It was supposed to be the greatest comeback in the history of show business. Not just a few shows, but fifty nights at the O2 Arena in London. When Michael Jackson stepped onto that small stage at the O2 in March 2009 to announce the residency, he looked a bit frail but sounded certain. "This is it," he told the screaming crowd. "I mean this is really it." At the time, we thought he was talking about retirement from the stage. Nobody knew he was actually giving us a final goodbye.
The film Michael Jackson This Is It is a weird piece of history. It’s not really a documentary, and it's definitely not a concert film. It’s more like a jigsaw puzzle made of rehearsals that were never meant to be seen by the public. Sony Pictures paid roughly $60 million for the rights to this footage just weeks after Michael passed away. People were angry. Fans called it "exploitation." But when the movie finally hit theaters in October 2009, something changed.
The Reality of the Rehearsals
If you watch the footage closely, you see two different Michaels. Honestly, it’s a bit haunting. There are moments where he is the absolute King of Pop—sharp, demanding, and hitting every beat of "Billie Jean" with that effortless glide. Then there are the moments where he’s wearing a heavy jacket in a warm Staples Center, looking thinner than he ever had before.
Director Kenny Ortega had a tough job. He had to take hundreds of hours of grainy, rough-cut footage and turn it into a narrative. This wasn't professional cinematography; a lot of it was shot on basic digital cameras just so Michael could review his own performance later.
One thing that people get wrong is the idea that he was "forced" into these shows. While the debt he owed was massive—some estimates put it over $400 million—the footage shows a man who was still obsessed with the "magic." He was a perfectionist. You hear him telling the musical director, Michael Bearden, to let the music "simmer." He didn't want the band to play the songs exactly like the record; he wanted them to sound "the way I wrote it."
The Controversy Behind the Curtain
It wasn't all "fabulous" rehearsals, despite what the promoters tried to say at first. We now know from court testimonies that Michael was struggling. On June 19, 2009, just six days before he died, Ortega had to send him home. He was shivering, incoherent, and couldn't even eat.
The film mostly hides this. It focuses on the brilliance. You see the massive Swarovski-encrusted costumes—over 300,000 crystals were used across the production. You see the "Spider" bridge that was supposed to fly him over the audience. It was going to be the most technologically advanced show ever mounted.
- The Budget: Over $20 million was spent on the stage production before a single fan sat down.
- The Dancers: Out of 700 people who auditioned, only 11 were chosen.
- The Setlist: It was planned to be about 18 to 22 songs, covering everything from the Jackson 5 era to "Earth Song."
The irony is that the world's most successful documentary ended up being a movie about a show that never happened. It grossed over $260 million worldwide. It broke records in Japan and the UK. But for many fans, watching it was a bittersweet experience. You’re watching a man build a masterpiece he’ll never get to present.
What Most People Miss
People often talk about the tragedy, but they miss the technical genius. Michael was 50 years old during Michael Jackson This Is It. Most dancers at 50 can barely jump. Michael was still directing the pyrotechnics, the lighting cues, and the bass levels. He was the CEO of his own art.
The movie doesn't mention his death. There are no crying family members or funeral scenes. It’s just the work. In a way, that’s exactly how Michael would have wanted it. He hated the "wacko" headlines; he wanted people to look at the dance.
If you're going to revisit the film or the story behind it, you have to look past the "comeback" narrative. It was a struggle for survival—both financial and physical. The stress of 50 shows was immense. Prince had done 21 nights at the same arena, and Michael wanted to smash that record. The pressure was a lot, maybe too much.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into this era of MJ's history, don't just stop at the movie.
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- Watch the "making of" features: The Blu-ray version has raw footage of the "Smooth Criminal" short film they were shooting for the background screens. It shows the cinematic scale Michael was aiming for.
- Read "The King of Style" by Michael Bush: This book is by Michael’s longtime dresser. It gives a genuine look at how they designed the costumes for the O2 residency and how Michael's physical frame was changing during that final year.
- Check out the "This Is It" soundtrack: It’s not a live album (obviously), but it contains the demo of the title track "This Is It," which was actually an old song Michael co-wrote with Paul Anka in the 80s.
Ultimately, Michael Jackson This Is It remains a polarizing piece of pop culture. It’s a testament to his talent and a reminder of the cost of that level of fame. It wasn't the "final curtain call" anyone expected, but it gave the world one last look at a master at work. If you want to understand why he’s still the benchmark for every pop star today, just watch the "They Don't Care About Us" rehearsal. Even at 50%, he was better than most at 100%.