Silhouette is a collage of pics from the movie

Written by

Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

Photos from Sony pictures

The true test of the performer is what he can do on stage in front of a live audience and no one else came close to Michael Jackson. The scene where it was just him on stage by himself, with no effects, no band playing, nothing but a man totally taking control was definitely the most revealing and jaw dropping. He seems to levitate on the air when he moon walks. The move is taken step further with the sideways moonwalk, it almost defies verbal description. You see him doing it but you don’t understand how the human body is able to execute the move that only HE can do. The whole time he was beat boxing while he was making those moves.

THIS IS IT premiering on HBO this June 25 at 9pm (HK/Phil. time) is an inside look at the creative process of Michael Jackson, putting together what would’ve been the greatest show on earth. It is an oft used phrase but ‘greatest show on earth’ in this case is an understatement. He is unique in that level of a performer that Kenny Ortega, the director was able to make a film just out of the rehearsals of the concert. Ortega said during the filming “Working with Michael is the most extraordinary experience of my creative life!”

Orianthi Pongaris (left) is guitarist who looks like Avril Lavigne, takes over the role of Slash from the Black and White song

Since MJ passed away before the actual concert date, we never saw the whole thing put together. And yet there would be no doubt after watching THIS IS IT!, that he was “the greatest entertainer who ever lived”. All of the superlatives that you’ve heard or read about him as a performer could easily be just an exaggeration, an overreaction to his shocking death. That is until you actually witness it for yourself.

There’s no question that Michael Jackson was the best to be able to put together both dancing and singing. There are vocalists who are better singers. The list for better dancers is even shorter. But to achieve the level that he did in both realms of performance, he definitely stands out not just in his time but perhaps in history. The film is an intimate portrait of the behind the scenes process. You’ll be able to compare his voice with that of female back up singers. And his voice is even higher than theirs. You’ll be able to see his back up dancers screaming, applauding, mesmerized and in complete awe of what he was doing on stage.

The dance moves he creates are distinctly his own. Even when there are so many people who have tried to mimic him, the nuances are so identified with Michael. And when you see him on stage improvising he is in the process of creating more moves that no one’s ever seen before and that only he can do. He has the ability to tell a story and express himself using dance. His whole body is a canvass on which he creates.

The songs are the biggest hits of all time: Thriller, Gotta Be Startin Something, Beat it. Nearly each of them was given a fresh arrangement ready to take on a new generation of fans. His music transcended age groups.  As a child superstar he’s been at it since the 1960’s. THIS IS IT was supposed to be his creative platform into making himself relevant again to newer fans. The 50 sold out concert dates is a testament to his drawing power.

As songwriter and composer, MJ knows every beat. You can see that he’s the creative force in nearly everything that you see and hear in his concerts. In “Smooth Criminal” he is put on screen with Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart. He smashes through a window to escape gunfire. MJ loves creating a show within a show.

“Jam” was the soundtrack for the animated feature combining Looney Tunes characters with live action. Another “MJ”, Michael Jordan was the lead actor for Space Jam. Both MJ’s are the standards for greatness in their field. The question is always asked who will be the next Michael Jordan in the NBA? In the same way that people now ask who’s the next Michael Jackson, who will take the title: King of Pop?

For the last question, one name has been proposed as the next Michael Jackson: Usher. Filipino fans are already going wild in anticipation of Usher’s concert here in July 9, 2010 at the Mall of Asia concert grounds. Although Usher, is still quite young to accomplish everything that Michael did, the singing and dancing skills are comparable. More on this in my upcoming blog: “Usher: Heir Apparent to MJ”

Replays for THIS IS IT on HBO are: June 26, 1 am, 1 pm and 10:50 pm

Check your local schedules for other replays