This Is It for Michael Jackson fans

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WRITE STUFF: A fan shows off her face art during the Taiwan premiere of This Is It in Taipei.

BLONDE AMBITION: Actress Ashley Tisdale poses at the premiere of This Is It in Los Angeles.

BIG HAIR, BIG WAVE: Macy Gray waves as she arrives at the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

APING HER IDOL: Five-year-old Anna Tanaka poses for photographers before the Japan premiere of This Is It in Tokyo.

ALL SMILES: Paris Hilton poses at the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

DRESS UPS: A fan in a costume holds a Michael Jackson doll as he poses for photographers before the Japan premiere of This Is It Michael Jackson documentary in Tokyo.

PUT IT AWAY: Katy Perry poses with former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert at the premiere of This Is It in Los Angeles.

MAN IN THE MIRROR: Jermaine Jackson waves at the premiere of This Is It in Los Angeles.

FAN BOY: Will Smith attends the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

STAR POWER: Jennifer Lopez poses at the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

GLAMMED UP: Rosanna Arquette attends the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

SCREAM AND SHOUT: Michael Jackson fan Michelle Stevenson cheers as she waits at the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

DANCING SHOES: A Michael Jackson fan waits for the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

RED CARPET ROLLOUT: Michael Jackson fans waits for the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

FLYING THE FLAG: Michelle Stevenson holds a Michael Jackson flag while she waits at the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

YOUNG FANS: Jazmine and her brother Victor Chupina wait for the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

ALL WHITE: A Michael Jackson fan wearing a white glove waits at the premiere of the documentary This Is It in Los Angeles.

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Jackson's film premieres in Los Angeles

Reuters

MINI MICHAELS: Jazmine, right, and her brother Victor Chupina wait for the This Is It premiere in Los Angeles.

This Is It goes global

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Michael Jackson fans around the world have flocked to screenings of This Is It, many dressed as their idol or in costumes from Jackson music videos, as they bid a final farewell to the King of Pop.

Jackson, who grew up as one of Motown legends The Jackson 5 and still has the best-selling album of all-time with his 1982 Thriller, died suddenly on June 25 in Los Angeles after suffering cardiac arrest aged 50.

This Is It was culled from 80 hours of film of the singer's rehearsals for 50 London concerts planned for July which the media dubbed a "comeback tour". Jackson left the stage in 2005 after child molestation charges of which he was later acquitted.

After a star-studded opening in Los Angeles on Tuesday night and premieres in 16 other cities, the highly publicised film was to go on show in up to 99 countries by Wednesday, expanding to about 110 territories by the weekend.

"We have to celebrate his life, celebrate his legacy and that's what this documentary is all about," Teddy Riley, who produced Jackson's Dangerous album, told reporters on the red carpet at Sydney's premiere.

In central Taipei, a handful of Jackson impersonators, members of local fan club called MJ's Army of Love, danced to entertain the hundreds of fans queuing to see the documentary which is initially on a limited two-week release.

"It's such a regret, because his performances, songs and dances are totally perfect. It is a pity we cannot see his performance on stage but in a movie theatre instead," said impersonator Li Yen-Ting, who was dressed up like his hero.

Sony's Columbia Pictures bought the movie rights from concert promoter AEG Live for a reported US$60 million (NZ$82 million) and has reported "phenomenal" demand since advance ticket sales started last month.

Columbia has said the movie will be extended beyond its two-week run if ticket demand is high and also plans to release the DVD for the movie in early 2010.

Early indications were that the movie would be a box office winner for Sony with one rival studio executive, who preferred to remain anonymous, saying it could make more than US$660 million.

Some Jackson fans, however, were refusing to be caught up in the hype surrounding the movie, saying it was concealing the "dire state" of Jackson's health in his final days and exploiting the singer who leaves behind three children.

"In the weeks leading up to Michael Jackson's death, while this footage was being shot, people around him knew that he looked like he might have died," said website this-is-not-it.com

"Those who stood to make a profit chose to ignore it ... What would have been a limited series of concerts in London has now turned into a global cinema and merchandising event, generating huge amounts of extra profit for AEG, Sony and many more."

Officials have ruled that Jackson's heart stopped due to an overdose of sedatives and the powerful anaesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery. The film does not go into his death, which could result in criminal charges against his doctors.