Though I have no way been in mourning or even shed a tear for his passing, I find myself pre-occupied with Michael Jackson. Perhaps it is because he is the first icon that I have experienced first hand to pass. I remember Thriller - not the video because we didn't have MTV, but the song. I loved how theatrical it was. I remember "BAD". I was so confused - was it good to be bad all the sudden? Why would you want to be bad? But that bassline - OH that bassline - who could forget that? I also remember Weird Al Yancovik's version - "FAT". I wanted a glove. I would sometimes take off one of my winter gloves in the freezing weather of an upstate NY winter just to be cool.
And then came the pinacle of my Michael Jackson experience. I'm thinking it was around 1988 - we took a family trip to Southern California to visit my Grandma. And we went to Disneyland. I don't remember much from that trip - I actually don't remember any rides, except for wimping out of Space Mountain (which my own children would never do in a million years). But I remember Captain EO.
Quick Tangent: My parents were not into pop culture at all - which was not a bad thing, but my husband still teases me that I've never really seen The Brady Bunch. We did watch The Cosby Show, but I was only vaguely aware of a lot of the 80's culture. I did listen to the radio and take note of classmates hammar pants and concert t-shirts, but mostly I lived in a world of classical music, Barry Manilow and childrens television. I DO remember She-ra, My Little Pony's, Smurfs and I had Whitney Houston and Debbie Gibson tapes...all that good stuff, just not a lot of MJ.
Anyway, Captain EO was special. The 3-D was cool, but the movie itself - well, I know it's cliche'd, but it really did make an impact on me. Something about the music and choroegraphy made me feel amazing! I remember leaving the theatre speechless. I couldn't describe how I felt - it's like I was in a daze, playing the music over and over in my mind, trying to remember the images I had just seen. And it made me long to be up there, on that screen . Whenever I go see a production that I love, I have this overwhelming desire to be up there, be invloved. That's the first time I remember having that feeling. I had some spending money - and I immediately bought a Captain EO sweatshirt. LOVED that thing! My sister was kind enough to post these photos to my Facebook today. She ROCKS!'
Ilona, my siser, and me just back from Disneyland. My sunglasses had Minnie Mouse on the lenses. And I am actually wearing shorts. :) That's my grandma Stimmel in the background.
Ah, yes. The short hair/perm years. Camping in upstate NY. At least I don't have a mullet like my sister Jessica (to my right). Well, at least not in this photo. My brother Jimmy is to the left and Ilona, also in an unfortunate short hair stage, is behind me with my dad.
I don't want to say that I became a performer because of Captain EO because that wouldn't be true. But it is definitely one the earliest memories from my childhood that I can pinpoint where I recognized that excitement - the excitement from good, energizing entertainment. I mean, all those rides at Disneyland and I can't for the life of me remember any from that trip. I remember "We are here to change the world!"
I can't say I was a huge fan of MJ after that - I knew I loved "We are the World" and the video for "Black or White" - it was just cool, especially the end with all the people morphing together. Still total coolness. My sister and I used to love to make movies with our video camera. One time, we made this murder mystery and my sister Ilona played Michael Jackson in it. As I type, I am cracking up just thinking about it. Genius! (Even better than our Wayne's World movie.)
As for his controversial years, I just feel badly for him. None of us can imagine what his life was like - to have that much power with absolutely no perspective on what real life is.
So, thanks Michael Jackson! I hope you are finally at peace.
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