of the music business. In one scene he is beep boxing how he wants the bass or drums to sound, it was incredible. He was pitch-perfect in how he mimicked the instruments. I also learned how gracious he was, even when he was frustrated, or was being critical of the musicians. He always ended a critique with 'I love you, or this is why we practice'. Essentially he was a great leader and the press has always portrayed him as a loner.
What are some of your favorite Michael songs?
One of my favorite Michael Jackson songs is a lesser known track from the Thriller Album called the ‘Lady in My Life’. I can listen to ‘Billie Jean’ everyday and never tire of hearing it. Other songs I love are 'Another Part of Me' from Bad, 'Break of Dawn' from Invincible, 'Rock with You' from Off the Wall and 'Dirty Diana' from Bad., and 'Earth Song' from History: Past, Present and Future.
What inspired you most about the movie and which performances were your favorites?
I was inspired by the diversity of his talent, both from a choreography, musical and production standpoint. As I mentioned earlier his performance of 'Human Nature' was amazing. I also enjoyed 'Smooth Criminal' in terms of the dancing and his performance of 'Earth Song'.
What do think was Michael's greatest triumph in life and his musical career?
In terms of music career he changed the medium in terms of not only having a great song, but also having a video, which in itself was a mini work of art to accompany it. I remember in the early 90’s when an MJ video would debut on Fox after 90210 and everyone in the country was tuning in to see it and that was a number of years after the Thriller phenomenon . No one could pull that off today. You see his influence today in people like Justin Timberlake, whose career really mimics Michaels and Usher. In terms of his life he will always be known for his universal appeal. No one has ever had the appeal and fame globally as Michael Jackson. As far as I know Elvis, or Beatles were not revered in third world countries, or the Soviet Union, etc. To this day Thriller is still the number one selling album in the world.
You can’t talk about Michael, without the tabloid stories, while that is part of his legacy; I think his death has made people realize again what an amazing singer, songwriter and performer he was. I am glad because I have consistently been a fan of Michael and now when I am having a party and pop in a DVD of his videos, or play a song, the response will be a lot more positive from my friends.
Thanks so much Jeff for the review and your opinion on Michael and his life. I hope your insights will get people out to see the movie while it is still in theaters and force themselves to think outside the tabloids and propaganda and be captivated by the musician that was, and always will be, Michael Jackson.
You can follow everything Michael Jackson and see what people are talking the most about on Examiner.com's Real-Time Michael Jackson Tracker.
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