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Michael Jackson’s Doctor Wants To Release ‘This Is It’ Outtakes, Court Case Ensues

Christian Allaire — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:10:32 +0000

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Attorneys for Michael Jackson’s doctor want to release outtakes from his concert film ‘This Is It,’ reports Billboard.

Dr. Conrad Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death, wants access to over 100 hours of raw footage that was filmed during the singer’s last days.

Sony Pictures is, of course, fighting the request, but Murray plans on using the clips to defend himself and show that Jackson was in good health before he died.

Lawyers for Murray and Sony attorneys are due in court Thursday. Murray is charged with giving Jackson an overdose of anesthetic propofol and other sedatives.

I don’t think releasing footage of a very ill Jackson is going to solve anything. People are trying to move on, and he’s just dragging it out. The charge has been laid, you’re guilty, now pay the price.

Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ Jacket To Be Auctioned

Christian Allaire — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:19:31 +0000

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The infamous red and black leather jacket Michael Jackson wore in his ‘Thriller’ video is being auctioned, reports CTV.

The auction administrator, Darren Julien, says the jacket is “the most recognized and significant piece of pop culture” to come up for sale and expects the jacket will get at least $200,000.

The jacket is even autographed, as Jackson signed the jacket as a gift to his longtime costume designers, Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush.

The jacket will be fought over at the ‘Music Icons’ auction on June 25 and 26 at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills.

Other Jackson items up for sale include the wig he wore when he announced his ‘This Is It’ tour in London, a fedora and sparkled glove he wore on stage, his shirt from the ‘Scream’ video and a beaten mailbox from the Carolwood Drive estate where Jackson died in 2009.

The auction will also include one of Eric Clapton’s guitars, Frank Sinatra’s 1986 Jaguar, handwritten lyrics and a leather jacket from Johnny Cash, and a signed harmonica from Bob Dylan, among others.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Shambala Preserve.

These are definitely pieces of history, so if you’ve got some cash to spare, head on over and bid. I think a sequinned glove is a great investment.

Justin Bieber to Michael Jackson: Beat It!

@coltondaniel — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:07:45 +0000

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That Justin Bieber kid, that you may have heard of, has beat out the late King of Pop at the box-office.

Less than a year after Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ became the most successful concert-film in U.S. history, Justin Bieber’s ‘Never Say Never’ concert fan-tastic film has snatched the title.

On Monday, the Hollwood Reporter published figures that show ‘Never Say Never’ has raked in $72.2 million (U.S. dollar) at the box office since its January release, where as Jackson’s 2009 concert film ‘This Is It’ has $72.1 million. Although Bieber has taken in those impressive numbers, he has to work some magic before he tops the MJ global intake.

With a global total of $261.2 million, ‘This Is It’ has crippled Bieber’s doc that has a modest $83 million globally so far. However, Paramount executives predict the film cashing in at least $10 million more internationally.

The U.S. numbers for Bieber were clearly impacted by the film’s re-release with an additional 40 minutes of bonus footage from director Jon M. Chu.

Bieber will likely continue to duel Jackson’s milestones throughout the next few years, in fact he checked another off a few weeks ago when he posed with his new wax figure at London’s Madame Tussauds. He is also among the artists to be featured on a Universal Music digital-only album to raise funds for Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims. Funding will go toward the Japanese Red Cross. Alongside Bieber for the project are U2, Rihanna, Bon Jovi and Nicki Minaj. What an eclectic group.

Orianthi: Michael Jackson’s Pick

Graham Slaughter — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:17:28 +0000

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Orianthi was working in-studio when she got the email from Michael Jackson.

“I remember being in a room writing a song with a bunch of people and I got the email and was like, ‘Is this for real?’ It was really crazy. He wanted me to come in and learn Beat It. I was super nervous,” Orianthi told andPOP from her L.A. home.

The 24-year-old female electric guitarist was personally invited by Jackson to play lead guitar in his final tour “This Is It.” The King of Pop spotted Orianthi’s prodigious talent in a video guitar solo posted on her MySpace account.

However anxious, Orianthi didn’t let her nerves shake her at the audition. Jackson selected the fresh-faced Australian to join him and a group of some of the most talented musicians across the globe for 50 shows that have been dubbed “the greatest concerts that never happened.”

“It definitely made me believe in myself more when I was accepted into the band. It was an incredible experience.”

While she worked tirelessly in rehearsals for “This Is It”, Orianthi would spend her shreds of spare time in L.A. writing and recording her debut album, Believe. The 11 tracks, each featuring its own guitar solo, were released last October. The album`s single, According to You, hit #8 on Australian billboards and #17 in the U.S.A..

This guitar-strumming bombshell’s path to success began in her hometown of Adelaide, Australia. At 18, Orianthi was invited to join her idol Carlos Santana on stage to play in front of more than 10,000 screaming fans.

This February, Orianthi had the opportunity to reunite with Santana when she joined music industry heavyweights to record We Are the World in efforts to raise money for the Haiti after the crippling 7.0 earthquake.

Inside the cramped studio, Orianthi was surrounded by stars. Artists such as Lionel Richie, the Beach Boys, and her old friend Santana provided the vocals while Orianthi jammed out on the guitar with just enough elbow room.

“It was really hot in there. We were fanning ourselves with the We are the World song sheets.”

After single-handedly climbing her way to the top of the music industry, Orianthi plans on staying. The female solo artist is excited to start touring with acoustic rocker John Mayor across Australia and New Zealand in April, 2010.

As bright as Orianthi’s future looks, it’s not as if the young woman didn’t confront hurdles along the way. In her early performances, Orianthi received flak from men in the audience for being a girl with a guitar.

“When you go out there and play a show, guys are staring you down thinking, ‘What’s she going to do?’ It’s like being a male ballerina. But once they see you have a passion for it, they have respect for you and take you seriously.”

The singer hopes that she will motivate young fans to feel confident enough to pick up the guitar without the fear of backlash she once faced.

“I want girls to believe in themselves because playing the guitar is perceived as such a guy thing. It would be really cool to inspire more girls to rock out.”

Prison Inmates Tribute Michael Jackson

Sara Harowitz — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:26:30 +0000

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Back in July, inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines released a video of them dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” according to perezhilton.com. Since its online post, it has received over 10 million views.

To celebrate the DVD release of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson documentary This Is It, Jackson’s choreographer Travis Payne and dancers Daniel Celebre and Dres Reid went to the detention center and staged a dance tribute to the star. It features 1,500 inmates dancing to “They Don’t Really Care About Us.”

It seems that these are not the only two videos done by the Cebu inmates – Youtube shows that the group has done videos to songs by such other artists as Soulja Boy, Black Eyed Peas, Queen, as well as songs from the musical Grease.

‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It’ Makes Movie And Album History

Joelle Tomlinson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:46:56 +0000

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What better way to honor the prince?

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” made motion picture history as the highest grossing concert film of all time. That’s not all. The two-disc companion to the movie released by Sony Music’s Epic Records makes its first week debut in the #1 spot on Canada’s Nielsen SoundScan Top 200 album chart, the U.S. Billboard Top 200 chart, as well as the Soundtrack album chart in both countries.

Sales totaled 44,441 in Canada and 373,100 units in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, and this figure does not include significant sales from non-traditional retailers. In Canada, “This Is It” is Jackson’s first number one album since the establishment of SoundScan in 1997. With over 40,000 in first week sales, the album claims the third best sales week of 2009, trailing only behind U2 and Eminem’s releases. It’s no surprise that “This Is It” also claimed the #1 spot in 15 other countries, including Japan, France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Turkey, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the Middle East and Colombia. It was also top-3 in the UK, Australia, Argentina, Austra, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain. Furthermore, a simultaneous #1 album and #1 documentary film as not happened since 1971 when the Rolling Stones did it with the album “Sticky Fingers” and movie “Gimme Shelter.”

Michael Jackson albums now occupy the top five spots of Billboard catalog album chart at #1, #3 and #4; his Number Ones album is this year’s best-selling overall album year to date. Michael Jackson’s accomplishments continue in Canada with eleven albums charting in Nielsen SoundScan’s Top Catalogue Albums including Thriller (Remastered), Thriller 25^th Anniversary Edition, Essential Michael Jackson, and Number Ones. Throughout his career, Michael Jackson has spent a total of 51 weeks at #1 on the Billboard album chart. Only The Beatles and Elvis Presley have spent more weeks at the top.

According to the press release, Disc one features the original album masters of some of Michael’s biggest hits such as “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal,” ”Human Nature,” and “Thriller” arranged in the same sequence as they appear in the film. The disc ends with two versions of “This Is It,” the original and an orchestral version. Disc two offers fans a rare listen to the early demo versions of classics “She’s Out Of My Life,” “Wanna Be Startin’,” “Somethin’,” and “Beat It.” This disc also features a recently discovered spoken word poem from Michael Jackson entitled “Planet Earth.”

‘This Is It’ Moonwalks To Success

Joelle Tomlinson — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:27:56 +0000

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Though Michael Jackson may have passed on, his ability to entertain and astound certainly has not.

Following on the heels of Tuesday night’s $2.2 million haul at a series of midnight showings, “This Is It” took in another $7.4 million in its first full day of release and another $12.7 million overseas. According to mtvnews.com, overall the film tallied a worldwide total of $20.1 million, a jaw-dropping amount for a midweek release, specifically a documentary.

According to distributor Sony, Wednesday’s total is the best daily gross for a film on a Wednesday in October. Placing nearly $1.5 million ahead of last weekend’s box-office champ “Paranormal Activity,” the movie about the King of Pop now seems poised to reign supreme at movie theaters nationwide on Halloween weekend. It is setting its sights on the all-time champ “Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert,” which tops the list with $65.3 million.

The result of a massive bidding war that ensued in the weeks after MJ’s June 25 death, ”This Is It” was collected from more than 100 hours of the pop singer’s rehearsal for a sold-out 50-date comeback tour in London. Filmed at the Forum and the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sony paid $60 million for the rights to the footage, which was then compiled by Jackson collaborator and “High School Musical” director Kenny Ortega. It is rumored that Ortega’s dediation to “This Is It” is one of the main reasons for his decision to leave the set of the upcoming film, “Footloose.”

Movie Review: This Is It

Eric Emin Wood — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:49 +0000

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Dunno if you heard, but a concert documentary, starring a little-known performer who died recently, opened across the country at 12:01 this morning.

This performer, Michael Jackson, would likely have been plagued by scandal through much of his adult life had anyone actually heard of him, so perhaps it’s just as well.

To Sony’s credit, This Is It does not feel like a quickie cash-in on Jackson’s death. A bit over-adulatory perhaps, but that’s to be expected. It must be said, however, that Jackson’s death casts a pall over the movie’s early proceedings; to me, his fake cleft chin and overly manufactured nose make his face look like melted wax, his voice occasionally lilts – not in a good way – and some of his dance moves look robotic.

But as time passes, the rehearsals have an obvious effect on him; his dancing becomes smoother, his singing becomes stronger, and he appears to become younger. Performing came as naturally to Jackson as breathing, and while his voice occasionally disappears, he’s never off-key (and explains more than once that he’s trying to save his vocal cords), and every number yields enthusiastic applause from the gathered technicians and back-up dancers.

If there’s an aspect of This Is It worth complaining about, it’s that a series of early interviews with Jackson’s back-up dancers never mentions their names, nor does the movie return to them, making their initial praise of him and nervousness when auditioning both creepily voyeuristic and shamelessly sentimental. It’s also worth noting that we never learn anything about Jackson himself; whenever he’s talking it’s all business, though it’s enlightening to learn just how clearly he knew his music inside and out. As you might expect, Jackson is very affectionate with the people he works with, and the choreographers, musicians, back-up singers and dancers all speak highly of him.

And what of the performance itself? Jackson and High School Musical director Kenny Ortega created a very cinematic production – show-stopping sequences were filmed for at least five of the songs – and after a clumsy introduction, the movie soon feels like a private concert.

Most of the expected hits are here – half of Thriller (the title track; “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”; “Billie Jean”; “Human Nature”; “Beat It”), some of Michael’s early stuff with the Jackson 5 (“I’ll Be There,” “Dance and Shout”), half the singles from Bad (“Smooth Criminal,” “Man In The Mirror”; “The Way You Make Me Feel”) and some of his most popular late-period work (“Black or White”; “Heal the World”; “They Don’t Care About Us”).

Watching This Is It, I couldn’t help but think about what Jackson’s detractors would have thought of the final product. Would they have seen his show and enjoyed it, or dismissed it as overproduced fanservice mounted by a fallen icon? Hard to say, since those detractors won’t see the movie; as for his fans, those who haven’t seen it already can expect a fond farewell. Whatever his faults, Jackson wrote some great music and remained a terrific performer until the end, and my impression is that anyone lucky enough to get a ticket would have seen a hell of a show.

Footloose Remake Loses Director Kenny Ortega

Vanessa Baker — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:55:49 +0000

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High School Musical director Kenny Ortega has stepped down as director of the planned remake of Footloose, citing issues with the tone and budget of the film, reports E! News. This comes after Zac Efron also bailed on the project.

Ortega’s latest endeavour, This is It, a behind-the-scenes concert film about the late Michael Jackson, hits North American theatres Wednesday.

“Coming off of the extraordinary project, Michael Jackson’s This is It, director Kenny Ortega has decided it is premature for him to commit to his next film and will not be moving forward with Footloose as previously reported,” Paramount Pictures said in a statement.

The film will star Chace Crawford and Julianne Hough, and is still planned to begin production in March.

Advance Clips for Michael Jackson’s Documentary Released

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:08:46 +0000

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Michael Jackson was in the midst of planning his sold-out comeback shows in London when his untimely death shocked the world. But thanks to a film crew that documented the rehearsals, the world will once again be able to fall in love with the King of Pop. And now fans can start to get excited, because Sony Pictures has released four preview clips from “This Is It” to the media, reports MTV News.

The clips have been released to help promote the documentary, that will be out on Oct. 28.

MTV News describes the four clips:

“‘Human Nature’ — Making comments like ‘something there,’ Michael choreographs his dance moves for a performance of ‘Human Nature,’ the fifth hit single off his 1983 Thriller album. As he points and does some of his signature footwork, the band kicks in behind him with the beloved tune.

‘Human Nature Extended’ — A longer version of the earlier clip, this one cuts Michael’s footage with shots of his backing musicians, then extends into a shot of MJ performing in front of a lit stage, making it seem as though we’re in the crowd watching the legendary performer in concert.

‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ — ‘I’ve gotta cue that; I’ve gotta cue that,’ Michael insists to the people helping him design the stage show. ‘That can’t trigger on its own.’ The footage then cuts to shots of silhouetted backup dancers as ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ kicks in on the soundtrack. Wearing a hat and black armband, Michael watches a female backup dancer strut past, then begins singing out the love song to her. His exaggerated motions invoke the playful, quick-on-his-feet MJ we all remember from his ’80s heyday.

‘They Don’t Care About Us’— ‘There’s the man,’ you can hear a crewmember’s voice saying as MJ walks onto a soundstage. ‘There’s Michael.’ Looking over a storyboard, Michael says, ‘That’s a cool move — we spread out at the end.’ We then see Michael teaching his backup crew some basic steps, as sound effects sneak in to beef up the action. The effects carry us into a cool, ‘Unplugged’-like version of ‘Bad’ that is cut with footage of MJ and the dancers on various stages, banging out the routine. The number then flows into a rap-like take on ‘They Don’t Care About Us,’ from MJ’s HIStory album.”

“This Is It” could very well turn out to be the comeback that originally died with Jackson. The film is one last hurrah – one last chance for the world to embrace, and say goodbye, to one of the most legendary performers of our time.

“This Is It” opens in limited engagement on Oct. 27 and everywhere on Oct. 28.

Unreleased Michael Jackson Song To Be Unveiled On October 12

Joelle Tomlinson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:01:19 +0000

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Michael Jackson fans rejoice.

No, the King of Pop has not been resurrected, but his presence can be felt on October 12 at midnight through his latest never-released single, entitled “This Is It.”

The single will be unveiled to the world on www.MichaelJackson.com. According to Sony, the press release states that “This Is It” marks “yet another exciting moment in music history for one of the world’s most revered artists; featuring backing vocals by Michael’s brothers The Jacksons, the song plays during the closing sequence of Sony Pictures’ forthcoming film MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT and is on the 2-disc CD set Michael Jackson’s This Is It, which is the stand-alone companion to the motion picture.”

If you’re one of those people who thrive on anticipation, you can wait for the full release, when Sony Music Entertainment’s Columbia/Epic Label Group will release the two-disc album Michael s This Is It internationally on October 27th in North America, to coincide with the release of the Motion Picture on the 28th.

For more information about the film, fans are encouraged to visit www.thisisit-movie.com.

Michael Jackson Movie Sells Out in Two Hours

Vanessa Baker — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:49:12 +0000

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An early screening of This Is It in Los Angeles sold out of the 3,000 available tickets in two hours, reports CBC. Another early screening is planned for Oct. 27 at the Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 in Los Angeles. The film opens in theatres Oct. 28 for two weeks only.

In London, 30,000 tickets to the film were sold in the first 24 hours of sales, while $1 million American worth of tickets were purchased in one day in Japan.

This Is It was directed by Kenny Ortega, director of High School Musical, and features rehearsal footage from the British tour Jackson never got to perform.

New Michael Jackson Single to Hit Airwaves in October

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:08:56 +0000

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A new Michael Jackson song called, “This Is It,” will be released on Oct. 12, according to The Globe and Mail. The single, sure to give thirsty Jackson-lovers a much-needed quench, will hit airwaves two weeks before Jackson’s label, Sony Music’s Columbia/Epic Label Group, releases a two-disc album of the same name. The “This Is It” album is due out internationally on Oct. 26 and in North America on Oct. 27.

The much-hyped Jackson movie, also entitled, “This Is It,” is set for a simultaneous global release of Oct. 28. The $60 million (U.S.) movie deal, between Jackson’s estate and concert promoter AEG Live and Sony Pictures, is based on footage from Jackson’s final concert rehearsals in London. Before his untimely death, Jackson was scheduled to play a set of 50 sold-out shows in the city. The tour, said to be his comeback, proved that the world is still in love with the King of Pop.

Jackson died on June 25 of a prescription drug overdose. Record sales skyrocketed after his death, adding more value to his already large estate of approximately $400 million. The LA Times reported that in the first three weeks after his death, more than 9 million of Jackson’s albums were sold worldwide. In the U.S. alone, 2.3 million albums were sold in those three weeks.

Sony Music said the first disc of the “This Is It” album will include some of Jackson’s greatest hits, plus two versions of the new single of the same name. The track features back-up vocals from Jackson’s brothers.

The second disc, along with some unreleased versions of Jackson’s classic songs, will also include a never-before-heard poem spoken by the singer and entitled, “Planet Earth.”

The new song, sure to excite Jackson fans around the world, will not be available for purchase as a single, but will be accessible for radio play starting Oct. 12.

Michael Jackson’s Soundtrack For Documentary OK’d By Judge

Joelle Tomlinson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:40:42 +0000

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It looks as though the King of Pop will live on, not just in spirit, but in a documentary entitled “Michael Jackson’s This Is It.” Less than a week after the trailer for the eagerly anticipated production debuted during the VMAs, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has approved a deal to release a soundtrack to the film.

According to the LA Times, Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal on Thursday afternoon that gives Jackson’s longtime label home, Sony Music Entertainment, permission to release a CD to accompany the film, which chronicles Jackson’s rehearsals for what was to be his comeback residency at the O2 arena in London.

“This Is It” is slated to open on October 28 and play in theaters for two weeks. According to mtvnews.com, the attorney for the administrators of Jackson’s estate said that in order for the album to be completed on time, Sony has to begin work on it right away. There is no information on what songs might be included on the disc.

The release of the movie and CD could be a potential cash boon for the reportedly debt-ridden Jackson estate, which will reportedly give the singer’s children and their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, more than $86,000 a month in living expenses from the estate. Estimates from the court have the Jackson estate valued at $500 million.

Official Poster for Michael Jackson’s This Is It

Robert Ostfield — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:07:45 +0000

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The poster for Michael Jackson’s This Is It has officially been released by Sony Pictures, who are producing the film. This Is It hits theatres on October 28th and features the legendary singer preparing for his last performance which would have taken place beginning this summer starting at London’s O2 Arena. The Estate of Michael Jackson is in full support of the release of the film.

Michael Jackson’s Life Remembered in Variety of Films

Emma Renda — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:47:19 +0000

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After parties aren’t hard to come by in the entertainment world, which is why it was no surprise Michael Jackson’s burial was followed by a high-profile soiree at Villa Sorriso Ristorante in Pasadena.

It’s even less-surprising that the footage could be turned into a special screening for A&E. A DVD, with footage of the burial, is also rumoured to be in the works.

The funeral was indeed a star-studded affair, with guests including Elizabeth Taylor, Barry Bonds, Macaulay Culkin, Mila Kunis, Chris Tucker, Al Sharpton and the entire Jackson family (although they arrived nearly an hour and a half late.)

Following the ceremony at the Forest Lawn cemetary in Glendale, some of the Jackson family and other mourners went to the restaurant where Rat Pack music played throughout the night and Casablanca was screened on the walls, according to TMZ. On the way out, Corey Feldman busted out his fedora and best MJ dance move to the resounding cheers of crowds outside the restaurant.

Now with Jackson laid to rest, fans and friends will be able to remember him via the silver screen. Michael Jackson: THIS IS IT will hit theatres worldwide for an exclusive two-week engagement starting Oct. 28 thanks to Sony Entertainment. The film bears the same name as Jackson’s world tour, and will be directed by Kenny Ortega who was Jackson’s creative partner for the tour.

Footage of Jackson preparing for the tour that would have kicked off in London this summer will be included in the film, featuring rehearsals, studio time and candid backstage moments.

“This film is a gift to Michael’s fans. As we began assembling the footage for the motion picture we realized we captured something extraordinary, unique and very special. It’s a very private, exclusive look into a creative genius’s world. For the first time ever, fans will see Michael as they have never seen him before – this great artist at work,” Ortega said in a press release on Jackson’s website.

“I’m proud of the many years of friendship and creative association I shared with Michael and I’m happy that people will get a chance to see his spirit and drive in action. THIS IS IT may go down as the greatest concert that no one got a chance to see, but with this film, we get a rare portrait of Michael as he prepares for his final curtain call and what I believe was going to be his master work.”

Tickets will go on sale Sept. 27 in most cities. No details about a DVD have been released.

Sony Confirms Release Date For Michael Jackson’s This Is It

Ilan Mester — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:49:43 +0000

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Sony Pictures confirms Oct. 30 as the release date for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” movie, which documents the King of Pop’s final concert rehearsal.

The film is being produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson and will be drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage – all captured in high definition.

To add to the experience, “This Is It” will also offer certain sequences in 3-D, along with interviews with some of Jackson’s closest friends and creative collaborators.

“This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer, his career, and the stage spectacular that would have been,” read part of the statement released by Sony. “The film will provide moviegoers with an unforgettable front row experience compiled from extensive footage that shows Jackson’s meticulous preparation for his 2009 London shows.”

Most of the footage was shot in June, 2009 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

“Michael lives on through his songs, his creative genius, his body of work and his passion for his art,” said Rob Stringer, Chairman of Columbia/Epic Label Group, in a statement. “He was a perfectionist on stage and through this unique film, audiences will be able to see, many for the first time, how much Michael poured into making his performances as special as they were perfect”.