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November 4, 2009

‘This Is It’ proves a bit dull for all but diehard fans

Steve W. Schaefer

“This Is It”

Rated PG for some suggestive choreography and scary images.



I was stunned to learn that the only movie that opened this last Halloween weekend was “This Is It,” the documentary about Michael Jackson and the rehearsals for his world tour that he was never able to start do to his untimely death. I can’t help but wonder if the release date for the film about the dead King of Pop — whose most famous hit was “Thriller” (a song and music video featuring a zombie/monster theme and narrated by, of all people, Vincent Price) — was

intentional, bad taste or both.

Of two things about Michael Jackson, I am sure: 1.) he was enormously talented and 2.) he was eccentric, if not outright odd. “This is It” dispels neither of these opinions.

Of two things about “This Is It,” I am sure: 1.) it is so long it gets rather boring and 2) it reminds me of bonus material for a music video.

I think, also, it is a bit creepy. The talented singers, musicians and dancers who worked with Michael Jackson speak of him as if he were a god. It is a bit unnerving and since he died, it seems as if he were the Messiah. Kind of disconcerting.

Having written this, I have to admit that the concert looks as if it would have been incredible. And I am no big fan, but I would bet it would have been enormously entertaining…which is not exactly like the documentary.

And this brings me to a problem. I have been told it is not good to speak (or write, I guess) ill of the dead. Since Michael Jackson is dead, am I supposed to not speak (or write, I guess) ill of documentaries of the recently dead? But it isn’t my fault. Should I lie about the dead or lie about documentaries about the dead? I mean, if this had not been Halloween and some idiot producer hadn’t the bad taste to release a film about Michael Jackson — the deceased King of Pop, maker of the famous song and music video about zombies — I would not have been placed in this moral dilemma.

It might have been better if I had fibbed a little and said it was great, but I am honest and so I am trapped. I mean I am a semi-paraprofessional movie critic; I have to write the truth and the truth is “This Is It” is a little dull.

If it only had been released next week all of this could have been avoided because I would have been reviewing “A Christmas Carol” with Jim Carrey. And the bonus would be: Jim

Carrey is still alive.

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