Michael Jackson was always larger than life, perhaps even more so after his passing.
How better then to do him justice than on IMAX movie screens, where fans get a visceral experience of “This Is It,” his blockbuster concert rehearsal film currently in theaters, which drew in more than $20 million at the box office on its opening day.
While IMAX digital-mastering always offers eye-popping picture quality and sound that makes you feel immersed in the movie’s aural world, these enhancements are especially valuable in a concert film – which much of “This Is It” is.
The performances featured in the movie were only rehearsals for Jackson’s series of concerts planned for London’s O2 Arena. But practice sessions or not, “This Is It” is by definition about the music, and it provides Jackson fans with some magical moments.
One of these is his duet with back-up singer Judith Hill on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” in which he seemingly gets so absorbed that the two sing that lyric over and over again to each other in an improvisatory vocal dance. Another is seeing him jam with lead guitarist Orianthi as she plays electrifying riffs in “Beat It.”
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Hearing these performances amplified in IMAX’s 14,000 watts of digital surround sound is, in terms of sound quality, literally better than having been there.
In terms of seeing Jackson, every subtle nuance of his expressions is visible on the ultra high resolution screen. Again, it’s a better view of the King of Pop than fans ever could have hoped for. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but in this case seeing Jackson speaking on film, whether his words are praise, constructive criticism, or jokes with his cast and crew, imbues the King of Pop with a humanity that all the photos ever taken of him could never hope to replicate.
Jackson’s concerts also planned to make impressive use of new digital film footage shot especially in order to be integrated into the live show: a graveyard sequence for “Thriller,” a little girl in a rain forest for “Earth Song,” an army for “They Don’t Really Care About Us,” and a montage that inserts Jackson into a Humphrey Bogart movie in “Smooth Criminal.”
Here as well, the sequences really shine in IMAX, especially in the last mentioned sequence. Jackson, decked out in a period suit, backs out a window to avoid the 1940s gangster’s bullets. The audience is treated to a mesmerizing explosion of sparkling shards of glass and metallic bullets flying towards us. It’s a telling example of the incredible production values Jackson was pouring into what was meant to be both a comeback and a farewell to the stage.
One slight downside to the IMAX experience is that portions of the film captured on less high quality cameras – resulting in noticeably fuzzy picture quality – stand out even more. But they likely still look better than on a conventional screen, and for fans thrilled to see the King of Pop performing his greatest hits it’s a minor detraction. Better fuzzy than not at all.
In New York, you can catch “This Is It: The IMAX Experience” at the AMC Loews 34th St. and in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Tickets go for $17.50, as opposed to $12.50 for a regular evening showing. For serious Jackson fans, the extra expense is well worth it to see the King of Pop in the glorious quality his last performances deserve.
Michael JacksonMusic StarsEntertainmentCelebrity NewsIMAX CorporationMoviesBrooklynSheepshead BayJudith HillHumphrey BogartO2 Arena
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