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Three months after it was released in movie theaters, Michael Jackson‘s final project This Is It is now available in stores on DVD and Blue Ray. To celebrate the occasion, director Kenny Ortega and choreographer Travis Payne attended a Midnight Madness DVD release celebration at a local Best Buy store in NYC, NY last night. A few superfans came out for the occasion, each doing their best Michael Jackson impersonation:

I know many people have been waiting anxiously for this film to be released on DVD and I’m sure many of y’all rushed out to get your copies already. I have to give it up to these superfans in NYC who came out to show their support and adoration for the late King of Pop. It takes a lot of gumption for a person to get dressed up in costume like this but I’m guessing these fans wouldn’t rather be anywhere else in the world. I think the first guy was the best lookin’ MJ impersonator of all … which is your fave? Did you get your copy of This Is It today?

[Photo credit: Wireimage]

First we learn that Disneyland may be bringing Michael Jackson‘s 1986 sci-fi mini-movie/music video Captain EO back from the dead in early 2010 and now we learn that MTV has acquired the rights to air Michael Jackson’s This Is It on cable TV in 2011:

From the press release: MTV Networks (a division of Viacom), has acquired the exclusive United States television rights to air one of the most anticipated films of the year — Michael Jackson’s This Is It. The critically acclaimed and commercially successful film becomes available to MTV Networks in 2011, and continuing through the entire six-year network window. The deal includes all domestic channels under the MTV Networks umbrella, including MTV, VH1, VH1 Classic and Palladia and rounds out the music networks’ commitment to celebrating the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. The arrangement also extends to Viacom’s BET Networks, including its newest channel, Centric. Channels and premiere dates will be announced at a later time. “The film is a true testament to Michael’s musical genius, passion and commitment to his craft,” said Van Toffler, President of the MTV Networks Music Group. “Michael Jackson has always been inextricably tied to our viewers as they witnessed his evolution from a talented performer to a global icon who redefined music. Now, with this film, we can help give his fans a chance to see his final performance.” THIS IS IT, premiered nationwide on October 28, earning the #1 box office spot for the weekend and offering Jackson fans and music lovers everywhere a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out, historic comeback concerts that would have kicked off this past summer at London’s O2 Arena. Chronicling from March through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind the scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing numerous songs for the show. Audiences are given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he was never before seen. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jackson’s This Is It is the last documentation of Michael Jackson at work, capturing the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work. Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jackson’s creative partner for the concert tour and the director of the stage show serves as the film’s director, and Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega and Paul Gongaware are producers. Executive producers are John Branca and John McClain. The film is being distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing. One of the best reviewed film of the year, Michael Jackson’s This Is It has already reached $222.6 million in box office receipts worldwide. The deal was brokered by Sony Pictures Television and Ben Zurier, Executive Vice President, Program Strategy, VH1, VH1 Classic & Palladia for MTV Networks. MTV Networks will also collaborate with Sony Pictures Entertainment in marketing the DVD release of the film in early 2010.

Interesting … I would’ve thought that a major cable network like HBO or Showtime would’ve been interested in acquiring the rights to air this movie but I can’t say I can argue with the wisdom of letting MTV have the rights. MTV stands for Music Television and rarely airs anything remotely resembling anything musical … winning the rights to this film could be a huge boon for the network. It looks like we can look forward to many, many reruns of This Is It on the various MTV networks in 2011 and beyond.

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Last night a group of friends (Tam, Rob, Brett, Ollie, Caleb) joined David and me at the first public screening of Michael Jackson’s This Is It documentary/concert film. We’ve already heard what Elizabeth Taylor had to say about the film and earlier today we read a glowing review from the press of the film … now I’m going to chime in with my personal feelings on the film:

The overriding thought in my head while I watched all 111 minutes of this film was What Could’ve Been. From the onset, you could see that MJ had planned nothing short of an epic stage production to mark his return to live performance … and thruout the film, you can get a sense of what he had planned. To be honest, I found much of his performance raw and unpolished, not at all surprising considering they were still in rehearsals … my hope was that we would get to see as close to the final product as possible but, alas, that is not what is presented. What we do get is a very interesting inside look into a part of Michael Jackson‘s world that we would NEVER have been privy to had he not passed away in June. Considering how much of a perfectionist he was, there is no way AT ALL he would ever have wanted the public to see this footage if he were still alive … but since he is no longer with us and the world was waiting with bated breath for his concert staging we, at least, get as close to the real thing as possible. I am just STUNNED at the prospect of what could’ve been had he been able to bring this concert to life in front of a live audience. The Thriller section, which was meant to be viewed in 3D, just looked EPIC. But … we will never get to see the final product and therein lies the feeling of loss. I’ve read review after review that praised MJ for his “lucidness” in this film and, to be honest, I didn’t really see too much of that. I did see a 50 year old man holding his own as best as he could with a team of much younger performers. I’m utterly convinced that MJ would’ve come ALIVE on the concert stage … no moniker of disappointment would even be visible if this show had been allowed to come to life. But without the glitzy costumes, full production projections and any honest run-thrus of the show numbers (I understand MJ had not yet run thru a single full dress rehearsal before his death) we are left with fragments of … what could’ve been. It’s a shame that he was so adamant about “saving his voice” because I would’ve loved to have heard him sing his heart out … but, again, therein lies more of the loss. The film will be a boon for any MJ fan. Folks who are marginally interested in the man may find entertainment in this film but it’s really not meant to win over new fans … it’s a gift to the legions of fans Michael Jackson left behind.

Tonight, David and I are meeting up with friends again to enjoy a night of horror fun at Universal Studios. I’ve never been to Universal‘s Horror Nights so I’m excited … I hope to have fun pics to share tomorrow :)

Last night Michael Jackson’s This Is It, the much-anticipated documentary/concert film which chronicled the final months of MJ‘s life as he rehearsed for his This Is It concerts scheduled to take place in London last Summer, held a glitzy Hollywood premiere at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, CA last night. Other premieres were held for the film all around the world at about the same time and screenings of the film were also coordinated to take place simultaneously. Here are a few photos of some of the celebs who attended the LA premiere last night along with a very positive review of the film:

Watching “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” will have fans grieving once again, but this time, it won’t only be for the fallen King of Pop, but for what we lost — a brilliant entertainer who gave every inch of his body and soul for what might have been one of the most spectacular comebacks of all time. Jackson never got to complete that comeback, dying days before his London concerts were to begin in July, but “This Is It,” culled from hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage for those shows, does it for him. Even though it’s been well edited, the amazing performances Jackson delivers in this film are not a result of camera magic, but Jackson’s own. When Jackson announced his “This Is It” concerts earlier this year, many wondered whether Jackson had any magic left at all. Besides his tattered reputation, he was rumored to be in frail health and hadn’t performed a major concert in almost a decade. There were well-deserved skepticism about whether Jackson had the vocal and physical agility to stage the kind of concerts that wowed fans in his prime two decades earlier. “This is It” gives both answers an emphatic yes. Even though Jackson’s looks — with his weirdly delicate face and his stick-thin frame — still makes one squirm with discomfort, once he starts to perform, that discomfort gives way to amazement. At 50, Jackson was still an amazingly gifted dancer with moves that leave your mouth agape. Though we only see him do the moonwalk once, and just fleetingly, his stop-on-a-dime spins, deft footwork and body jerks recall the Jackson the world fell in love with 25 years earlier with “Thriller.” And Jackson’s voice still dazzles — even when he’s trying to play it down. “I’m trying to conserve my voice,” Jackson says at one point — then delivers a vocal that is spine-tingling — and these are just run-throughs, not the actual show. Fans never get to see what would have been the “This Is It” concert — full dress rehearsals weren’t due to happen until the show went overseas for final rehearsals. Instead, the movie takes from segments of taped rehearsals, and also weaves in film segments Jackson planned for the concert to give at the very least an idea of how the concert might have looked. A graveyard scene meant to be in 3D was planned for Jackson’s performance of “Thriller,” and a computer-animated dancing army would have accompanied Jackson on screen for a militaristic version “They Don’t Care About Us.” Jackson kept much of the same moves from his classic “They Way You Make Me Feel” video — including the floor humping — as well as the groundbreaking choreography from his “Beat It” clip. But whether it was through new visuals and different musical arrangements, he appeared to be breathing new life into his well-worn catalog, promising fans a show that would have taken Jackson and his fans to new heights. Jackson is gentle but authoritative as he demands perfection from his crew, whether it’s gently taking the audio crew to task for making his earpiece too loud or attempting to elicit a grand performance from his young star guitarist. “This is your time to shine,” he says in that famously soft soprano voice before delivering a high wail and challenging her to do the same on her guitar. The film doesn’t give viewers much insight into Jackson outside of performance mode — we only see him rehearsing or hear him talking about music, or the meaning of his songs. Yet the film does give a glimpses into Jackson’s personality — alternatively playful and shy, firm yet understanding, often saying phrases like “with love” after giving a command. The film also splices together different performances of the same song at times, leaving one to wonder why. Is it for a visual effect? Or did he not complete enough in one take? Thankfully, there appears to be enough full takes so one’s mind does not play into conspiracy theories. There were certainly critics of “This Is It” before its release — those who wondered whether it would be an exploitative flick, a quick attempt to cash in on his newfound popularity, and those who felt the preparations for the concert contributed to his death. But “This Is It” is a beautifully made, loving tribute that gives Michael Jackson what he so desperately wanted — affirmation that he indeed was the greatest entertainer of our time.

Some friends and I got to see the film last night and I’ll post my review of the film a little later on. Last night’s LA premiere was a who’s who of the Hollywood glitterati and members of the Jackson family who can’t seem to shy away from the spotlight. I understand that Paula Abdul referred to the Jacksons as “the Johnsons” and Jermaine Jackson brought a change of clothes so that he could wear two outfits for the premiere. Both of those strange occurrences are not connected, I just thought I’d share. I’m sure many of y’all saw the film last night as well or are planning to see it during it’s limited 2 week theatrical engagement. I’m very curious to hear what others thought … was this the film that the world has been waiting for?

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Yesterday was a bizzy day for me … I spent most of it running around all over town taking care of various errands … some fun, some not so fun but all very necessary. Much of my evening was spent hunting for props to go along with my AWESOME Hallowe’en costume. I don’t want to say, just yet, what I’m gonna be for Hallowe’en this year but I will reveal that I had to go to Toys R Us, Office Max, CVS Pharmacy and The Sports Authority to procure the items needed to go along with my costume :) I have but ONE last item to get … and it better arrive by mail in time for Hallowe’en night! I’ll be making the big reveal on Twitter Saturday … I think many of y’all will love it ;)

Tonight, I’m meeting up with a bunch of friends for a 9pm screening of Michael Jackson’s This Is It:

At long last we will finally see if all the hype leading up to this inside look at Michael Jackson‘s last days alive really amounts to anything. I’m totally reserving judgment until I see the film for myself. I’m really exctied … mebbe I’ll see some of you out at the theater tonight? Wherever in the world you are, I’m sure a great many of you will be watching the movie as well … 9PM PT, 12AM ET and so on. Showtime … at last.

Elizabeth Taylor, Hollywood legend and BFF to the late Michael Jackson, posted a long series of tweets on her official Twitter profile heaping enormous amounts of praise on the documentary/concert film Michael Jackson’s This Is It which opens worldwide TONIGHT at midnight. @DameElizabeth, as she is known on Twitter, reveals that she was able to see the movie last week but was “sworn to secrecy” until now. Here is the chronological series of tweets that Taylor posted to her Twitter account yesterday concerning This Is It:

I was honored with the great privilege of seeing “This Is It” last week. I was sworn to secrecy, but now I can let you know about it. / It is the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking I have ever seen. It cements forever Michael’s genius in every aspect of creativity. / To say the man is a genius is an understatement. He cradles each note, coaxes the music to depths beyond reality. / I wept from pure joy at his God given gift. There will never, ever be the likes of him again. / And we have this piece of film to remind us forever and ever that once there was such a man. God kissed him. / God blessed him and squandered nothing, but loved it all. Michael knew how to put together every tone, every nuance to make magic. / To say he was a genius seems so little. I wish my vocabulary encompassed what I feel. / You owe it to yourselves and your loved ones to see this again and again. Memorize it and say to yourselves, “I saw genius in my lifetime” / I loved genius in my lifetime. God was so good to me. I will love Michael forever and so will you, if you don’t already. / I hope I don’t sound condescending. I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about, but go to see it again and again. / I meant to repeat myself. I love you. I remember Michael loved you. He was totally up to now and the message of today in all his songs. / If you listen to his lyrics they are those of a modern day prophet and it beseeches us to listen to him and what he sang. / I won’t use words like preaching because that is off-putting, but listen. Listen to his messages. / From “Black And White”, “Man In The Mirror”. The inspiration behind “We Are The World”. We must take his words of responsibility seriously. / We cannot let his life be in vain / and always done with love. Remember that. Remember him and thank God for him and his genius. / Kenny Ortega did a masterful job of directing the process that goes into making a complete show before hitting the stage. / From A to Z you get Michael’s input on every level. Michael’s genius at work with the dancers. Mr. Ortega catches Michael in his every mood. / You see in front of your eyes Michael’s genius blossoming on this piece of film thanks to Kenny Ortega and his crews. / I truly believe this film should be nominated in every category conceivable.

Wow! Talk about a ringing endorsement! While it’s plainly obvs that Ms. Taylor doesn’t really get the constraints of adhering to the 140 character limit of messages on Twitter, she really has a lot to say about this film. As if a movie of this magnitude needed any more hype, I’m sure that Taylor‘s love of the film will do much to inspire latecomers to see this film while they still can (remember, Michael Jackson’s This Is It is scheduled to show in theaters for 2 weeks only). Intense hyperbole aside (“It is the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking I have ever seen”), I think Taylor‘s tweets will get even more people to venture out to see this film. A group of friends and I will be seeing the film at 9pm tonight but if YOU would like to watch a live webcast of the film’s red carpet premiere, you can do so at 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT online! After the jump, find out all the deets …

Earlier this week we learned that Entertainment Weekly magazine got an early look at the new concert/documentary film Michael Jackson’s This Is It and we got to hear about the film but didn’t really get to see anything new from it. Today we get to check out a whole slew of new promo pics from the film to get you even more excited for its release in just about a week’s time … behold:

While I still think this film is going to a spectacle to behold, I am starting to hear some negative things about the film. Some claim that the film has been hyped way too much to satisfy the eager audience. I’m hearing that Michael Jackson isn’t in the film as much as some would like and that stand-in performers are featured way too much. Until I am able to see the film for myself, I don’t know if any of this is true … but it really wouldn’t surprise me if the hype doesn’t match up with the reality of what’s presented in the film. That being said, I’m sure the MJ faithful will have nothing but praise for this look at MJ‘s final days. I guess we shall see.

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The new documentary/concert film Michael Jackson’s This Is It is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine, which got an early look at the film and offers an exclusive preview (with photos) in this week’s issue of EW. Here is the coverphoto and some of what we can expect in the coverstory article:

When tickets for Michael Jackson’s This Is It went on sale on Sept. 27, hundreds of shows around the globe sold out in less than 24 hours, without anyone knowing quite what it even was — a concert movie? A documentary? “It’s somewhere in between,” says Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal of the film, which consists of behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson rehearsing for his planned comeback concerts at London’s O2 arena. “It’s a movie about rehearsing for a concert that never happened. It’s heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. It gives you chills.” Now, with the October 28th worldwide release of the movie fast approaching, the late pop star’s collaborators open up about working with Jackson during his precarious last days. At age 50 Jackson hadn’t toured in more than a decade, but while his team worried at times about his health, his imagination was as active as ever. In fact, as the production got under way, it quickly became clear that Jackson’s creative ambitions for the concerts were beyond anything he’d ever attempted. With the budget already past $24 million, Jackson told his team he wanted to recreate one of the world’s largest waterfalls — Victoria Falls in southern Africa — on the stage. “I was ready to jump off the balcony of my office,” says Randy Phillips, president of the concert promotion firm AEG Live. “We went and met with Michael, and [director] Kenny [Ortega] said, ‘Michael, you’ve got to stop. We’ve got an incredible show, we don’t need any more vignettes.’ Michael said, ‘But Kenny, God channels this through me at night. I can’t sleep because I’m so supercharged.’ Kenny said, ‘But Michael, we have to finish. Can’t God take a vacation?’ Without missing a beat, Michael said, ‘You don’t understand — if I’m not there to receive these ideas, God might give them to Prince.’”

Aww … I love the Prince bit … I hope that this new film will also feature some of this side of Michael Jackson that we, the public, didn’t get to see. Even as a lukewarm MJ fan, I am growing increasingly more anxious to see this film as each day passes. But, I have come to realize that no matter how amazing the This Is It show looks on screen, it cannot match how amazing it would’ve looked live in person. But … something is better than nothing … I can’t wait to see this film.

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Last month we got to see the first movie trailer for Michael Jackson’s This Is It and today we get to see a newer trailer which features more of MJ singing his hit single Human Nature:

As you are all prolly well aware, Michael Jackson’s This Is It will open in theaters on Wednesday October 28 and will only show for 2 weeks. Tickets are already on sale in pretty much every city so if you don’t already have your tickets, you might want to get on it. I understand many of the showings are already sold out. My friends and I will be seeing This Is It on Tuesday October 27 at an early screening at the ArcLight Theater in Hollywood, CA and we are all very excited. Seeing this new trailer heightens that excitement for me.

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Over the weekend a new preview clip from the upcoming This Is It Movie, which hits theaters next month and features hours of rehearsal footage of the making of MJ‘s ill-fated This Is It Tour, made its way to the Internets. Here are a few screencaps from the preview clip which features MJ himself rehearsing the performance for his song Human Nature:

Days after the unleashing of the first trailer for “This Is It”, another sneak peek at the movie built around Michael Jackson’s rehearsal footage has been released in the form of a clip. This brand new snippet comes out courtesy of Apple. It revolves around the King of Pop’s rehearsal for the “Human Nature” song with director Kenny Ortega watching on the side. In addition to the fresh clip, Apple has put out a two-minute plus trailer for the feature film. Containing mostly similar footage to the one debuted during 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, this trailer offers a number of fresh footage, which are scattered throughout, and further info about the movie release. “This Is It” offers a behind-the-scenes footage of Michael preparing for a series of the O2 London shows he was rehearsing before he passed away on June 25. It will compile more than 100 hours of video footage concert promoter AEG Live shot during April, May and June 2009. This movie will be released in theaters across the world for a limited two-week engagement, starting on October 28. This documentary movie got a thumb up for production in early August when AEG Live and co-executors of Jackson’s estate reached a deal with Sony to make and release the movie. The studio was reported to have acquired the footage for as much as $60 million, from a bidding that was started at $50 million.

I have to admit, seeing the expanded trailer for the This Is It Movie which debuted on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards last weekend really got me excited to see the movie. Had things turned out differently and had MJ lived to perform the This Is It Tour in London, David and I would be in London right now for the event. It’s still so crazy to know that MJ has really died … his memory lives on so powerfully, even now. After the jump, check out video of Michael Jackson rehearsing Human Nature for the This Is It Movie …