I recently watched this series on DVD, having never seen it before on television or VHS. I loved it--enjoyed it like a long book that I never wanted to end. Complaints by Jackson aficionados about the inaccuracies are ultimately unimportant; what counts is the movie's watch-ability, entertainment factor, and its point about just how this family became a household word all over the planet.
This movie is about Joe Jackson and his family and also Michael's rising star. While we often in the black community bemoan the absence of parental supervision, we see that the Jackson children always had their parents in the picture. Joe Jackson never abandoned his family or familial responsibilities. He married Katharine when she became pregnant, sacrificed his dreams and worked in steel mills to support an unusually large brood of kids. He had 10 people depending on him.
The film depicts him as proud of his kids and he developed their talent over the years preparing them for the opportunities that came their way. Say what you will, but without his faith and extreme discipline, those kids might still be in Gary. I think as adults they all realize that, even though they bemoan their loss of childhood, Joe's brutal discipline, etc. To make it in the entertainment business, to be a success at anything, you must possess an insane drive that blinds you to all distractions. You must have staying power, the ability to hang in when all seems bleak. Joe provided that.
If the real Jackson story, preserving all accuracies and details about each one of the children, is ever filmed, it would probably take 16 hours!!! To do it in 4, you have to resort to devices that advance the story, and for this first attempt that is forgivable. I loved the story of Katharine and Joe; it provided a real sense of the times & their personalities. The various Michaels were great, especially Jason Weaver as middle Michael. See him sing Kansas City and perform Twist and Shout at the Apollo. Bumper as Jackie was absolutely cute. Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Joe Jackson gives him dimension--family man, proud father, brutal taskmaster, music lover. How would you feel if you lost control over the act you'd created for so long--hard transition. Billy Dee is way too charming and sexy for Gordy--but I loved it anyway.
The flick compares well to all the good musical biopics out there--Ray, Walk the Line, What's Love Got to Do with It?, Selena, etc.
This movie is about Joe Jackson and his family and also Michael's rising star. While we often in the black community bemoan the absence of parental supervision, we see that the Jackson children always had their parents in the picture. Joe Jackson never abandoned his family or familial responsibilities. He married Katharine when she became pregnant, sacrificed his dreams and worked in steel mills to support an unusually large brood of kids. He had 10 people depending on him.
The film depicts him as proud of his kids and he developed their talent over the years preparing them for the opportunities that came their way. Say what you will, but without his faith and extreme discipline, those kids might still be in Gary. I think as adults they all realize that, even though they bemoan their loss of childhood, Joe's brutal discipline, etc. To make it in the entertainment business, to be a success at anything, you must possess an insane drive that blinds you to all distractions. You must have staying power, the ability to hang in when all seems bleak. Joe provided that.
If the real Jackson story, preserving all accuracies and details about each one of the children, is ever filmed, it would probably take 16 hours!!! To do it in 4, you have to resort to devices that advance the story, and for this first attempt that is forgivable. I loved the story of Katharine and Joe; it provided a real sense of the times & their personalities. The various Michaels were great, especially Jason Weaver as middle Michael. See him sing Kansas City and perform Twist and Shout at the Apollo. Bumper as Jackie was absolutely cute. Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Joe Jackson gives him dimension--family man, proud father, brutal taskmaster, music lover. How would you feel if you lost control over the act you'd created for so long--hard transition. Billy Dee is way too charming and sexy for Gordy--but I loved it anyway.
The flick compares well to all the good musical biopics out there--Ray, Walk the Line, What's Love Got to Do with It?, Selena, etc.