'IT' is a Fact: Death Sells in Hollywood

Another icon dies and Hollywood looks to make a killing off of it. Literally. They know people will still pay to mourn a death or celebrate a life-- but the memory (and even more so, the work) of celebrities and artists lives on, so it's only fair that business carries on as usual.

The norms of American society determine that there is a boundary of what’s acceptable (and when) for entertainment media to use someone’s death as a source of amusement value. Whether it’s turned into a quip by a late night talk show host or into a week-long program honoring a life of achievement, the story of a death is very marketable in entertainment. Since Michael Jackson was reported dead last June, the entertainment industry has done nothing but make millions off of his memory. But what makes the issue so touchy is that there’s no formula or framework that can explain precisely when selling the event of someone’s death is and is not socially appropriate; especially when there’s plenty of money to be made at their expense. While this concern is reflected amongst some in the consumer population, Hollywood studios shouldn’t spend any time worrying about sending the wrong message by dabbling in the story of someone else’s demise—unless they believe it will negatively affect ticket sales. Moviemaking is a business; and as such, the consumer audience should recognize that ultimately they have the power to decide which movies earn support and recognition.

As Sony Pictures’ This Is It opened in theaters earlier last week, the recently deceased Michael Jackson graces the big screen with exclusive rehearsal and backstage footage from his would-have-been summer tour. It’s no secret that Jackson’s enormous fame and media popularity (or notoriety?) reached a new summit following his surprising death last June. So it only makes business sense that Sony were to ride his ongoing wave of media attention as it marketed the film heavily and anticipated lasting box office success from a wide distribution across the US and overseas. But is this posthumous encore, which Sony Pictures acquired rights to before Jackson’s death, made and released in good taste? It doesn’t really matter if the film does enough to “honor” the King of Pop, but just that it turns a profit by capitalizing on the media frenzy surrounding his sudden death. This movie seems to fulfill both (which is a best-case scenario), but that’s not the rule. For Sony as a business, the only way the former matters is if it helps the bottom line.

This Is It is already the highest-grossing concert film of all time, bringing in $43.8 million domestically and $103.9 million internationally to date. The report is that Sony Pictures is even considering an Oscar campaign for the picture… à la Universal’s Oscar-winning Ray back in 2004. So it’s good to see that Sony isn’t struggling with any backlash from a “too soon” standpoint. It’s just that the fine line that determines a studio’s endeavor to either mourn (the death) or celebrate (the life), or make a profit, through a movie which raises concern. For film, an example of the industry dealing with the “when is too soon” issue occurred fairly recently. Both Paramount’s World Trade Center and Universal’s United 93 weren’t released into theaters until 2006—nearly five whole years after the terrorist attack in September 2001—as a measure in caution regarding the extreme sensitivity of each film’s subject. This was a smart business move, because if released much sooner, these films might have opened to an American audience who had no interest in seeing them.

At the very least, it’s encouraging to see that Sony’s homage is earning the praise of both critics and movie-goers alike. The producers were smart to assume that they could be most successful by keeping everything simple. It’s the nature of the film as a behind-the-scenes documentary that’s special because This Is It is NOT some tribute that’s been the subject of much artistic re-creation. Michael Jackson was wildly popular because he was such an incredibly talented entertainer—and in that sense, Director Kenny Ortega simply delivers him in all his glory to fans on a big screen. It doesn’t take any elements and “Hollywood-ize” them (in a potentially debasing fashion), jeopardizing the support of the hardcore MJ fans. People will pay because they want to see the King of Pop.

Whether or not Sony Pictures does justice with this film doesn’t take anything away from the fact that they are primed to make a huge return on their investment. Although it may be better off left unsaid, it’s clear that the excitement of Jackson’s sudden death works in the favor of selling tickets. I can admit that I’ve been planning on making my contribution in the form of a ticket stub soon, and I look forward to seeing where the movie stands in the BO come Monday.