Michael Jacksons This Is It 2009 Extras 1 | LEGIT ✓ |
“This Is It — Extras 1” functions as a valuable supplemental record: it enriches the main film’s portrait of Michael Jackson as an obsessive, collaborative artist and provides material critical to fans, practitioners, and researchers interested in the anatomy of large-scale pop performance.
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The Michael Jackson’s This Is It (2009) home media release includes a deep dive into the King of Pop’s final creative process. While the documentary itself provides a rare look at the rehearsal of his setlist, the Limited Edition DVD and Blu-ray features extend the experience with never-before-seen footage. Core Bonus Documentaries
The release is anchored by two significant making-of documentaries:
Staging the Return: The Adventure Begins: A multi-part mini-documentary that chronicles the initial production of the This Is It residency. It covers the logistics of building a massive show at the O2 Arena and the advanced technology involved in the set construction.
Beyond the Show: This featurette provides a technical perspective on the concert's complex visual cues and special effects. It includes footage of the stage "toaster" mechanism and the custom-designed video doors intended for Jackson's grand entrances and exits. Exclusive Performance Vignettes michael jacksons this is it 2009 extras 1
The Blu-ray edition features high-definition shorts that were produced specifically to play on the giant LCD screens during the live concert: Tonight's 3D feature is This Is It
When the documentary Michael Jackson’s This Is It premiered in October 2009, it was marketed as a final rehearsal film—a raw, unfiltered look at what would have been the greatest concert series never staged. But for the true devotees, the theatrical release was only the beginning. The treasure trove that fans have come to refer to as “Extras 1” (the first disc of bonus features from the Collector’s Edition DVD and Blu-ray) is where the real soul of the project lives.
Far from just discarded footage, Extras 1 is a masterclass in vulnerability, perfectionism, and the architectural genius of Michael Jackson. Here is a deep dive into why this specific collection of bonus material remains essential viewing 15 years later.
If you type the keyword "michael jacksons this is it 2009 extras 1" into a search engine, you are likely looking for one of two things: a technical specification (video codecs, run times) or a nostalgic validation. Here is the validation:
The theatrical This Is It was a eulogy. Extras 1 is the music lesson. “This Is It — Extras 1” functions as
In the main film, Michael is guarded; he is "saving his voice" for the live shows. In Extras 1, specifically during the rehearsal for "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," he lets loose. You hear the raspy, powerful 40-year-old voice that made Invincible.
Furthermore, Extras 1 contains the only footage of Michael directing the orchestra. In the main film, we see him counting in "Beat It." In Extras 1, we see him rearrange the chord progression of "Will You Be There" on the spot. It is a masterclass in composition.
One of the most viral moments within Extras 1 is the extended rehearsal for Human Nature. In the theatrical version, we see Michael finish the song gracefully. In the extras, we see the lead-up.
Michael stops the band mid-chord. The music is too fast. He doesn't yell; he whispers. "No... it’s dragging... but it’s rushing? We need the lilt." He then scats the rhythm to pianist Michael Bearden, conducting the silence between the notes. Watching "Extras 1," you realize Jackson wasn't just singing the song; he was sculpting the air. He apologizes to the crew—"God bless you, forgive me"—before running the segment six more times. It is a portrait of kindness under pressure.
Perhaps the most intimate moment in the Extras is simply audio of Michael doing vocal runs backstage. Without the band, without the lights, just his voice echoing in a dark arena. It reminds you that before the spin, before the glittery glove, he was a once-in-a-century vocalist. Listening to him hum melodies that never made it into the show is worth the price of admission alone. When the documentary Michael Jackson’s This Is It
While the main film ends on a bittersweet note ("God bless you"), Extras 1 includes a raw 18-minute section where the dancers, band members, and Ortega sit in a circle after Michael's death. They were filmed during the week of the memorial service.
These are unscripted, tearful recollections.
This segment is difficult to watch, but it solidifies the legacy. It turns the tragedy into a celebration of his work ethic.
The highlight of the extras package is undoubtedly the extended footage of Michael’s interaction with the crew. There is a specific moment during a vocal run where he stops the band, not out of anger, but with a gentle precision.
"You have to let it simmer," he tells the band, describing the groove.
This is the MJ that the media rarely showed during his final years. He wasn't the eccentric recluse; he was a foreman on a construction site, making sure the foundation was perfect. In "Extras 1", we see him counting the band in, snapping his fingers with a rhythmic authority that is frankly terrifying. Even without the microphone at full power, his voice cuts through the Staples Center air.