Concert movies may not be a culture here in Malaysia, but trust the greatest artiste of all time to consistently smash records ... even posthumously.

IT was being touted as his final curtain call, but mere days before the This Is It series of concerts were to take place at London’s O2 arena, the greatest entertainer of his time, Michael Jackson, died of a cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on June 25.

For many, especially those who grew up with his and the Jackson 5’s music, it was the day the music died. And for those who never ever saw the King Of Pop on the concert stage – his natural habitat – the loss is simply incomparable.

But MJ’s final gift to his fans may prove to be one of his most profound yet, albeit, posthumously. With his back against the wall – everything from financial meltdown to legal issues – MJ was paving a way for the greatest comeback in the music industry, greater than the Elvis 1968 Comeback Special, even.

Culled from over 100 hours of intensive rehearsals from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and more significantly, the full-dress rehearsal at the O2 arena, This Is It the concert movie offers fans and viewers a glimpse of what might have been, and the reviews in the press have been nothing short of staggering.

Likewise, the buzz here in Malaysia is unprecedented. “On the first day the tickets went on sale (on Oct 15), about 10,000 were snapped up,” said Stephanie Lee, project consultant for Sony Pictures, the global distributor for the movie.

“This has never happened in our industry here. The closest anything came to this were the recent Terminator and Transformer movies,” she added.

Lee pointed out that this sort of reaction is a given for action and sci-fi movies, but for This Is It to succeed in an environment where concert movies are not common, it is a true testament to MJ’s global super power.

“Obviously, this is all because it is Michael Jackson. He has a lot of fans here,” added Lee, saying that after having watched it herself two weeks ago, she still can’t have enough of it. “It’s really awesome and watching it on the big screen is fabulous. I was not a fan of MJ before but now I am. When you watch it, it’s hard to believe that he’s really gone,” she lamented.

Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC), which will be screening the film from Oct 29 for a limited two-week run, echoes that sentiment. According to GSC spokesperson Tan Gaik Lian, Malaysian fans are truly looking forward to the This Is It experience. “GSC is keen to make this movie available to all, where possible. As this movie has been scheduled to be screened for only two weeks worldwide, advance cash sales started on Oct 15,” she revealed, adding that the movie will be screened in 15 cinema locations nationwide.

Viewers who want a completely digital experience can opt for the 2-D version, otherwise, the 35mm version will do nicely, too. “The digital 2-D projection promises higher resolution images and state-of-the-art digital sound, which in return enhances the overall viewing experience as the overall quality does degrade over time with the normal 35mm format,” Tan explained.

And to heighten the proceedings further, GSC is making available all kinds of treats for MJ fans. There are limited posters in GSC Signature, discount coupons for MJ shirts, commemorative books and much more up for grabs.

Loyal MJ fan Cabrina Ang stayed up till past midnight (trying a second time at 5am) to secure tickets online on the day they went on sale on Oct 15 but failed in her attempts. “I was very disappointed, but my husband went out and got the tickets from the cinema for me the next day, thankfully,” she said admitting that this is the first time she has ever tried this diligently to get tickets for a show.

Ang has no expectations of the show itself but is looking forward to seeing her favourite artiste in his final moments.

“I just want to see how he looked since there were so many stories on his poor health at that time, though from the clips I saw, he looked great in that orange shirt,” she shared, insisting that her favourite songs are the ones with meaningful lyrics like Heal The World and You Are Not Alone.

Ang grew up a fan of both the Jackson 5 and the Osmonds, and had posters all over her room walls. “I also went for his concert in Malaysia in 1996. My sister bought me the most expensive ticket, and I got to the stadium as early as 11am, and waited for the show to start at 9pm,” revealed the devout fan who feels MJ’s greatest gift to the world is his artistry, which is unrivalled.

Even the Malaysian music industry can’t seem to heap enough plaudits on the greatest entertainer in the world. Industry standard producer Roslan Aziz places MJ on the same mantle as Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

“He was very sincere in his work and always endeavoured to do the best he could. The recording world learned so much from Thriller ... even if Quincy Jones produced it, it was still MJ’s album,” said the maverick producer.

Roslan grew up with the Jackson 5 and saw MJ grow into the bonafide superstar he eventually became. “There’s so much we can learn from his career, good and bad, but you can’t take away his talent and his musical contributions to the world. That will keep him at the forefront of the music world and he will be remembered as the person who revolutionised pop music,” he enthused, saying that he’d like to take his young son to watch the show.

MJ tribute artiste, Jordan Sam, who recently staged a fabulous show at Genting’s Arena of Stars in tribute to his fallen hero, is waiting on needles and pins to watch the show. “I’ve already bought the tickets ... I can’t wait to watch the choreography and hear the music. I’m sure it’s going to be spectacular,” he declared gleefully.

As a tribute artiste, Sam places a keen eye on the details of a concert and says he has seen nothing short of impressive. “I’ve watched some clips on YouTube and they look very good.”

Sam feels that This Is It is well beyond mere entertainment value. It will be a firm reminder of MJ’s greatness. “I think people are going to be reminded of what a truly brilliant artiste he was, whether it be his singing, his dancing or his onstage persona. I can’t imagine seeing someone like him again,” he opined.

Whether we choose to remember him as the surgical-mask-wearing eccentric, the father who dangled his child over a balcony or the man said to have bought the bones of the Elephant Man, Michael Jackson has fought his way into the human psyche unlike any other human being.

His name and likeness is recognised in every corner of the earth, from Africa, through to Asia, Europe and the Americas. This Is It is his swan song, one the world will not merely remember, but never forget.

To paraphrase Motown boss Berry Gordy during his speech at the music legend’s memorial: “Michael learned from the greats ... and became the greatest!”