How Memorable Will the Michael Jackson Memorial Be?

I’m sorry to admit this, but I was never really a huge Michael Jackson fan. That isn’t to say that I didn’t know his works or his talent. I still recall sitting at home watching the trailer for Captain EO on TV. I also recall sitting at home, listening to MTV while doing my homework for high-school and getting at least 3 or 4 Michael Jackson videos every hour. Well, unless they were going to play Thriller again, then it was maybe 2 or 3 videos. (Yes, Thriller was a long video.)

But, what was it that makes Michael Jackson so special that other stars are feeling obligated to make an appearance at his Memorial service in L.A.? What was that one thing that Michael Jackson had that seems so hard to put a finger on? What was that key element that made you just pay attention to him, even when you didn’t want to or even mean to?


That’s not something that was easily answered at the moment of the latest released video, or album. You got captured into the pull of those releases due to the public clamor for them. You won’t get to see all of Michael Jackson’s abilities until you can take that step back and analyze him over time. Something like that only comes around on rare occasions. Mozart had it, Elvis had it, Frank Sinatra had it, and Michael Jackson had it. That special ability to shine was something Michael Jackson had all the time. No matter the material, difficulty, or the other shining stars around him.

For example, I’m not sure if you’ve actually seen the movie “The Wiz” (1978), or if you have seen it, probably not recently. Well, honestly it’s not that good of a movie on its own. There aren’t many things that I can say I like about “The Wiz” other THAN Michael Jackson’s performance as “The Scarecrow”. Even with silly looking make-up effects, bad lighting, questionable costume designs, and honestly confusing set pieces, Michael Jackson himself still has the ability to focus your attention on him. His smooth choreography, clever delivery, and even his ability to produce possibly one of the few good songs on the soundtrack still resonates with today’s listeners as it did with those first exposed to it. Sadly, the movie itself was called a flop because it received poor critical reviews, and a lack-luster box office return. Yet, while you might not remember anyone else in that movie, you STILL recall that it’s Michael Jackson starring in it after 30yrs.



As far as Captain EO as a short-film...well, that’s a rough one to endure too. The only way to really experience that movie is through Disney, since it IS part of their Theme-Park attractions. I have to admit that after seeing it again on Youtube, I’m sort of hesitant to actually recommend that you watch it, UNLESS you can get Disney to show it in 3-D again, which they should do in Memorial to MJ. Ironically it’s everyone else involved in this project that makes it hard to watch. Disney’s cute little animal that they could sell at the theme-parks to George Lucas stealing parts that look like they were left over from the Death Star trench-run. Even Francis Coppola’s direction seems to be stiff and unfamiliar to the best ways to film this one. Yet, Michael Jackson himself gets absolutely better, the longer you watch. Once the music starts and the dancing begins, he’s clearly the center of the universe, and it shows. However, it’s never an egotistical showing off. Michael always appears to be able to look at the camera and provide that quaint little smile of his as though saying “Hey, what do you expect? Just kick back and enjoy it, I’ll be done soon and you can get a drink afterwards”. And it actually works BETTER for you to watch this knowing that Michael’s charisma comes across and you feel like he’s doing it JUST for you. Even though Captain EO ran for over 10yrs, cost around $1 million dollars a minute to make, and was shown world-wide. You still feel like he’s sharing a joke with JUST you.



Even with his music videos, you could see that charisma I was talking about. Go back and watch his “Say, Say, Say” video with Paul McCartney. Come on, a living legend like Paul should be able to hold his own in that video. Yet, he can’t seem to be able to get to the same level of ease and enjoyment that Jackson could. Paul seems stiff, almost wooden, in every aspect of the video; yet Michael looks like he’s just playing around with some of his closest friends, and is able to relax and enjoy the experience. How is that even possible? How is it that Michael Jackson could actually appear to be so much better than Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney?



Well, it’s clear that the special something that was hidden in “MJ” all along WAS the fact that he was able to enjoy himself. It was Michael’s ability to take anything given to him to try, examine it, bend it just enough for his taste, and to turn it ever so slightly into something that rang true OF Michael Jackson himself. His take on “Come Together” from “Moonwalker” (1988) shows what I mean. He takes a song from the Beatles, adds in the 1980’s overly used “electro” sound to it, bends the structure just enough to make it HIS song, and completely owns it while still sounding as though he was doing the original version.



That, my friends, is why I’m afraid that the Memorial service will not be as memorable as Michael Jackson is. No matter if you loved him or hated him; if you thought he was the greatest thing or just the next thing. No one can ever say that Michael himself wasn’t memorable to anyone that watched or listened to him.