I gave this documentary 10 starts not because of its excellency in film-making, but because it really reveals how and in what ways media has for many years distorted the image of the greatest entertainer of out time, Michael Jackson. Those who have seen Bashir's Living with Michael Jackson, regardless whether you believed it to be a true or false portrayal of Jackson, needs to see this documentary which shows how answers and comments were either distorted, taken out of context or simply cut (needless to mention that these were the comments that showed Jackson in a positive light). The documentary allows one to juxtapose two angles of the same interviews and the making of the final product (the film) and to really judge for oneself what to believe in. Personally I think it is profoundly sad to see how an absolutely, spectacularly great artist has suffered in the hands of the media-craze and money hungry people.
User Reviews
Review this title6 Reviews
King of Everyhing
floydcarey-4534215 October 2018
What a legend MJ is. This really shows what sick person Bashir is and what he was willing to do for money.
Michael Jackson was a wonderful human being. Who gave so much to the world. He will be missed. RIP Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson was a wonderful human being. Who gave so much to the world. He will be missed. RIP Michael Jackson.
Really puts that UK journalist to shame
aryastark-3982619 October 2018
What a disgusting filthy journalist this Bashir guy is. He should be ashamed of himself. The length people in the media will do for money and attention is unbelievable. Michael did not deserve that. Everyone should watch this film right here. It shows true side of the media
Succeeded as it was intended
VinnieRattolle29 August 2009
After Martin Bashir's scandalous documentary "Living with Michael Jackson" hit the air, Jackson's camp retaliated, saying the specious Bashir distorted the truth and used clips out of context. As Bashir's cameras rolled, Jackson had his own cameras simultaneously capturing the interviews, so the tapes were handed over to Fox for this special, which was intended to show how Bashir exaggerated both the truth and his intentions for the interview. According to disclaimers, Michael had no control over how Fox chose to use his personal tapes.
Although Bashir's footage isn't included, host Maury Povich frequently quotes from "Living with Michael Jackson"-- and to say that Bashir was contradictory between the actual on-set interviews and his own special is an overwhelming understatement. Additional clips that Bashir excluded fill out the story (such as a brief moment after Michael describes the beatings from his father where he explains he might not otherwise have had his adoration for children), and it give answers to omitted questions (such as the whereabouts of former constant companion Bubbles the chimp). Additionally, a few family members, ex-wife Debbie Rowe, Jackson's longtime makeup artist (Karen Faye) and personal videographer (Hamid Moslehi) give their input on Michael and denounce Bashir for ludicrous sensationalism in his documentary.
Recently some of the footage from this special has been exploited -- particularly clips of Debbie Rowe's interview, which were aired endlessly soon after Michael's death. Re-watching the show now, it's pretty clear that Jackson wasn't clean and sober at the time of his interviews (he frequently stumbles to get the words out) and some of his answers are questionable (answers about plastic surgery and the paternity of his children are particularly suspect), but it certainly more accurately represents the original interviews than Bashir's special did.
Although Bashir's footage isn't included, host Maury Povich frequently quotes from "Living with Michael Jackson"-- and to say that Bashir was contradictory between the actual on-set interviews and his own special is an overwhelming understatement. Additional clips that Bashir excluded fill out the story (such as a brief moment after Michael describes the beatings from his father where he explains he might not otherwise have had his adoration for children), and it give answers to omitted questions (such as the whereabouts of former constant companion Bubbles the chimp). Additionally, a few family members, ex-wife Debbie Rowe, Jackson's longtime makeup artist (Karen Faye) and personal videographer (Hamid Moslehi) give their input on Michael and denounce Bashir for ludicrous sensationalism in his documentary.
Recently some of the footage from this special has been exploited -- particularly clips of Debbie Rowe's interview, which were aired endlessly soon after Michael's death. Re-watching the show now, it's pretty clear that Jackson wasn't clean and sober at the time of his interviews (he frequently stumbles to get the words out) and some of his answers are questionable (answers about plastic surgery and the paternity of his children are particularly suspect), but it certainly more accurately represents the original interviews than Bashir's special did.
This was worse then Enough with Jennifer Lopez
rikishi_phatuohy23 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
After seeing Martin Bashir's interview with Michael Jackson, i thought i had to watch this to see the other side of the coin. what i saw was absolute as Christina Applegate once said "Grade A Baloni". it was just an attempt by Michael Jackson and the people around him to try and show him in a good way after the interview. OK OK i'm not saying Michael did what has been said about him, but in the Martin Bashir interview we see him repeatedly deny claims about plastic surgery and then he eventually said he had surgery once or twice so he has a problem with expressing the truth at times. so i had an idea what this programme was going to be about. i'm a fairly open minded person, but i have to say that this was just an attempt to salvage any credibility that Jackson had left. Dire
Take that Martin Bashir!!!
averman29 April 2003
In 2002, UK Journalist Martin Bashir, interviewed Michael Jackson over a period of 8 months. In February 2003, The finished product titled, Living With Michael Jackson went to air around the world. The result is simply sickening. The interview made Michael out to be a child molester and it seemed that Mr. Bashir didn't care about the truth, all he cared about was entertainment. Later that month, Michael made this documentary, which shows the uncut version of the Bashir interview which shows Mr. Bashir giving a different point of view. Watch this documentary, and then you be the judge.
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