Michael Jackson's Musical Movie Moments

Michael Jackson was first and foremost a singer and dancer, but he was also the type of performer who surpassed genres and inspired artists across all mediums. Here’s a look at some memorable movie moments that made use of Jackson’s music:

6. The Wiz and Captain EO: Jackson appeared as an actor in two films. (Of course, he sang in both.) His movie debut was as The Scarecrow in this urban re-imagining of The Wizard of Oz. But to anyone who visited Disney World’s Epcot Center in the 80s, his signature role will be as the moonwalking Captain EO. Hopefully in the wake of Jackson’s death, Disney will finally have the good sense to release this 3D classic on DVD.




5. Free Willy: Jackson scored a modest hit with “Will You Be There?” form this whale-saving family film’s soundtrack. But he also had a hand in another hit featured in the movie. 90’s R&B girl group SWV sampled his song “Human Nature” in their hit single “Right Here.”




4. Center Stage: Anyone who watches reality dance competitions like So You Think You Can Dance has seen countless dancers gush over what an inspiration Michael Jackson is to them. This theme translated to the big screen in the 2000 dance movie Center Stage, in which the climactic ballet (complete with motorcycle stunts!) was performed to Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.”




3. Ben: Michael’s first single as a solo artist was the theme song to (and most memorable thing about) this movie about a friendship between a boy and a rat.



2. Zoolander: The epic “walk-off” between dueling male models Derek and Hansel was the centerpiece of this hilarious Ben Stiller farce. Naturally, they turned to Michael Jackson’s 80s classic “Beat It”, whose video featured the most badass dance-off all time, to provide the soundtrack.



1. 13 Going On 30: As an 80s child trapped in the body of a 21st century 30-year-old, Jennifer Garner saves a dull magazine launch party by busting out the signature choreography from the greatest music video of all time. The joy on the faces of her fellow party-goers as they join in the dance speaks volumes to the true timelessness of the King of Pop’s music. (Even Gollum can't resist getting in on the fun.) From Halloween parties to wedding receptions to prison work-outs, those moves will never be forgotten.

Read more...

Hilary Duff set to join 'Gossip Girl' for multi-episode arc

Hilary Duff is joining the world of "Gossip Girl" for a multi-episode arc in the fall.

Duff, who as a child was a giant hit on Disney's "Lizzie McGuire," and who last season reemerged with parts on "The Ghost Whisperer" and "Law & Order: SVU," will play a movie star who enrolls at NYU, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The story will make Duff's character a roommate of Vanessa (Jessica Szohr). EOnline said Duff's character will be pursued by Dan (Penn Badgley). She will appear in the show's fourth episode this fall.

Dots all ...

NBC's Matt Lauer will anchor "Today" from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Thursday (7-9 a.m.). ...WABC/Ch. 7 has stopped airing the New York Lotto and Take 5 drawings live as part of its on-air newscasts. Those drawings will be carried at 7online.com. The winning numbers will be displayed graphically on Ch. 7 just after the drawings are done. "On the many nights when there is breaking news or severe weather, we were still required to go to the live drawings precisely at 11:21," said a station spokesman. "Since we have so many other broadcast options available to us today than we have had in the past, we offered this as an alternative." Lottery officials agreed to the change, the spokesman said. ... WPLJ (95.5 FM) will play great party songs of the last 30 years on the Fourth of July. ... The launch of Oxygen's "Dance Your Ass Off" was seen by 1.3 million viewers, best ever for a premiere on the network.

Read more...

Jackson had two albums in works

Michael Jackson had two albums in the works at the time of his death, Billboard reported Thursday.

The singer was reportedly crafting a pop album with songwriter Claude Kelly and Akon as well as a collection of classical compositions.

“He was the 'King of Pop,' the biggest to ever do it, and the one thing you never lose -- whether known by the whole world or just 10 people -- is your love for music,” Kelly told the music trade mag. “That never goes away, and it never went away for him amidst his troubles.”

Akon added that Jackson’s upcoming sold-out “This Is It” shows in London had been an inspiration, as well.

“He said, ‘My fans are still there. They still love me. They’re alive,’” Akon said. “His kids are like his first priority, and they had never seen him perform live. He was trying to create the most incredible show for his kids.”

Billboard also reported that Jackson was working on an instrumental album, collaborating with composer David Michael Frank, who had previously worked with the singer on a 1989 TV tribute to Sammy Davis Jr.

“He had two demos of two pieces he’d written, but they weren’t complete,” Frank said. “For one of them, he had a whole section of it done in his head. He had not recorded it. He hummed it to me as I sat at the keyboard in his pool house and we figured out the chords -- I guess this recording I made is the only copy that exists of this music.”

And Jackson had more compositions in the works, including a jazz track.

“He mentioned more instrumental music of his he wanted to record, including one jazz piece,” Frank noted, adding that Jackson had called him to check in on the project several weeks ago. “I hope one day his family will decide to record this music as a tribute and show the world the depth of his artistry.”

This wasn’t the only music Jackson had in the works. When Access Hollywood visited Jackson for his last on-camera interview in Ireland in 2006, he was joined by Will.i.am, who himself was also collaborating with Jackson on new songs.

The Black Eyed Peas frontman told BBC News earlier this week that Jackson had held onto the recordings.

“He had all the hard drives because I didn’t want to be responsible for that,” Will.i.am said. “It’s one thing to lose a Black Eyed Peas hard drive. I move around a lot and to make songs with Michael Jackson and risk me losing that music, I didn’t want that responsibility. So he kept all the stuff that we worked on.”

Read more...

Jackson memorial planned for Tuesday at Staples Center

Staples Center will be the site of a public memorial service on Tuesday for Michael Jackson, a publicist for the Jackson family said Thursday, but it is unclear who will pay for the massive law enforcement deployment necessary for the event.

Ken Sunshine, a Jackson family representative, said the service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the downtown arena, site of the singer's final rehearsal.

Further details will be announced at a news conference Friday morning, including how people may register for the 11,000 tickets that will be distributed to the public. All tickets to the event will be free, according to a news release from Sunshine's firm.

Earlier in the day, Sunshine had asked for the public's patience as the family sorted through details of the service. "There's a lot of sensitivities, and everyone should respect that," Sunshine said.

Randy Phillips, chief executive of AEG Live, the promoter of the 50 Jackson concerts that had been planned for London, said the ultimate decision about the date and format of a memorial lay with Jackson's mother, Katherine.

But even before plans had been finalized Thursday, city leaders were raising questions about who would pay for the city resources needed to pull off a memorial to the singer. The law enforcement deployment would involve thousands of officers -- more than were present for last month's Lakers victory parade, according to sources familiar with the planning, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

City officials debated whether taxpayers should pay all or part of the $2-million cost of the Lakers' parade from Staples Center to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and various business leaders, mindful that the city was weighing layoffs and furloughs, raised enough money privately to pay that tab.

City officials are unclear on just how large the turnout might be for Jackson's memorial service -- or whether it would spill into nearby L.A. Live or surrounding parking lots.

"There's no precedent for this," said Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents downtown and is serving as acting mayor because Villaraigosa is on vacation in Africa and City Council President Eric Garcetti is in Japan.

Councilman Dennis Zine said he was concerned about whether the LAPD would have time to plan for an event of that scale, particularly since many officers will also be working overtime during the Fourth of July weekend.

"You don't have a lot of time to work up a tactical plan and notify the officers," Zine said.

Also Thursday, an attorney for Debbie Rowe, the mother of Michael Jackson's two elder children, said she had not decided whether to seek custody, despite telling a television reporter that was her intention.

Eric George, Rowe's lawyer, did not dispute that Rowe told an NBC-TV Channel 4 reporter by telephone that she wanted custody of Prince Michael Jr., 12, and Paris Michael Katherine, 11, the children she bore when she was married to Jackson.

But her lawyer said it would be a "distortion of the truth" to interpret Rowe's comments to the television reporter as her final decision in the custody case.

He described the custody proceedings as "the most private and the most sensitive of matters as they impact the lives and fates of young children."

As the biological parent, Rowe, 50, would be in line to obtain the children unless a judge determined that would not be in their best interests. Rowe appears to have had little contact with the children over the years, though she does have visitation rights.

Katherine Jackson has temporary custody of the children. A custody hearing scheduled for Monday has been postponed until July 13 at the request of attorneys for Katherine Jackson and Rowe.

Read more...