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Four stars****

Michael Jackson has gone up on my estimation; way up. So has Kenny Ortega.

This movie explores MJ at work showing his definite recipe for success; he had a hand in everything involved in his projects. He’s a master perfectionist. Not only does he write and perform most of the songs, but he also works hard at the on stage choreography. To MJ a flick of the wrist is an important moment. It means something in relation to the song. Everyone in his crew needed to know that so they could ‘feel’ the action as it grooves along.

Before seeing this movie I’ve always appreciated his songs, especially ‘Beat It.’ They were always constants in the charts and I’d never turn the radio off when his songs came on, but I wouldn’t necessarily going searching for them either. Grouping together a high number of his hits for what would have been his final concert tour, shows the high quality of the product.

Kenny Ortega is a name I didn’t know until MJ died and then he appeared to be around every other interview on television. Now I can see what a great director he is. He’s managed to take rehearsal recordings and give a ‘feel’ of an MJ concert mixing it with footage of seeing the band rehearse and back stage moments. Before the movie, I wondered how much the film could appear like a concert and through careful editing he shows us a delicate line between documentary and live footage.

It was obvious that the band and crew were in awe of MJ and they all knew who was boss. The documentary aspect of the show was just as enlightening. They all knew they had a job to do and wanted to help their master give 100% perfection, but they all lived in the fun of the moment, even daring occasionally to question the word of the leader, even if the master’s word was final.

The revelation of the show, thought, has to be the lead guitarist, Orianthi Panagaris. Ori (to her friends) is just 24 but shows a style of playing you’d only expect from someone with 40+ years experience. She absolutely nails ‘Beat It’ with a riveting solo. During those rehearsals she gives the impression of not be over shadowed by the enormity of the event. She’s almost casual to a fault even when asked to step up to the front to have her moment that MJ offers her. We’re going to hear a lot more about this lady who plays the guitar like it’s an extension of her fingers.

Go see Ori and MJ together on stage at: http://www.orianthi.com/player/default.aspx?meid=5213

It’s easy to see the concerts would have been one of those moments you could look back at during your life as pinnacles. Seeing Paul McCartney sing ‘Yesterday’ live, or Art Garfunkel master ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water.’ This show would have been ‘it’ with ‘show’ being the operative word. It reminded of Alice Cooper’s shows where what’s going on around the band is just as important as what’s been played. The link with the new Thriller video is obvious; show masters. The dancers, the action and the thrill of it all mean so much. Great effort had been placed by MJ in having the whole show much more important than just the songs. This bears no relation to those pop bands who just have dancers on stage to boost the shallow songs and singers you’re supposed to be listening/watching.

Kenny Ortega’s direction is first class. We were there at the gig. I never saw MJ live in concert. This is the closest I’ll ever get. How sad, but how glad I am to have seen this movie.

The bigger shame is that the CD of this movie features the original songs as recorded way back when and not those as performed in this movie. They’ve missed an opportunity there.