06:57 PM Friday, November 20, 2009
Michael Jackson and the Pursuit of Perfection
Date: Monday, November 02, 2009, 6:20 am
By: Tonya Pendleton, BlackAmericaWeb.com
That Michael Jackson is one of the greatest entertainers of all time was already undeniable, but after seeing “This Is It,” he will forever be cemented into the rare group of entertainers who are simply part of another stratosphere.
But that's not the most significant thing viewers are learning from this incredible movie. What is most apparent is that it was Jackson’s commitment to greatness and his acceptance of genius that allowed the singer/songwriter/entertainer/icon to remain famous and beloved for over 40 years.
It is a loss beyond human measure that Jackson, who died on June 25, just months before his 51st birthday, was taken from the world before he had the chance to perform the 50 shows in London from which the rehearsals for “This Is It” are drawn. Watching the show in its raw, incomplete form is still far more compelling than many current artists’ fully realized shows. But what remains after the last note had been sung, Jackson fades from the screen and the credits have rolled is the insight into his preparation and craftsmanship, as well as the recognition that so few have that same dedication.
Thin, with his face ruined by multiple plastic surgeries, his color light years away from the chocolate-coated child he once was, Jackson’s authentic spirit still resided within the cosmetically altered man. In “This Is It,” he presents a much stronger, more confident side than the world may have seen before as he directs his dancers, band, choreographer and guitar player with both humility and - as he himself says - “Love, L-O-V-E.” One of the most compelling moments in the movie is the scene where he is working with a live-action and film sequence that requires him to detect a cue while he’s looking away from the person who would signal him. When he’s asked how he will know when the cue comes, he says dismissively, “I’ll feel it. I’ll feel it.” And you can believe that after a lifetime of performing, singing, writing, dancing and interacting with audiences, he’ll do just that.
Despite our invasive, YouTubed, blog-happy world, most of us are not able to see the actual work that goes into crafting a show or creating a musical performance. As someone who has worked in the music business for almost two decades, I have been fortunate enough to have had that opportunity many times. I have been in recording studios, rehearsal studios, behind the scenes and backstage at many an award show and live concert. I’ve always marveled at the way things come together painstakingly, piece by piece. The nuances of a recording or live performance before it is shaped into the finished product are endlessly fascinating. As you see in “This Is It,” when Jackson directs his bandleader on a tempo for one of his hits, telling him to “let it simmer,” it is proof that the most subtle adjustments that can make a huge difference. What those who buy the records, attend the concerts and even read the blogs see is the finished product, with all those adjustments already made.
Even though TV shows, blog posts and magazine articles promise fans a look “behind the scenes,” most of the time, those scenarios are controlled and directed by the artist and the record label. Truthfully, given his attention to detail, if Jackson was still alive, “This Is It” would have probably never been made - or certainly not in the same way. What fans generally see - and what many artists want them to see - is the glamour, not the time spent in grimy rehearsal studios or cold, .....
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I too saw the movie, with my Nephew.. We went at the 12:00 AM showing and no one else was in the theatre except the two of us. That itself, was an experience, no crying babies, people talking, or whatever. Michael's talent was beyond works, and there will not be another like him. God Does Not Make Carbon Copies of Anyone, Even Though People Will Try.
by
Yaegerj
November 16, 2009, 11:08 pm
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There is no question. Michael Joeseph Jackson was the greatest entertainer the world has know.
As for his detractors...You are infinitely outnumbered. Many, many more people LOVED Michael Jackson. He was a wonderful human being. God bless his soul.
by
Glatham
November 13, 2009, 3:29 pm
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Good job Joe Jackson, your son remembered what you taught him.
Did he also teach him to be a pedophile?
Nawww sista' don't go there on me.
by
Jiggy5
November 5, 2009, 10:41 am
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In response to Jiggy5 & Ksum, the children of the 50's 60's got their behinds whipped with switches hot wheels tracks and extension cords. It wasnt called slave masters beatings it was called discipline. Now we hv kids raping and killing each other in schools, homes and streets. It's on the news everyday. Good job Joe Jackson, your son remembered what you taught him.
by
Msduck2
November 5, 2009, 8:56 am
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Slave masters beat us like mules to increase the cotton yield-would that have been OK w/you, too? There's no excuse for how Joe treated those kids & the ends do Not justify such barbaric means!
True dat byotches
by
Jiggy5
November 4, 2009, 11:30 am
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As Michael Jackson shows us one final time, success cannot be measured solely by material terms, writes Tonya Pendleton.
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