"This is it"....Goodbye, MJ....

We’d heard tales about how haggard and worn out he looked. We’d nodded knowingly and murmured when we were told that he had become a freak for whom nothing mattered. We went to the theatre, completely expecting to see a man who didn’t know if he was coming or going. Not a bit of it.

Liz Taylor, MJ’s pal of long standing, might have gone over the top when she said that This is It was the finest bit of film making she had ever seen. There is no doubt, however, that this is a remarkable vignette of the King of Pop, showcasing what was best about this remarkable artiste, the likes of whom will never be seen again.

"This is it" is a montage of rehearsal videos of what would have been, from the looks of it, an awe inspiring series of fifty concerts in London. Skillfully edited to give continuity to the songs, it reminds us of why this man was indubitably the greatest performer this planet has ever seen. If Sachin Tendulkar was born to play cricket, then Michael Jackson was born to perform on stage. It is here that he truly comes alive, picking up cues, singing and dancing effortlessly, without breaking a sweat, even as those around him try to keep up and are left shaking their heads in wonder and awe.

There are breathtaking sequences in the movie. The Smooth Criminal video is beautifully done, with the suave Humphrey Bogart woven into it and the classic Thriller , which shot MJ to centre stage, is there with all it’s incredible special effects. The streak of perfectionism of the man is evident everywhere, as he checks every dance move, every note, every nuance.Everything is done quietly, in his soft voice-no yelling, no rudeness, no show of temper even when things are not to his liking. Even the patented crotch grab is done almost delicately and dozens of times. Nothing less than the best will satisfy him. He wants to give the people an adventure, his fans “a show they will never forget”. How tragic that it was all nipped in the bud.

You come out with a lump in your throat, for this gentle, troubled man who wrestled with his demons and ultimately lost the fight. Whatever be his personal life this moonwalker extraordinaire blazed a path that others can only dream of following. True genius is usually flawed but no less impressive for that.