Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on October 29, 2009

Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' film released... may he rest in peace

From Time Online UK: Thousands watch This is It premiere world wide:

After weeks of hype This was, finally, It. Michael Jackson’s posthumous curtain call, shown simultaneously in 18 different countries around the world.

Thousands of fans stayed up late, got up early and took time out from work to watch the premiere of This is It, the film made from 100 hours of rehearsals for the King of Pop’s aborted London concert.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Nokia theatre in Los Angeles, the location of many of Jackson’s rehearsals and his high profile public memorial, where the premiere was anchored.

Across the Atlantic, hundreds more gathered at a simultaneous opening in Leicester Square, in London, while another 150,000 fans from Brazil to Australia watched the LA event live on the internet.

Screenings of the film, described by its director Kenny Ortega as “a story of a master of his craft,” were also held in 15 other cities including Seoul, Johannesburg and Berlin ahead of its formal release on Wednesday.

Michael Jackson, “This Is It” Film Trailer | October 2009

From Associated Press, Jackson film ‘This Is It’ earns $2.2M on 1st night:

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson may be headed to the top of the charts again — this time at the movie box office.

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” took in $2.2 million domestically from its first late-night screenings, setting it up for a big full opening day Wednesday and a strong shot at a No. 1 debut weekend.

Those evening screenings alone were enough to top the $1.7 million that Paramount’s fright flick “Paranormal Activity,” last weekend’s No. 1 movie, pulled in over the entire day Tuesday.

With Halloween at hand, “Paranormal Activity” expands into its widest release yet, about 2,400 theaters, compared to about 3,500 for “This Is It.”

Distributor Sony said Wednesday matinees for “This Is It” already had surpassed the film’s haul from those first evening screenings. The studio paid $60 million for worldwide rights to the film, which was distilled from more than 100 hours of footage shot as Jackson rehearsed for what would have been a 50-concert comeback run in London starting last July.

While “This Is It” is not quite a concert film, box-office watchers are gauging its success against “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert,” the biggest concert movie on record. “Best of Both Worlds” had a $31.1 million opening weekend last year and pulled in $65.3 million domestically during its entire run.

Michael Jackson, visiting with Pres. Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in 1984

Additional reading:
Hip Hop Republican: THIS IS IT: A Movie Review
CNN, EW.com: ‘This Is It’ wins weekend box office
Carl Kozlowski, Big Hollywood: ‘This Is It’: A Genuine Thriller
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Heartbreaker: A Daughter’s Love and Grief for Her Deceased Father, Michael Jackson (video)
Reuters: Jackson hailed as greatest entertainer, best dad
Debbie Schlussel: LIVE BLOG: Funniest Thing About the Michael Jackson Memorial Circus; UPDATED: Complete Cliff’s Notes of Al Sharpton Speech, Other UPDATES
Hot Air Green Room: We Don’t Need Another Hero
Billy Hallowell, Big Hollywood: (We’re Quickly Becoming) A Nation of Idiots
Ed Driscoll: “King Of Pop Dead At 12″
Politico: Al Sharpton: Michael Jackson made Barack Obama president
The Hinterland Gazette: Rev. Al Sharpton in New Controversy Over Comments that Michael Jackson Paved Way for Barack Obama to Become President
Jeffrey Jena, Big Hollywood: The Media: Wrong on Jackson, Wrong on Palin
Greg Gutfeld, Big Hollywood: Daily Gut: I Blame the Jews
Breitbart.tv: O’Reilly vs. Sharpton: Was Michael Jackson Strange?
Jason Killian Meath, Big Hollywood: Michael Jackson and the Supremes
Gold Star Mothers, Big Hollywood: Debbie Lee: Americans Celebrate Michael Jackson, Ignore Troops
Michelle Malkin: Sheila Jackson-Lee hits rock bottom and Race hustler does freak dance for Jacko and Stupidest House resolution ever and Twisted priorities and Stomach-turners of the morning and Check out “backlash” against Rep. King over Jacko comments and Another reason MSM’s Jacko-mania reeks

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Tags: celebrity, film, film trailer, King of Pop, London, Los Angeles, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson This Is It, Michael Jackson's death, MJ, Nancy Reagan, pop music, Pres. Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan, This Is It, This Is It film, White House, world premier, world premiere