This is It - Tribute or Profiteering?

[randomer909]

Do you think the movie This is It about Michael Jacksons rehearsals for his world tour, before he died, a dedication to his memory or just making money off his death? I haven't seen the film so I cannot say

[Nude_not_rude]

I totally think it's profiteering. There's no way it would have been done in this format had he not died. A tv doco or bonus disc perhaps, but not a feature film format.

[hambsieben]

I totally agree, Profiteering, but I am curious about it, and I will watch it on dvd.

[brandon]

I haven't seen it yet, but I have heard that it is very good.

In my opinion, it would be wrong not to share this video material with fans, so I'm voting tribute. Of course profit plays a role, certainly at the corporate level, but among those who actually produced this film, I think this was done out of love and respect as much as for money.

[Fitz1980]

I'd say that it's both.  Perhaps as a filmmaker myself I'm not exactly unbiased, but everyone is in the business to make money.

Had Jackson lived and gone on tour I'm sure that the film would have been different.  It would have probably been more of a concert film with lots of footage from his tour & concerts and just sprinklings of the rehearsal footage.  But when he died they had to make the best that they could with what they had.  I'm sure that without his death the final product wouldn't have been as big as it turned out; what was the last documentary about a concert tour that you remember getting a major release?

But what were the filmmakers to do when he died?  They had the footage and his fans clearly wanted to see it.  Should they have scrubbed the project?  Should they have released it on the internet pro bono? 

Filmmakers make films for money; that's there job.  Should the fact that Michael met an untimely end change that?  Carpenters build/fix houses and mechanics fix cars for money.  If someone has a tragedy (hurricane or car crash) is it profiteering for a carpenter or mechanic to make money off that tragedy?

[MarkH]

I saw it last night. You could claim that it is profiteering but I’m glad that they released it. I was really looking forward to seeing Michael Jackson at one of his concerts and at least I get to have an idea of what I would have seen.

If you’re a fan of MJ...go and see it!

[sa-bi-ne]

1. profiteering
2. profiteering
3. profiteering
...
...
...
10920893. profiteering
10920894. everything else

And generally, most of the "A tribute to..." works are profiteering from the less creative ones!

[Stuart]

In nature, when something dies, all the lower forms of life, such as flies and other bugs, come along and feed off of its corpse. And that's pretty much what's happening here.

[sa-bi-ne]

In nature, when something dies, all the lower forms of life, such as flies and other bugs, come along and feed off of its corpse. And that's pretty much what's happening here.

... and moreover ask us to pay for their meal...

[luvthemgiants]

oh, have you heard the latest?

the "2 week only" showings have been extended "indefinetly"..............who saw that one coming?

can you say, profiteering?

and speaking of which, check THIS out for profiteering http://sky1.sky.com/derek-acorah-to-attempt-to-contact-michael-jackson

[randomer909]

oh, have you heard the latest?

the "2 week only" showings have been extended "indefinetly"..............who saw that one coming?

can you say, profiteering?

and speaking of which, check THIS out for profiteering http://sky1.sky.com/derek-acorah-to-attempt-to-contact-michael-jackson

Yeah, Ive heard aboot these Michael Jackson seances (I hope I spelt that right :S). I am totally against this as most of these so called "psychics" are fakes as no-one can really tell so this in my mind is pure profiteering.

Hearing reviews of This is It now, I believe it is a tribute. From what I have heard, it shows how dedicated he was to performance and how amazing the shows would have been and the true musical and dance talent.

Every privately owned business is motivated by profit, but with this movie, I believe now that there main aim is a dedication. I would be completely convinced if they gave the profits to a Charity that Michale was fond of or something

[joeyn]

how does someone turn practice footage into a "tribute?" Perhaps I'm impartial, but I'm going with profiteering.

Joey

[dmutah]

It is probably more Profiteering then tribute. But if is was in every theater instead the few that it is that would be the true mark of profiteering. One thing is that I am not driving 180 miles to go see it.

[Eric]

People have been profiteering off him his whole life (most notably his parents). Why would anyone expect it to stop when he was dead?

I don't give a hoot about celebrities in general. But to the extent I have any opinion about Michael Jackson, I feel sorry for the guy. No one deserves the kind of mindfuck he was subjected to.

[luvthemgiants]

People have been profiteering off him his whole life (most notably his parents). Why would anyone expect it to stop when he was dead?

I don't give a hoot about celebrities in general. But to the extent I have any opinion about Michael Jackson, I feel sorry for the guy. No one deserves the kind of mindfuck he was subjected to.

totally agree, from a very early age his father exploited him and his brothers, and its no shock that it is still happening after his death