Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall

About

One morning, a television set broke down in a living room in Gary, Indiana, leaving a large family of children with nothing to do—so they started singing. Soon the family was singing at talent shows and winning trophies. Their first four recorded songs would top the charts, and launch the career of one of the greatest entertainers the world has ever known.
Director Spike Lee assembles a wealth of archival footage, interviews with contemporary talents and family members, and Michael’s own words and image to create this insightful chronicle of the star’s early rise to fame. An in-depth look at a chapter of his career that is rarely examined, Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall allows audiences to travel with Michael as he gets his start at Motown, strikes a new path with CBS records, and forges a relationship with legendary producer Quincy Jones. An illuminated portrait emerges of how an earnest, passionate, hard-working boy would become the “King of Pop.”

YEAR 2015

SECTION Doc Premieres

COUNTRY U.S.A.

RUN TIME 93 min

COMPANY Optimum Productions

EMAIL KarenL@ziffrenlaw.com

Credits

Director
Producer
Editor
Director Of Photography
Co Producer/Associate Producer

Artist Bio

Spike Lee

Spike Lee is an Academy Award-winning writer, director, actor, producer, author, and educator who has helped revolutionize black and independent cinema. One of Spike's many artistic passions is music, which is on full display in his recent feature film for Amazon Studios— Chi-Raq, a satirical look at gang violence in Chicago. This love for music is also apparent in his documentary on Michael Jackson premiering at this year's Festival.