Captain EO Movie Logo

Oh man. This one takes me back. When I was a kid, I had the amazing opportunity to take a vacation to Disney World with my family. I remember a lot about the trip, but one of the highlights was seeing Captain EO, starring Michael Jackson. It was the first 3-D movie I had ever seen, and I saw it at a time when Michael Jackson was probably the most popular person on the planet.

As I was sifting through the news today, I saw an article on the LA Times blog that said the Captain EO movie will be returning to Disneyland starting today (Feb-23). WTF?! Really?! Wow! According to the post:

At 10 a.m., the 17-minute, science fiction-themed musical returns to the Tomorrowland Theater for limited engagement.

This is awesome. Just the fact that there is a theater called ‘The Tomorrowland Theater’ makes me feel sentimental and nostalgic. And now they are bringing back the 17-minute movie from 1986. What’s next? Bringing back the original ‘The Transformers: The Movie‘ to theaters nationwide? Now that would be awesome!

For now, I have collected several pictures from the days of Captain EO. Enjoy!

Michael Jackson as Captain EO

Michael Jackson as Captain EO

Michael Jackson as Captain EO

Captain EO with Fuzzball

Captain EO Movie Poster

Captain EO Comic Book

Fuzzball from the Captain EO movie

Michael Jackson, Francis Ford Coppola & George Lucas (filming Captain EO)

This is the never-before-seen video from the January 27, 1984 Pepsi Commercial where Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire. This footage was released today, and I’m pretty sure it’s the first time anyone has seen the video footage of the horrific pyrotechnics accident that caused second and third degree burns on Michael Jackson’s head and scalp.

Sources close to Jackson have claimed he was never the same after the 1984 accident.

One said: “His personality totally changed after that incident as drugs began to influence his life.

“He was 25 and full of life before then but after that everything changed. (TheSun.co.uk)

Michael Jackson's Hair Caught Fire During the Filming of a 1984 Pepsi Commercial

Apparently this was the event that also led to Michael’s use of painkillers. Of course, after reading many of the news stories from the past few weeks, we all know that painkillers became an addiction for Michael. And that’s a shame. I wonder how the last 25 years would have gone for him if this accident had never happened.

The mystery surrounding Michael’s life, death and use of prescription drugs grows by the day. Here is a link to some exclusive pictures of Michael’s legs in 2002: ABC News. In these photos, you can see a terrible wound on Michael’s lower leg as well as multiple puncture points from IV needles. Jeez. This man had it rough. I’m glad he is in a better place and no longer in pain.

During an CNN interview with Miko Brando at Neverland Ranch, a shadowy, ghostlike figure  moves across the floor inside Michael Jackson’s house. Is this the ghost of Michael Jackson? Or is it just some shadow of a camera man or something. You be the judge. The ghostly ghost appears at the 0:20 mark of the video. Maybe it was the ghost of Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk across the hall. One last time on camera for MJ.

For more on the ghost of Michael Jackson:

• Michael Jackson Ghost? (YouTube)
• Jacko’s ghost at Neverland (The Sun)
• Michael Jackson’s Face ‘Appears’ On Tree Stump – Photos (Entertainment Wise)

Michael Jackson Funeral Poster Signed at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA

The funeral for the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, will take place at the downtown Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, July 7 at 10:00am. This date and time have been confirmed by the Jackson family’s publicist. AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips has said that tickets will be free, but there is only room for 20,000 in the Staples Center. Furthermore, there are only 11,000 tickets available for fans. And if you wanted to register for tickets, there was a two day registration period. If you wanted a ticket, I hope you registered.

Michael Jackson Funeral Online Registration Successful!

Registration ended Saturday. And guess what? There were over 1.6 million fans who registered for tickets during the 2-day registration process. Only 11,000 of them will get tickets to the funeral at the Staples Center. However, there will be 6,500 tickets given away for the overflow location at the Nokia Theater, which is next door to the Staples Center. I’m not sure how the math adds up here, but apparently 8,750 names will be randomly selected. Each name will be given 2 tickets to the funeral, and they will be notified via email. [Note: Of course they are using a wristband system. It's crazy to me that in the year 2009, there is nothing more efficient and secure than a wristband system. I hope they are looking out for hackers, scalpers and thiefs.]

Ticket & Wristband from Michael Jackson Memorial Service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA

I’m not sure how Los Angeles is planning to brace for the amount of people that will decend upon downtown LA on Tuesday morning. The city anticipates anywhere from 250,000 to 700,000 people will show up at the Staples Center arena on Tuesday. For the fans who do not get into the arena, be aware that there will be no funeral procession through the city, and the funeral ceremony will not be broadcast on the giant screen outside the arena. If you want to watch the funeral ceremony live, your best bet is to watch it on TV at home.

Also, there will be a private ceremony for the family before the public memorial. In an interview with CNN’s Larry King, Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s brother, discussed the private memorial service on Tuesday. He also discussed the family’s desire to have other memorial services around the United States.

And here’s a post about the Michael Jackson fans who were lucky enough to get tickets to the funeral: link

Update (7-6-2009):

• Michael Jackson to be buried without his brain (mirror.co.uk)
• Tickets to Jackson memorial being sold for thousands (breitbart.com)

In a song titled Morphine off of Michael Jackson’s 1997 album Blood on the Dance Floor (info), MJ may have predicted his own death in a cry for help. Early reports of his death were citing staff members who said that MJ had taken Demerol before he went into cardiac arrest. Other reports are citing that the King of Pop was addicted to painkillers and that it was a situation that his family and friends were aware of.

Here are the lyrics that to Morphine, a song that Michael Jackson wrote in 1997:

He got flat baby
Kick in the back baby
A heart attack baby
I need your body

A hot kiss honey
He’s just a bitch baby
You make me sick baby
So unrelying

I’m such a swine baby
All down the line daddy
I hate your kind baby
So unreliable

A hot buzz baby
He’s one of us baby
Another drug baby
You so desire

Trust in me
Trust in me
Put all your trust in me
You’re doin’ morphine

Hoo!

They got place baby
Kicked in the face baby
You hate your race baby
You’re just a liar

Your every lick baby
Your dog’s a bitch baby
You make me sick baby
You soul survivor

She never cut from me
She never cut baby
I had to work baby
You just a rival

Always to please daddy
Right up and leave daddy
You’re thorwing shame daddy
So undesirable

Trust in me
Just in me
Put all your trsut in me
You’re doin’ morphine

Go’on babe

Relax
This won’t hurt you
Before I put it in
Close your eyes and count to ten
Don’t cry
I won’t convert you
There’s no need to dismay
Close your eyes and drift away

Demerol
Demerol
Oh God he’s taking demerol
Demerol
Demerol
Oh God he’s taking demerol

He’s tried
Hard to convince her
To be over what he had
Today he wants it twice as bad
Don’t cry
I won’t resent you
Yesterday you had his trust
Today he’s taking twice as much

Demerol
Demerol
Oh God he’s taking demerol
Hee-hee-hee
Demerol
Demerol
Oh my Oh God it’s Demerol
Hee
Oooh

Oh!

He got shit baby
Your dog’s a bitch baby
You make me sick baby
You are a liar

Is truth a game daddy
To win the fame baby
It’s all the same baby
You’re so reliable

Trust in me
Trust in me
Put all your trust in me
She’s doin’ morphine

Hoo!

You just sit around just talkin’ nothing
You’re takin’ morphine
Hoo!
Go’on baby
You just sit around just talking about it
You’re takin’ morphine
Hoo-hoo!
Just sit around just talking nothing about it
You’re takin’ morphine
You just sit around just talking about it
You’re taking morphine
You just sit around just talkin’ nothin’
And takin’ morphine

Hoo-hoo
I’m going down baby
You’re talkin’ Morphine

Go’on baby!
Hoo!
Hoo!
Morphine!
Do it!
Hoo!
He’s takin’ morphine
Morphine!
Morphine!

From a closer look at these lyrics, this song appears to be extremely autobiographical in nature, and it is definitely an insight into his feelings and emotions during a time of addiction. If nothing else, this song is a first person account of his experience while he was fighting a painkiller addiction back in the mid to late 1990′s. Knowing that he took Demerol before he died yesterday, this line stands out: “Oh God he’s taking demerol.”

Michael Jackson obviously had some issues, and he needed help. This song pretty much proves that. This song was likely a way for him to voice his emotions during a time when he was addicted to painkillers back in the 1990′s. Yet there is also something very haunting about it today. You might say conclude that this is a song where MJ predicted his own demise and death from an addiction to painkillers. Such a tragedy.

• Michael Jackson death: conspiracy theories and unanswered questions (telegraph.co.uk)
• Mystery grows around Michael Jackson’s death (independent.co.uk)
• Jackson Death Conspiracy? (uk.news.yahoo.com)
• Michael Jackson conspiracy theory? (Yahoo Answers: 1, 2, 3, 4)
• Michael Jackson Conspiracy Theory? (digitalspy.co.uk)

Update (6-26-2009):

• ‘Jackson’s not dead, he’s living in a bunker with Elvis Presley’: Conspiracy theories flood the internet (dailymail.co.uk)
• Michael Jackson’s Conspiracy Theory (cinemablend.com)

Update (6-29-2009):

• ‘I’m better off dead. I’m done’: Michael Jackson’s fateful prediction just a week before his death (dailymail.co.uk)
• No food just pills in his stomach, bald, bruised, his ribs broken by CPR, 4 needle wounds near his heart (thesun.co.uk)
• Was Michael Jackson Chemically Manipulated for Profit? (naturalnews.com)
• Russia’s FSB Reports Pop Icon Michael Jackson Assassinated By CIA (fourwinds10.com)
• Jackson death: Second autopsy amid conspiracy rumours (hindu.com)
• The morphing face of Michael Jackson (video.google.com)
• Jackson Conspiracy Theories Swarm Web (news.sky.com)

Update (6-30-2009): Someone posted a picture, claiming Michael Jackson is alive.

• Wacko theory that Jacko is ‘alive’ (thesun.co.uk)
• Michael Jackson Hoax Death (michaeljacksonhoaxdeath.com)
• Michael Jackson faked his own death (redheadranting.blogspot.com)
• Michael Jackson Sightings (michaeljacksonsightings.com)

The site has published a grainy photo it says is Jacko, above, and claims the man who died on Thursday was a Jacko double with a terminal illness whose family will be looked after in return.

A message reads: “Over the past few days there have been many Michael sightings. People have e-mailed with pictures and amazing stories.

“Michael is alive and well and happier than ever. The plot was 10 years in the making but it had to be done.

“We know he is alive because we have seen pictures. Clear pictures taken June 26, 2009 of Michael Jackson lounging poolside with friends.

• Eerie pictures show Michael Jackson rehearsing on stage for London comeback gigs just 48 hours before he died (dailymail.co.uk)
• AP Exclusive: Jackson wrapped video before death (reuters.com)
• Michael Jackson claimed net worth of $236 million as of March 31, 2007, documents show (breitbart.com)

Update (7-2-2009):

• Federal Drug Agents Asked to Join Michael Jackson Death Probe (abcnews.go.com)
• Michael Jackson Funeral Set for July 7 at Staples Center (showbiz411.com)
• Geller to Jacko: You will die (thesun.co.uk)
• ‘Endless’ supply of music in Jackson’s vaults (apnews.myway.com)
• Second Michael Jackson autopsy stuns family (thesun.co.uk)
• Lawyer for doctor: Jackson had pulse when found (news.yahoo.com)
• Neverland Ranch Public Viewing CANCELLED (rantrave.com)
• Jackson’s Death Provokes Memories of Elvis Conspiracy (wired.com)

Update (7-6-2009):

• Michael Jackson to be buried without his brain (mirror.co.uk)
• Tickets to Jackson memorial being sold for thousands (breitbart.com)

Update (7-13-2009):

• LaToya Jackson Claims Michael Jackson Was Murdered (mtv.com)

Michael Jackson sightings in Mexico? He’s alive and lounging poolside with friends? A plot 10 years in the making? This story is fascinating

More as I find it…

Michael Jackson died today at the age of 50. He had been living just off the Sunset Strip for the past several months in a $100,000 per month rental house. For weeks he has been rehearsing for his 50-show comeback tour in London’s O2 arena. There was a lot of money tied up in those shows. I’ve seen a few people say that Michael’s death is somehow related to money, but I bet that the sponsor (AEG Live) of his 50-show comeback tour will argue that theory because there is a massive financial headache and potential fallout from Michael’s untimely death.

Here is a link to a last picture of Michael Jackson: ET Online

Now, here are some of the ‘Michael Jackson died from’ theories and conspiracy theories circulating around the world right now:

• Did painkiller addiction and pressure of making a comeback kill Michael Jackson? (dailymail.co.uk)
• Collapsed after an injection of Demerol (thesun.co.uk)
• Michael Jackson is dead…Now how long until it becomes a conspiracy? (abovetopsecret.com)
• Michael Jackson’s death brings conspiracy theory back into spotlight (jacksonnjonline.com)
• Michael Jackson faked his own death (colbertnation.com)
• MJ killed by new experimental bio weapon (topix.com)
• Was Michael Jackson murdered? (selectsmart.com)
• Tito did it? (wikipedia.org) [some jerk always has to make stupid edits to Wiki after tragedies]
• Faked his death to pay off debt and make money (denverpost.com)
• They come in 3′s: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson (penny-arcade.com)

I, for one, believe Michael Jackson has died. I believe he is dead. TMZ, who broke the news of Michael Jackson’s death earlier today, is reporting that MJ’s autopsy has been expidited. It will take place tomorrow. Hopefully we will all find out the exact cause of his death, so everyone out there can have some closure. However, I’m sure that no matter what the coroner says, conspiracy theories will abound. People will claim that Michael Jackson killed himself, was murdered, faked his death, etc… That’s just the nature of humans these days. When anything happens, we have to create a conspiracy theory. But who knows? Maybe they are right – because it’s also true that nothing is what it seems these days.

Regardless, this was definitely a tragedy. No question about it. Our thoughts and prayers are with Michael’s family and friends. May the King of Pop rest in peace.

Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We’re told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.

A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived.

Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.

We’re told one of the staff members at Jackson’s home called 911.

La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.

Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince “Blanket” Michael Jackson II.

Wow. I’m stunned. Simply stunned.

After looking at several news websites more information is coming out, but no one has officially reported his death.

From the LA Times Blog (source):

[Updated at 2:46 p.m.: Pop star Michael Jackson is in a coma and family have are arriving at his bedside, a law enforcement source told The Times.

Jackson was rushed to a hospital this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home around 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The parademics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told The Times.

[Updated at 2:12 p.m.: Paramedics were called to a home on the 100 block of Carolwood Drive off Sunset Boulevard. Jackson rented the Bel Air home for $100,000 a month. It was described as a French chateau estate built in 2002 with seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 12 fireplaces and a theater.

The home is about 2 1/2 miles, about a six-minute drive, from UCLA Medical Center. An earlier version of this post incorrectly described the time to travel between the home and hospital as two minutes.]

The news comes as Jackson, 50, was attempting a comeback after years of tabloid headlines, most notably his trial and acquittal on child molestation charges.

In May, The Times reported that Jackson had rented the Bel Air residence and was rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out shows in London’s O2 Arena. Jackson had won the backing of two billionaires to get the so-called “King of Pop” back on stage.

His backers envision the shows at AEG’s O2 as an audition for a career rebirth that could ultimately encompass a three-year world tour, a new album, movies, a Graceland-like museum, musical revues in Las Vegas and Macau, and even a “Thriller” casino. Such a rebound could wipe out Jackson’s massive debt.

TMZ is reporting that Michael Jackson has died. No one else is reporting that he is dead. And I mean no one. In fact, the LA Times Blog is saying that Michael Jackson is in a coma and that his family are arriving at his bedside. Let’s hope for the best. It would be terrible to lose the King of Pop at only 50-years-old.

From the New York Times (source):

Reports: Jackson in a Coma | 6:15 p.m.  Several news organizations including the Los Angeles Times reported that Mr. Jackson “is in a coma.” The newspaper attributed the news to one law enforcement source. CNN is also citing “multiple sources” as saying that Mr. Jackson is in a coma.

From the Los Angeles Times (source):

[Updated at 3:15 p.m.: Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times.]

[Updated at 2:46 p.m.:  Jackson is in a coma and family have are arriving at his bedside, a law enforcement source told The Times.