For me "This is sick", see how people tries to milk money out of
His Death!
Michael Jackson fans poured out of cinemas on Wednesday
applauding the new "This Is It" movie of the late pop star's final
concert rehearsals and ringing up sales at box offices
worldwide.
Columbia Pictures, the studio behind the movie, said the film
took in $2.2 million in late Tuesday night screenings in North
America following its Los Angeles premiere, and early Wednesday
matinee showings were surpassing that figure.
In international markets, where the film is expected to play
strongly given the "Thriller" singer's huge global appeal, box
office figures are still being collected, but "early indications
already reveal strong attendance," Columbia said.
Fan excitement at the heavily hyped release of "This Is It" was
mixed with sadness that one of music's biggest stars and most
troubled celebrities died before he could bring his live comeback
to the stage.
"This Is It" was cut from 80 hours of film of the singer's
rehearsals for 50 London concerts planned from July which he
envisioned both as a return to the limelight after years of life as
a recluse and a final farewell to live performance.
The nearly two-hour film features Jackson singing and dancing to
some of his biggest hits, including "Beat It," "Thriller," "Black
or White" and "Man in the Mirror." Throughout the film, audiences
see Jackson working with his singers and dancers to create a show
that would wow his fans.
"It's great!" wrote Karen Portem on the Facebook social
networking site, having seen the movie on its first day of release
in the Philippines. "But it's so sad to think that people ...
aren't able to see M.J. perform it live."
Critics have been largely positive, describing the film as a
fitting tribute to a star who fascinated the world with his slick
dance moves and versatile vocals as well as his increasingly
bizarre appearance and legal troubles.
By midday Wednesday, "This Is It" had scored an 79 percent
positive rating on website rottentomatoes.com, which combines
reviews from around the United States.
Entertainment Weekly magazine's Owen Glieberman gave the movie a
grade of "B," saying "'This Is It' is fun, but it's a slightly
airless experience. If the movie allows you to bask in Michael
Jackson's aura, it also uses his image to foster 'nostalgia' for a
concert epiphany that never quite was."
LEGEND LIVES ON FILM
Jackson died suddenly on June 25 in Los Angeles at the age of 50
after suffering cardiac arrest only weeks before he was to have
begun the "This Is It" concerts, denying him the chance to erase
the stigma of a sensational 2005 trial when he was acquitted of
child molestation charges.
He grew up as one of Motown legends The Jackson 5, made the
gliding "moonwalk" famous the world over and still has the
best-selling album of all time with his 1982 "Thriller."
After a star-studded opening in Los Angeles Tuesday night and
premieres in 16 other cities, the film began playing in 99
countries Wednesday and will expand to about 110 territories by the
weekend.
In Tokyo, pop star and Jackson friend Lionel Richie said he
hoped the movie would bring out the ordinary in Jackson.
"The part that you're going to see tonight is the part of him
being the real Michael, which is the hard-working guy but at the
same time so easy to get along with -- the guy I know," he
said.
Sony Corp's Columbia Pictures bought the film rights from
concert promoter AEG Live for $60 million and has described ticket
demand as "phenomenal." Columbia has said the movie will be
extended beyond its two-week run if ticket demand is high, and it
plans a DVD release in 2010.
Meanwhile, the soundtrack to "This Is It" has generated sales
roughly in the middle of expectations since hitting record stores
Monday. Estimates suggest it should sell between 300,000 and
350,000 units in its first week, according to Silvio Pietroluongo,
director of charts at Billboard magazine.
The final number depends on how many people see the movie and
then feel inspired to buy the album, but regardless of the exact
figure, Jackson "certainly looks like being number one by a
considerable margin," Pietroluongo said.
