Michael Jackson 3D Movie Previews Online

A 30-second clip of Michael Jackson's unreleased 3D film for his 1996 hit 'Earth Song' has popped up on the Net. The clip, which appeared on the Grammy Awards' YouTube page, is an excerpt from footage honoring Jackson that will air at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 31. The tribute to the King of Pop will also feature performances by Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion and Smokey Robinson.

"To try and imitate him, to try and represent him, it just didn't feel to me like it was something we should do with one of those songs that you just don't ever necessarily want to see anybody but Michael doing -- 'Beat It,' 'Billie Jean' or so many of the others," noted Grammy Co-Executive Producer Ken Ehrlich. "This felt to us like it was really a way of representing him. It's like a tip of the hat. This song was so important to him."

The 'Earth Song' footage that will be shown at the Grammys will not feature images of the deceased singer, only his voice. "It starts out with some beautiful images of the world and our environment, and Michael's childlike love for animals and birds and dolphins," Ehrlich explained. "It introduces a little girl, a beautiful little girl who at one point in the film basically goes to sleep, and when she wakes up -- she's in a forest and it's very pastoral -- and when she wakes up, all of a sudden it's all changed and it's bad. The environment is being affected and trees are being cut down."

This year's Grammy Awards mark the first time an awards show has broadcast in 3D. 3D glasses will be provided to home viewers at all Target stores, from now until Jan. 31. Check the clip after the jump.