[Movie] Michael Jackson - This is it!!!

Directed - Kenny Ortega

 

Produced - Paul Gongaware, Randy Phillips

 

Starring - Michael Jackson and his group of dancers, singers, musicians, performers...  

 

This is it released on 28th Oct and was gonna be in Theaters for only 2 weeks.. I was hoping to catch it and i sure did... the last day it was being screened, at Sathyam Cinemas.. And what an experience it was.... !!!

I grew up listening to Michael Jackson's songs and the day he died, i felt very sad... Like someone i knew close was gone... After watching this movie, this tribute, i miss him more..!!  Here's why..

The movie opens to show his dancers and backstage guys sobbing and talking about how much they were looking forward to the shows, and how close they'd gotten to MJ during the practice sessions.. From there, it is an amazing rocking beautiful soulful music filled tribute to the Man himself.. Rehearsals for various songs, dancers setting the floor on fire, the film editing, singing, vocal sessions, and so much more is what we get to see during the 2hr movie...

It's amazing to watch MJ control every nuance of the performance, from the dancers' cues to details in the music that goes unnoticed most times... even how he describes his earpiece hurting -"it felt like "fists in my ears, but am trying to get used to it"... The little "God Bless you"s he says every now and then to his team and to the director.... 

The part when the music director makes a joke about bringing more booty into the song, Jackson sort of walks away giggling like he'd heard a naughty joke. When Ortega tells him that the cherry picker he's on is only on the low setting, he laughs and says that Ortega shouldn't have told him that because Ortega knows he'd just want to go higher. :-)

Be it Beat it, Earth Song, Man in the Mirror, I just cant stop loving you, The way you make me feel, each of the songs shown, each step they practice had us engrossed.... Woww!!! Words fail to describe the amount of effort that goes into a show [ i know this much effort goes into every show, but not many you get to see, right!!?] The footage they shoot for  Thriller is just mind blowing, almost like they've recreated the video as it were... hey were working on and the music video intro shoot for "Smooth Criminal" that uses '50s movies with Jackson merged into it. I am curious to know if Thriller was finished after Jackson's death, because the doc shows him and Ortega watching the screen wearing 3D glasses as it's being filmed, and we're shown a 2D, more final version. 

Audiences are given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he has never been seen before. Michael Jackson's "This is it" captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show........... It was like watching a live performance, actually a live rehearsal i should say... had me singing along with the songs, grooving to the beats and wishing He was alive.... 

Have never seen my mom so engrossed in a show before.. Infact she called saying - can we go for a movie and when i was browsing through Satyam website, and saw MJ's This is it, i was tempted to ask her, but thought she might not like watching it.. Alas, who would have thought.. she picked that exact movie and said "chk if tickets are there and lets go"... Am so glad!!! She was engrossed it.. completely emotional... Infact i think the entire theater was glued in like never before...  probably the  1st movie where not a soul [ apart from the ones sittig right in the front, they just pay Rs10 and come sit in theater for AC comfort i guess.. most of them look like that ]... Everyone was in their seat as credits rolled on and till the very last word was done with!!!  Beautiful................

Only thing i felt could have been incorporated was his interaction wit others, few words from his family, an interview... something more than just practice...!!!

[Music] Jazz all the way!!

Louis Armstrong.... Ella Fitzgerald.. John Coltrane.... Duke Ellington are some of the famous Jazz musicians i had heard of...  here are a few more i shall be adding to this list.... 

 

On Friday, we went for a Jazz concert at Museum Theater, Egmore...  Though the show started few minutes late, it was well worth the wait... 

1. Chennai based Yodhaka 

They were into fusion jazz, using Sanskrit slokas as the base.. very nice, melodious and rhythmic.... Loved the voice of the lead singers- Subiksha and Pradeed[who also played the slide guitar..]

  

Towards the end of their performance, Pradeep belted out the famous Mudakaratha modakam[ ganesha slokha]- it was truly soulful...!!! 

2. All the way from Baltimore - Duende Quartet

The four wizards of LATIN JAZZ had us enthralled for over an hour, leaving the audience wanting for more.. the only hitch [ nothing to do with the performance] was the sudden chill within the auditorium.. The Air conditioner was either working full swing or something was up.. we were all nearly freezing in there... :)

Apparently they were the winners from a whole bunch of people who vyed for the post of being a jazz group... Not only did they get to play here in chennai, they are on a world tour ... Fronted by Latin Grammy winning pianist Harry Appelman, the quartet includes bassist Josh Schwartzman and percussionists Mark Merella and Sam Turner ........

Sam is the one who remains in our minds even after the show is over - not just because he was black/Jamaican but he had the audience clapping, tapping their feet, singing along[ words that sounded like chants] till the end of the show... I guess that is the difference between an artist and a showman.... how involved the audience gets with them!!! :)

On Saturday, after a mini meeting with the Caferati clan, i headed over to Citi center for a bit of Jazz and some retail fun ;)

3. The Ellington Suites [Netherlands] 
 

Eight member team, named after the famous Duke Willington's album performed for free at Citi center lobby.. [Thanks to Landmark ]. Saxaphone, Clarinet, Drums, Bass guitar and another instrument that i dont know the name for was what they used to create music....

What a weekend it was....

[Theater] The Hindu Metro Plus Theater Fest!!!!

Read about the Theatre Fest



Wrote about it...



And finally managed to watch the 1st 2 plays.... the rest of them i dont find too interesting, going by the titles and the subjects.. but i might catch the one on Aug 7th - The Whale

1st day- 1st Aug- Midsummer Nights Dream

 A play that was in korean, with english sub titles(yes, they displayed the sub titles on the screen] had us all absolutely engrossed and enthralled by their acting.. there were about 7-8 actors on stage, who were the actors[playing diff roles], musicians[yes, they would run quickly sit down and start playing their instruments], singers[oh,yes, and they were good] and the ones who had us all completely involved with the act.. there were 2guys, need to make specific mention cos they were simply outstanging[its them in the pic on left side]. 

They did all sorts of antics, and acrobats, also managed to get the crowd involved by throwing out some bangle kinda thingies[well, atleast thats what they looked like from where i was sitting, which was way upstairs...nope, dint get any, but sure enjoyed the evening]... oh, and the best part was , the actors had managed to sneak in a few dialogues in TAMIL [yep, you read it right, and they did it so well, there was no awkward pausing, starin at paper, etc.. they just spoke it.. in pure korean accent, which was damn sweet] ...

Sambar sadam venuma..?

Appuram,

Thayir saadama?

appuram

vaadu manga venuma...? [this was the best of it all]

A wee bit different from the original version by Shakespeare, nonetheless as much funny, if not more, this play by the Yogongza theater group was awesomeeee!!





I was so glad i went for the play!!!

 2nd day- 2nd Aug -- Love Letters

This play was by  an indian production house called Rage, and was directed by Rahul da Cunha... Ages ago, i had been to one of his other plays - Class of '84.. which was quite good.. i remember it was the day before my bday, a treat i gave me and mum, cos it was the day after hers and the day before mine... :D

Anyways, reached the venue a bit early, and was in my seat by 7.20, and on the dot at 7.30 the play began, or rather the MC began his welcome address,etc etc, which took not more than 2mins i tell you...

This play had just 2 people in it.. yep, Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel... it was all about the letters that went between them from when they were little till one of them finally dies. The kind of bond they share thanks to these letters is damn sweet and very endearing... the way the letters reflect their lives, what they are going thru and how at times they stop because one of them is upset with the other....the love that grows between them, but which is kept away till late in their years, and what happens at the end has been beautifully narrated... 

The actors  stood on either side of the stage, with a mini make shift seating arrangement, which consists of a bunch of colourful boxes, whcih they rearrange everytime there is a change in their feeling, or just to break the monotony... But i was stunned at the way they were able to keep up with the dialogues, and go on and on without a squeak or shrill in their voice... Hats off to them both!

At the end of the play, with a 10min break in between, the Rajit said this was the 1st time in 16years that they had an audience of over 1000 people... what an honor it was to have been part of that crowd!!!  it was almost like there were too many people as against the seats available, cos some where sitting on the steps and watching the play.... 

Well, now am looking forward to the Whale.. hopefully that should be good!!!

Oh, and they have a Contest running... 2 years back when i had gone for these plays, the contest was to write and send a review in less than 160characters on sms.. and guess what, i won the prize.. it was Rs1000 off on my Airtel mobile bill... :D

This time we have to send in our reviews (150words) by email before 11am the next morning.. and the prize is lunch for 2 at The park.. crossing my fingers to see if i get lucky again!! :D