Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Grosses P5.5m On 1st Day

MANILA – “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” grossed a thrilling P5.5-million on its nationwide opening day Oct. 28, according to reports from Columbia Pictures, the films local distributor.

Arriving in some 144 screens, the concert-documentary film summoned loyal Michael Jackson fans, giving their idol his biggest cinematic hit ever, and the best first-day opening for a documentary or concert film in history.

The cinemas that posted the highest receipts are Power Plant (P323,156), Trinoma (P304,755), Shang Cineplex (P295,357), Gateway (P262,241), Greenbelt 3 (P227,291), SM Mall of Asia (P213,578), SM North EDSA IMAX (P208,275), Alabang Town Center (P193,645), Eastwood (P184,703) and Ayala Center Cebu (P175,924).

Also generating impressive sales are SM Megamall (P172,049), SM North EDSA (P167,561), Glorietta 4 (P167,332), SM Cebu (P123,646), Greenhills Promenade (P117,848), Robinsons Ermita (P100,356), SM San Lazaro (P92,665), Robinsons Galleria (P81,417), SM Clark (P78,162) and SM Fairview (P72,374).

The enthusiastic response to “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” reflects the worldwide anticipation for the landmark film. In the U.S., film critics also received the movie well, with Variety’s reviewer Andrew Barker calling it, “breathtaking.” Barker elaborates, “Had Michael Jackson’s series of concerts at London’s O2 Arena gone off as planned, it would have almost certainly signaled one of the most dramatic comebacks in pop music history. The rehearsal footage on display in ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It’ is certainly evidence enough to draw that conclusion, providing a solid basis to imagine the final product while also giving a heretofore unseen glimpse of the star’s creative process.”

Barker adds, “The edits of ‘Beat It’ and ‘Black or White’ presented here could practically be released as is and still blow most contemporary pop videos out of the water.”

The review concludes, “‘This Is It’ is assembled with great care, belying its impromptu nature, and the [filmmakers] have done excellent work to pull together a coherent film from endless footage. Even at nearly two hours, the film still feels too short.”

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free movie games.