Before my Duran Duran obsession, there was my fascination with Michael Jackson. Although there were only 68 posters hanging on my bedroom walls, my admiration ran deep. I bought every paperback unauthorized biography I could get my hands on. Of particular interest to me was the connection he had with Diana Ross, since my mother spent her teen years in the suburbs of Detroit and went to school with one of Diana Ross’ sisters. It made me feel like I was just a few steps away from knowing Michael Jackson (this was before the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” was a thing).
So, when I saw there was a biopic coming out, it made me nervous. The end of Michael’s life was pretty traumatic. Those last years carried lots of damning stories that overshadowed the musical brilliance that carried him to stardom. But I heard from friends, it was good; I should go see it. So, on Mother’s Day weekend, Russ and I went to check it out at the Pinnacle.
First of all, his nephew Jafar could not have been more convincing as Michael, in my opinion. For me, it was as though they had somehow brought Michael back to life to sing, dance, and play out parts of his life on the big screen. On a personal note, I loved that it was one of Jermaine’s sons playing the part, as Jermaine was always my favorite Jackson (yes, even more than Michael). I read part of an interview where Jafar talked about days when he went home with bleeding toes/feet from the grueling dance moves required for the part. That bit made me sad, as it seemed to continue the cycle of pain the family has endured as part of the price for fame. But his performance is stunning! (As is the performance of Juliano Valdi, who is simply amazing as young Michael!)
We all know I cry at a good concert or movie (or commercial — or song), and there were several tear-rendering songs in this movie for me, especially from The Jackson 5 era. “I’ll Be There” and “Ben” always make me gush, and there I was, sitting in the theater, bawling my eyes out, because it was all so perfect.
The part where Michael and the other four brothers sing together as the “original Jackson 5” on the Motown 25 celebration brought back a ton of memories. (And then the classiness of bringing out their brother Randy, who joined the group after Jermaine went solo…) Then that leading into Michael performing “Billie Jean” and stealing the whole freaking show! It was all anyone could talk about at school the next day.
It made me remember watching it on TV that night, trying to record the songs I liked from the TV show with my trusty tape recorder (pre-boom box), and my mom kept walking in and out of my room making noise. Ironic that we saw the movie on Mother’s Day Weekend. I vividly remember looking up at Mom, mouthing, “I’m trying to record this,” only to have her inform me LOUDLY that she was trying to put away my laundry, so she didn’t much care WHAT I was trying to do, then slamming the door in the middle of “Billie Jean,” which I heard over and over again through the years when I played back the cassette. Ah, Mom — God bless our tenuous relationship, even in seventh grade!
But I loved the movie. I loved the memories it evoked. I loved the nostalgia. I loved that it ended where it did. I didn’t need it to attack his character. I didn’t need it to address the allegations and weirdness of his later life. I was happy reliving my own adolescence through his music and celebrity. I was satisfied remembering the good times in my life because of this musical genius.
Seeing the movie made me look up the old Motown 25 celebration, though, which I was able to find in its entirety on YouTube on my television screen. I was eleven years old again, watching it in my bedroom, no tape recorder, of course — and this time, Mom didn’t interrupt the performance on the screen, lol! And the sweet satisfaction of the Supremes reuniting for the final song of the evening, promising, “Someday We’ll Be Together.” Golden times, indeed.
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