Comments on: This Is It

By: Carol Jay

Carol Jay — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:35:06 +0000

You have made an interesting observation, Peter. What is it about us as a society that has an obession with making heroes and icons and the need to tear them down?

By: Peter Link

Peter Link — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:45:19 +0000

Sandra,

Michael’s sweet disposition and great professional strength filtered through everyone in the company. A lot of weird things have been said about MJ over the years. Meeting him here in this film and watching the man work only makes me respect the words of the paparazzi even less than before. How can anyone be so clear onstage and so unclear off? What you bring to your art is your life. Unfortunately, it seems that in America today we push people up on to the pedestal, and then the moment they get there we reverse the process and start trying to pull them off. A confused society…

By: Peter Link

Peter Link — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:38:14 +0000

Kenny,
I also loved the moment when Kenny Ortega, Michael’s director, suggested that the spotlight come up on Michael and Michael sensitively said, “No, I need to step into the light from upstage”. Kenny immediately turned to the lighting designer and said in essence, “Do what Michael wants”. No ego, no power struggle, just great professional respect between two top pros. A great lesson for us all.

By: Sandra Henderson

Sandra Henderson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:34 +0000

Ah, bless you Peter for this praise on your site, when I hear, at least a few, who don’t “get it”! And some of them coming from “spiritual” perspectives. I have to say I was one who enjoyed the music all those years, never saw the videos (I’m a jazz/classical person) and pay little attention to the personal lives of celebrities. So, unfortunately, Michael had to pass from our experience for me to “get it” and fall in love. I then did some careful research to understand the worldwide uproar.

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you say and then some. I wrote some of this on the NYT website, that an irony might be that many of us would never have “gotten it” without that movie, which may not have been made if the show had gone on. How seldom we get to see genius, artists behind the scenes, as they really are. See the humanity, the reverence, the affection, the electricity they elicit from those around them. I can’t wait for the video (saw the film twice myself) so I can watch it over and over again, savor the wonder.

So, what if Michael had known who he was as a spiritual idea? Ah, could we have dealt with it? The magnitude of it? A successful personal life to sustain the artistic one? The only thing that keeps me from crying my eyes out is knowing he lives on. And his gift to us will live on, is living on. I’m actually glad he doesn’t have to deal with all the scrutiny anymore, but sad he didn’t find peace with us. And sad to say, he’s not the first, thinking of your reference to Judy Garland, or others with these gifts and no foundation to support them. There’s work to do if you ask me to reduce the number of people who’s gifts are buffeted around by this experience we call life.

Anyway, as an artist friend whom I wouldn’t have expected to be interested in him said, after attending the film with me, there’re no words to describe the film, the man. From an artist’s standpoint, you have to experience it! I feel that way, you have to feel it. Words cannot describe the man, or the film. But, thankfully a lot of people “feel it”. Thanks to Michael for giving his all for love.

Thanks again,

Sandra

(“See” you in church)

By: Kenny Bergle

Kenny Bergle — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:09:28 +0000

Peter,
HI, great journal and great blog! And what a tremendous movie.

I have NEVER been an MJ, fan, my loss apparently! I too cried a lot during this movie and I had to see it 3 times in 4 days, just so I could relive the inspiration again and again. My wife looked at me strange when I went for the 3rd time to the last showing here in Fort Wayne at 9:30 PM on a Monday night.

Being a hard-core jazzer I was blind really to the pop world in general and specifically during the ’80s I was strictly doing 20s-40s music. Instantly though, I could see his talent and dedication and real genius. Being a documentary, it really dispensed with the film technology and cinematography aspects and allowed the audience to focus on the talent and the show and the man.

My favorite part was where he told Kenny Ortega that he would “feel” a certain video cue, even though his back was to the video screen. “I’ll have to feel that, I’ll feel it,” he said. And we all did. Tears.

My second favorite part was where Michael is telling M. Bearden to play like the record (we both recognized, I’m sure, where Bearden is sloughing off the fact that he’s not playing it like the record, for which there is no excuse) and Bearden says something like, “I thought you might want some more ‘booty’ in there”. MJ just turns away and half-heartedly chuckles saying, “yeah, booty, that’s funny. Just play it like the record.” He was very generous of spirit, imho.

And when his hand reaches out to touch/fondle that beautiful dancer in “The Way You Make Me Feel” it’s absolutely explosive! Any heterosexual watching that could not possibly question his heterosexuality, imho. *(Also great how the movie does not make us suffer through any media or hype crap.)

Thanks for feeling the same way I did. I have told many about it, but it seems that one must be on a certain creative level to understand (and therefore, cry about) his creativity, struggle and genius.

I think this movie should be required viewing for anybody in show biz, period.
Thanks for sending me the blog link, and congrats on a great one! I get teary-eyed just thinking about that movie and what kind of life it took to produce it.

Your pal,
Kenny