Louis, Martin & Michael

Although generally I find Louis Theroux' documentaries entertaining, refreshing, open-hearted and revealing, I wouldn't call him a journalist. Well, at least not for this film.

Like his master Michael Moore, who learned him the trade in the epic series TV Nation, Theroux is biased and partial. And he has a very mean but subtle way to weave that bias into his documentaries.

In this film Theroux is unmasked by Uri Geller (one of the gatekeepers to Michael Jackson) in a scene where he presents a picture of MJ and suggestively comments that 'this picture was officially endorsed' and 'seriously, I'm not pulling your leg here'. At that point Geller responds and starts revealing the true intentions of Theroux.

From then on its a downward spiral. He arranges an interview with father Joe Jackson through a Vegas agent called Majestik Macnificent, pays up a total of US$ 5.500 for which he gets a few hours of Jackson promoting his new talent acts and only five minutes of interview on the curb, five minutes where Theroux totally locks up.

At the end of the film, Theroux has another opportunity to speak with MJ's dad, but he manages to spoil that opportunity as well. Big time.

I think in this film Theroux' biggest mistake is that he shows no interest whatsoever in the people that he does get to interview (be it Uri Geller, Majestik Magnificent or Joe Jackson) and tries much, much to hard to get an interview with Michael. He's just too eager, too hung up, too personally involved.

Which will undoubtedly have made it much harder to swallow that ITV's Martin Bashir got the MJ-scoop of the century.

Definitely not as good as most of his stuff, but some people on here need to chill... Louis is a journalist, and not a fool or buffoon. (What the hell even brings you to that conclusion?) But although I think very highly of Louis, I have to agree that this 'documentary' is slightly pointless. It would have been very interesting to see Louis interview Michael, and I'll forever regret the fact it didn't happen. But this wasn't really a good alternative. Although it was sort of interesting to see how hard it was to reach Michael, and all the strange people that were part of his world, like Uri Geller and Joe Jackson, it wasn't enough to carry the whole documentary. Too bad, Louis interviewing Michael could have been epic.

In 2001, Louis Theroux decides to set out on a journey to interview Michael Jackson. When Michael comes to the UK, Louis approaches Uri Geller but gets turned down. He then finds out that ITV has been granted an interview and Louis sets out for LA to meet a close friend of the Jackson family - promoter and magician Majestik Magnificent, who claims he can set up an interview with Joe Jackson, Michael's father. However nothing seems to go easily for Louis and his target seems further away.

I have never seen a documentary on Michael Jackson that so spectacularly failed to get anywhere near him, but still managed to be fascinating. The reference to Martin Bashir in the title is partly Louis slight sour grapes that Uri Geller decides to grant ITV the interview over Louis (a decision he regrets by the end of the film). Fans of Michael will be let down, but fans of Louis Theroux will be overjoyed as he is almost the subject of this film. In the start of the film, Uri Geller really makes it clear that Louis' style is suspicious and that he has no intention of trusting him to be anywhere near Michael - the discussion they have on this subject is very tense.

However it is nothing to the trials Louis faces when he tries to get near Joe Jackson! First of all Majestik is a very shady character who is very touchy and gets very irritable when they discuss fees, calling Louis a `f**king idiot' for not being clear about what is meant by `terms and conditions'. They settle on £5000 cash for Joe and £500 as a finder's fee. After the deal is made (in a mall parking lot), director Yapp is very verbal to Louis about the fact that `we're going to get shafted, we're gonna get f**ked' and he's sure Joe will just use it for promotion of his artists. The actual interview with Joe is 2 hours long but turns into Joe bringing all his artists with him and only leaving Louis with 5 minutes where he is so flustered that he doesn't make sense with his questions!

After the Martin Bashir interview has happened Louis tries Joe again and the interview is even tenser. Joe is very touchy, although in fairness Louis doesn't really help himself by making his first question `Michael says every time he knows he's going to see you, he regurgitates. How does that make you feel?' The deal breaker is a question about Joe's hopes for Michael to find love - `settle down with a boyfriend or girlfriend?' offers Louis, with an immediate reaction from Joe and Majestik of homophobia - the interview ends there!

Overall this is a very enjoyable little film. It doesn't help me know anything more about Michael but more about Joe and Uri, plus I got to see Louis lots. It was more a film about him than anything else and it works very well for that reason. I wonder if Louis ever really believed that he would get anywhere near Michael Jackson or if he just believed that the journey itself would be interesting viewing - if it was the latter, then he was totally right.

Michael Jackson's Relationship with his father Joe is a controversial topic and one that is the butt of many tasteless jokes , if you've seen the BO SELECTA sketch with Michael Jackson doing a JACKASS sketch where he and his siblings wake up their father with a band you'll know what I'm talking about . Louis Theroux to his credit has tried to get Joe's side of the story and uncover the truth

This is a documentary as disturbing as it is fascinating . Joe Jackson seems to have employed " Majestik Magician " as an agent and bodyguard . You know Don King the boxing promoter who once served a long prison sentence for kicking a man to death ? Well Majestik Magician instantly reminded me of King . Except for one thing and that is Don King is a lot less scary ! Seriously Majestik ( Who's as much a magician as either myself or Saddam Hussain ) will give you nightmares long after this documentary has been shown .

Majestik manages to set up an interview with Joe Jackson while accepting a fee from Theroux . Believe me you don't want to say " I've no money on me . Do you accept a cheque ? " and an interview is arranged in a seedy looking room . Boy this interview takes irony and black comedy to new depths

LT : Did you ever beat Michael with a belt ?

JJ : No. You beat someone with a stick . I hit Michael with a belt

LT : How do you feel if Michael had a boyfriend or girlfriend ?

JJ : A what ?

LT: A boyfriend or a girlfriend ?

JJ ( Visibly angry ) : Now Michael ain't gay . He ain't gay

And at this point Majestic tells to the cameraman to stop filming . As I said Majestic isn't a man who would tolerate the word " No "

A fascinating documentary for all the wrong reasons . Very much a companion piece to LIVING WITH MICHAEL JACKSON , though Louis Theroux has obviously more courage than Martin Bashir