By Terry Smith

This is my tribute to Michael Jackson, via my Anjelica Huston interview where I ask her about working with a young Michael Jackson…

I was lucky enough to interview the cast of CHOKE last year, including the great Anjelica Huston. She was gracious enough to take questions about her past work, including her work in the Disney World [Epcot Center] ride “Captain EO” starring Michael Jackson. I re-transcribed lost parts of this interview so we can hear her talk about [tribute] the greatness of Michael Jackson.

Terry Smith: I have to ask you about one particular favorite from my youth [that no longer exists] CAPTAIN EO at Epcot Center. What are your memories?

Anjelica Huston: “Well Captain Eo, I think we had an eight am rehearsal….and Michael was in full make up…I was astounded! I walked on you set, you know, um, Francis Coppola always had these fantastic rehearsals. Where anything you could think of would be there, from swords…to I don’t know, machine guns…anything you can think to have was there. And there was Michael, in full make up, he, with this tiny little whispery-voice [She impersonates him (to laughter)] and I have to be mean to him. [Laughter] It was terrible!

Then the next thing I know they strung me up…next to the rafters, it was a very-very difficult harness and I had stand-ins…but they kept fainting so, I ended up standing in for myself. I had this tremendous-tremendous headgear that kept flopping down in my face, and then they had it [on] with an elastic band in-between my shoulder blades. I was now suspended like this [shows us], with my neck in traction. Then from the first stage I kept seeing these luminaries appearing, Barbara Streisand, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren…I was like, I couldn’t believe it. Each day they would go into Michael’s trailer and sign his mirror in lipstick, it was unbelievable…I’ve never seen such a show…fantastic! Then there were all these little animals and I remember it was a 3-D camera, so it had a huge aperture, so I was like this [shows being uncomfortable].

I was called in very early one morning because Michael wanted me off camera, but in full make-up [laughs] so I found him to be irritating at the time. [All laugh] So, I’m sitting grumpily up, atop my platform for the sake to relating my ‘Witch-thing’ and he’s on a platform down here [shows with hands he’s lower] and he glides slowly and starts to sing. And hey, what can I say it was pre-breakfast, his lines were kind of clunky and all of a sudden he starts to sing.

All of a sudden, what can I say…I felt my jaw drop! He was magical…magical! And all of a sudden it was literally like being in a dream. His platform was coming up to meet mine. Then the music was on, he starts to dance and I never seen and thing like it; the man was magical! And, ya know he’s a transformed…kind of shy, clunky little thing into this BEAST, you know! Like, I’ve never seen a transformation like it, but it goes to show, also, I don’t think he had too much talent for acting but in the music department…and in the dance department, oh my God!

It was phenomenal, a true phenomenon…something I was privileged to watch.”

I will stop here, as Anjelica did, and will only add that I feel, as we all do, that no matter what his personal life may have been, I have been privileged to watch MJ at his phenomenal best.
R.I.P
Michael Jackson
“Captain EO”

Watch Captain EO on Youtube!
[Part 1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AstW05bDiQU
[Part 2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2Zt-57Cg0U