The late King of Pop Michael Jackson's concert film "This Is It" premiered across the planet on October 28th. After enduring weeks of anticipation, his fans packed cinemas and communally enjoyed the final moments of the great artist. Today, we take a closer look at the film.

 

"This is It" is a feature-length film built around footage of the final Los Angeles rehearsals before Jackson's death on June 25th at the age of 50. Directed by Michael Jackson's long-time partner Kenny Ortega, it is released world-wide for two weeks only.

The documentary is culled from more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage for the late star's planned 50-show run of comeback concerts in London. It shows an enthusiastic King of Pop meticulously crafting his moves and performing some of his most loved hits.

In the film, the late King of Pop rehearses "Human Nature", from his hugely successful 1982 album "Thriller", and "The Way You Make Me Feel" with a group of dancers, and appears to be moving relatively well and freely. Also Michael Jackson instructs and practices his trademark dancing moves and also showcases the popular beat box skills.

Tickets for the film were sold at an unprecedented rate one month before its premiere. In North American cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and New York, tickets sold out within 24 hours. The same thing happened in London, Sydney, Bangkok, and Tokyo. Michael Jackson's loyal fans couldn't wait to see their idol's last moments on stage.

On October 28th, grand premieres were held in 99 countries. In Beijing, a concert commemorating Michael Jackson was held. Although the star never performed on the mainland, Jackson has a strong following in China. Fan clubs thrive across the country.