This is it

2 weeks limited release, last moments of Micheal "wierdo" Jackson on stage etc etc. It was too ghoulish for me to even think of going. Besides I could catch it on DVD and if the producers were greedy (as they always are) it will run again. But on the last day, for the last show, I was convinced to go watch it. Now I must mention here that I watched it at Inox Chennai and it had the worst screen in my experience, dirty, splotchy and grainy. For 30 rupees I have watched many a movie on a better screen, in my thatch roof movie hall in Angadipuram.
Back to the movie or documentary or obituary or whatever it was. It started with a Star War like description . I was already fidgeting in my seat, wary about what was going to come on next. I was always immensely discomfited by Micheal's (I'm on some other planet) interviews and scary plastic face. A black man turned into a zombie from one of his earlier Thriller video turned into chimpanzee lover, elvis son in law, brooke sheilds date etc. Plus there were all the pedophilia rumors and lawsuits. He had turned into one of the worst examples of celebrity excess and scandals.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was not a documentary or an obituary or a movie. It was just Michael, doing what he does best - sing, dance, innovate and entertain. All done very professionally, creatively and with a lot of passion and politeness. In all the stomach turning revelations and wtf moments we had forgotten his genius. The songs that we would have played a hundred times, the moves that every kid on every street corner in the world had memorised. We had forgotten his creativity and his breaking of barriers. For the length of this homage, when song after song that made him what he was, played, I forgot to hate him and be repulsed by him, but just enjoyed, got entertained and of course, felt the love.

The very few snatches of conversation there are, just illustrates (deliberately edited by the director or not) that he still had it. Ideas that seemed brilliant in contrast to the stupid choices he made in life. He was polite and surprisingly agile for his age. He danced with the best dancers in the world unintimadated and still shone.  I must say though it is very weird to see a white looking man dancing very black, if you know what I mean. He didn't have the manic energy that characterises a usual Micheal Jackson show but he was great. I'm disturbed to say, I loved every moment of it. I tapped my feet, sang along and laughed. God Bless You, Michael wherever you are.