Michael Jackson fans gather for ‘This Is It’
Music: film capturing star’s final rehearsals opened Tuesday

By The Associated Press Comments 0
Published: October 30, 2009

LOS ANGELES — The mood was bittersweet yet triumphant Tuesday night as fans, friends and colleagues of the late Michael Jackson attended the premiere for what would be his final bow — a music extravaganza that captures rehearsals for his aborted concert stand last summer.

The movie poster for "Michael Jackson’s This is It.” AP PHOTO

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From evening and midnight screenings in North America to middle-of-the-night and morning showings in Europe, Asia and elsewhere, "Michael Jackson’s This Is It” arrived simultaneously worldwide in the biggest cinematic blowout ever for a music film.

According to studio estimates, late-night Tuesday screenings of "Michael Jackson’s This Is It” earned $2.2 million at the North America box office. Distributor Sony called those results "unprecedented” for a Tuesday in October.

At the Los Angeles premiere near the arena where much of Jackson’s rehearsal footage was shot, celebrities attending included Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, Adam Lambert, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr.

"This Is It” director Kenny Ortega, a longtime Jackson collaborator, wiped away tears and greeted dancers and celebrity guests, including Paula Abdul, with hugs.

Ortega said he expected audiences would be most surprised by "the intimacy. It’s unguarded and raw and real, and Michael is there and available to us all, and lovely and kind.”

Michael Bearden, musical director and associate producer of filmmaker Kenny Ortega’s "This Is It,” said that making the film was the most "bittersweet” project of his career, but he was happy "the world will see (Jackson’s) triumph.”

"I know he would have liked it,” Bearden said. "Kenny Ortega and I, we considered Michael in every aspect of the movie. We were with him every day for the last three or four months of his life at least, so we know he would have liked what we did.”

"It’s showing what a perfectionist he was,” said Jackson’s brother Jermaine.

Expanding circulation

Opening in 99 countries Tuesday and Wednesday, the film expands to 110 territories by this weekend, with distributor Sony putting 15,000 prints of "This Is It” into circulation. The studio paid $60 million for the film rights.

The simultaneous showings around the globe were anchored by a star-studded premiere at the Nokia Theatre, a concert venue across the street from Staples Center, where many of Jackson’s rehearsals were held.