Michael Jackson This is It Documentary Update

Despite the high level of secrecy surrounding Michael Jackson This is It, the new 'documentary' gleaned from footage shot during the March through June, 2009 rehearsals for the recently deceased King of Pop's necessarily cancelled tour, Sony Pictures has shown 12 minutes of the film to a group of selected journalists, including me. The clips are mesmerizing. Shown rehearsing for two numbers, Jackson is in top form.

The first number, Human Nature, the 1983 ballad, gives us a nostalgic reminder of Jackson's sweet falsetto, as he vigorously repeats his signature dance moves to make them perfect.

The second number is 1987's The Way You Make Me Feel, and here we see some of the tour's production values. Against a projected backdrop of the New York City skyline with the Chrysler Building, water towers and high rise office towers in view, there's a grid of risers with dancers positioned on them in silhouette. After Jackson appears on stage below, coolly snapping his fingers as if in tribute to West Side Story, and singing slowly to draw in the audience and build their anticipation, the dancers descend from their perches and the number quickly heats to a boil.

This is where we get a preview of the way the film is edited. Not unexpectedly, it's a very snappy music video sort of style that cuts between takes -- we see Jackson rehearsing in various costumes, perfecting various moments of the act, speaking with the This Is it tour's director Kenny Ortega (who also directed the documentary), choreographer Travis Payne and musical director Michael Bearden and pushing himself to perfection on every note, phrasing nuance and dance move.

This Is It isn't a straight out concert film or rockumentary.

Intended to please fans, and especially those who'd purchased tickets to the sold out tour that was set to premiere in London's O2 Arena just two weeks after Jackson's sudden death on June 25, the film not only records Jackson's last moves, it's also a tribute to the King of Pop and a reminder of his extraordinary artistry and contributions to contemporary popular culture.

The movie opens worldwide on October 27, for what is set to be a limited two week run on some 18,000 screens. Chances are, 'though, that the film -- clearly the most hyped documentary in the history of cinema -- will have much longer legs than that. I'll be at the first show, so please check back for my review of This is It and updates on additional Michael Jackson documentary news.

(PHOTO: Michael Jackson in 'This Is It' documentary. Courtesy Sony).