Well, Lawrence of Arabia was closer to 4 hours. Surly in this day and age the life of Michael Jackson is more culturally relevant and impactful than that of a British solder during WWI set in the Middle East?
The first aim should be to create a masterful retelling of Michael’s life as accurate as humanly possible that finally allows the audience to understand why he was so different and eccentric and talented. Do that and success will follow.
So the first aim needs to be making a perfect film, not so much worrying about whether 5 or 6 year olds will get bored or if people need to pee. This will only be a success if it’s told and presented in the way that it deserves to be. It’s simply too important to get wrong. And it’s bigger than minor gripes such as the above mentioned.
Surely Michael’s life is more interesting and eventful than that of T.E. Laurence? His 50 year life was literally packed with big significant moments.
I completely understand where the director is coming from in making Michael an epic film. His life was simply too big and complicated to squeeze into anything less.
Off the top of my head:
Gary Indiana
The Chitlin Circuit
Steeltown Records
Audition for Motown tape
Motown
Ed Sullivan show
First group to have 4 number 1’s consecutively/ impact on black culture
Michael’s relationship with Joe
Relationship with Berry Gordy, Diana Ross
Leaving Motown for Epic
Working with Gamble & Huff
Destiny
The Wiz
Quincy Jones/ fighting to work with Quincy
Off The Wall
Triumph
Thriller era and impact on popular culture
Motown 25/ Moonwalk
How did you learn to dance like that?
Pepsi accident/drug dependency
Scalp surgery and ballooning process
Relationship with Katherine/ and Jehovah
Relationship with brothers, La Toya, Janet
Frank Dileo
Victory Tour and ticket fiasco
Bubbles/ relationship and connection with animals
We Are The World
Captain EO
Bad album/ Tour era/ new image/ impact
Vitiligo
Plastic Surgery
Neverland
Relationship and connection with children
Dangerous album/ Tour era and impact
Humanitarian efforts
Oprah Interview
Super Bowl halftime show
93 allegations and fallout
The strip search, photos indignity and impact
Relationship with the media
Elizabeth Taylor
Rehab
10 year FBI investigation
HIStory album/Tour era and impact
The HIStory statues
The Brit Awards/Jarvis Cocker incident
Marriage to Lisa Marie Presley/The kiss/ MTV95 performance
Marriage to Debbie Row
Prince, Paris, Blanket
30th Anniversary concerts/ September 11th Attacks
Invincible album
You Rock My World video shoot incident
Sony fallout/ Tommy Mottola is a devil
Bashir documentary/ Baby dangling incident and fallout
One More Chance/ Allegations/ MJ in handcuffs
2005 trail
Vindication Day/ A white dove for every acquittal count
Roaming the world, Bahrain, Ireland
This Is It press conference
This Is It rehearsals
June 25th 2009/ MJ breaks the internet
Legacy and impact on the world
I’m sure I forgot a few, but even then, if a lot of the more minor details are left out, you still have a hell of a task to fit all of the major moments plus over 30 songs into anything less that 3 hours. Obviously a lot of the songs will be overlaid to footage. This isn’t Elvis or Freddie Mercury. Respect to both, but Michael’s life was lived through a much greater lens and lived on a much bigger scale. Am I wrong?