The King's swan song- This is it!

Michael Jackson takes a final bow in this theatrical concert film featuring rehearsal footage of the late megastar as he practiced for the 100 shows in London that never came to be. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL's Kenny Ortega handles direction duties as well as choreography chores for the HD-shot film.

Okay, well this is the last time we see MJ alive and kicking on screen. But his legacy will live forever!

‘It hasn’t sunk in that he’s gone’, Monday October 26, 2009 USA/Philippines



n Sunday's column, we started this e-mail interview with Charles "Chucky" Klapow, a Fil-Am choreographer who made it as one of Michael Jackson's 12 backup dancers for the ill-fated "This Is It" concert tour. This is part 2 of the exclusive exchange, in which Chucky recounts Michael's last rehearsal days.

Did Michael know you were a choreographer, too?

Kenny (Ortega, director of the concert and the documentary) told me that during the audition, he didn't tell Michael who I was or what I have accomplished as a choreographer. Whether or not Michael was informed later, I was strictly a dancer on "This Is It." I was a soldier, in a way, and I accepted the job, making sure I wouldn't overstep anyone.

As a dancer-choreographer, what did you learn from Michael, who was a consummate entertainer?

Watching and working with Michael during the rehearsals, I observed more than I consciously [studied]. I think I have learned it all from him throughout all my years as his fan, so that, by the time I got the chance to dance for him, there wasn't that much more to grab from him. But I was in awe of his attention to detail and his constant striving for perfection.

What do you remember most about Michael during your last rehearsal with him?

When you see us on stage with him in our full masks and "Thriller" costumes, you're looking at his final night alive. He passed away less than 12 hours later. It's very hard to think about that because he was very inspired and excited by doing "Thriller" with the lights, costumes, smoke effect and set pieces. He was so lively when we left him at Staples Center that night.

Where were you when you heard the sad news? What were the first thoughts that came to your mind?

We were at Staples Center, rehearsing his show on his stage, when we heard the tragic news. I can't remember what came to my mind. I was disgusted, angry, confused and lost when I found out. Tears all around.

When did it sink in that Michael was really gone?

It still hasn't really sunk in. I don't know when it will.

The grief and mourning throughout the world over Michael's passing was unprecedented.

I felt all of it. I couldn't sleep for about a month and a half after he died. I'd wake up five or six times, and have Michael-related dreams every night. Not a single night went by without me dreaming about Michael, or rehearsals, or the dancers, or Neverland. I was very shocked by my reaction. I'm glad it has finally stopped.

What was the most touching expression of grief and mourning that you saw or heard?

This will sound weird, but I thought the most touching was that, as soon as Michael died, the media finally had nice things to say about this tragic genius, who had spent most of his life dealing with ridicule and [hasty] allegations from these same reporters.

It must have been a poignant experience for you to perform "Will You Be There" with Jennifer Hudson and the 11 other dancers at the memorial service for Michael, especially since, just days before, you were rehearsing that same number with Michael in that same place.

It was pure nightmare. We were supposed to be celebrating his life during that memorial but to me it was just a nightmare that no one was about to wake up from. Toward the end of the performance, we had to stand there and listen to Michael's voice and bow our heads. I held my tears in as long as I could, trying to be strong and positive for his friends and family. But as we exited the stage I actually had to run off because the tears just started pouring out.

Did you attend the burial?

I did attend the burial. All of his dancers served as ushers. We all walked up to his casket inside the mausoleum and had our own final moments with Michael.

How do you think the show in England would have been, if such a tragedy did not come to pass?

It would've been his best concert ever. I'm a huge fan and I've memorized footage of all of his tours inside and out. I really believed we would've taken our show to other corners of the world. And when the timing was right, I was going to suggest that we go to the Philippines and call it the "Thrilla in Manila 2010"!

What can you share about Michael that most of us do not know?

I think "This Is It" (the documentary) will reveal a lot about what Michael was really like. You'll get to see the Michael Jackson with the low voice! The man people don't ever hear about. Michael was nothing like the tabloids made him out to be. His nose wasn't falling off, his skin disorder was very real and evident on his arms—[I saw it] every time he changed his shirt. He wasn't deathly thin. And he wasn't too old to do the tour.

http://asianfanatics.net/forum/It-hasnt-sunk-in-that-hes-gone-talk693812.html

Michael Jackson movie earns $28m on 1st day

by Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES - The Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" earned US$20.1 million (S28.2 million) at worldwide box offices on its first day in theaters as fans around the globe turned out in strong numbers, Columbia Pictures said on Thursday.

The movie studio said the film, which shows the late pop star rehearsing for a series of comeback concerts before his death in June, made US$7.4 million in the United States and Canada, and another US$12.7 million internationally.

"The studio believes that the worldwide launch, with very strong performance across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia, represents an amazing beginning for the film and a reaffirmation of the global appeal of Michael Jackson," Columbia Pictures spokesman Steve Elzer said in a statement.

Finding comparable films to "This Is It" is difficult because of the movie's unusual nature as a hybrid documentary and concert film, as well as the fact that its star was not alive to promote it.

Moreover, "This Is It" premiered on Tuesday night and then began playing around the world on Wednesday, which is unusual for a movie that is not based on a major franchise like the "Harry Potter" or "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.

"It's difficult to make comparisons because there is nothing like this," said Paul Dergarabedian, who runs box office tracker Hollywood.com Box Office.

Among concert films, one top performer recently was 2008's "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour." It enjoyed an opening, three-day weekend of US$31 million, starting on a Friday, and went on to earn just over US$70.6 million globally during its entire run.

Another recent music movie was 2008's "U2 3D," which earned a total of US$16.6 million worldwide during its entire release.

Columbia Pictures paid US$60 million to distribute the film and millions more to market it. Columbia is a unit of the Sony Corp's Sony Pictures Entertainment media group.

International box office

In the United Kingdom, box offices rang up just under US$2 million, while French sales totaled about US$1.4 million, and Germany just over US$1 million. Japanese fans spent roughly US$1.2 million, and in China, the movie delivered US$730,000.

The question now for Columbia is how well the movie will perform during the upcoming, first weekend. Jackson's fans were expected to turn out in droves early, but whether they will be repeat customers remains to be seen.

Columbia has said the movie will be extended beyond its planned two-week run if ticket demand is high, and it plans a DVD release in 2010.

Jackson died on June 25 in Los Angeles at age 50 after suffering cardiac arrest brought on by a drug overdose only weeks before he was to have begun the "This Is It" concerts in London. The shows had been hyped in the media as his chance to erase the stigma of a 2005 trial in which he was acquitted of child molestation charges.

The nearly two-hour movie features Jackson singing and dancing to his biggest hits, including "Beat It," "Black or White" and "Man in the Mirror." Throughout the film, audiences see him working to create a show that would wow fans.

Yeah my sentiments too