[23] He said it was the "mini-movie that revolutionized music videos" and "cemented Jackson's status as one of the most ambitious, innovative pop stars of all time". Filmed in one continuous shot, the band is also occasionally shown playing in the burning building. [29], Jackson's red leather jacket became a fashion icon and has been widely emulated. [14] According to Landis, the production involved the largest makeup team in film history up to that point, with 40 makeup artists. Perhaps that's Thriller's ultimate legacy, and it's also why Jonze has become a key influence on film-makers creating videos for YouTube. More than 300 people dressed as Bush in the red dress recreated her video in a Brighton park in 2013. From Michael Jackson's zombie dance in "Thriller" to Miley Cyrus' naked wrecking ball ride, certain visuals stay with the viewer long after the video has ended. Michael Jackson had a huge 1983. She won the MTV award for video of the year. "As soon as the Americans got involved, things became monetised, turning music videos into a proper industry, which operated alongside MTV. The video features lead singer Amy Lee dreaming of falling from her apartment window. When it was released on VHS in the UK, the short film was given the "15" certificate for its frightening scenes (the rating was later changed to "12" in 2018). 1. All eight episodes of Prime Video's new show The Consultant made their debut last week, allowing folks to fly through the entirety of the workplace saga like the levels of an . It's also one Jackson felt personally compelled to include. From the movie theater setting that resulted in the popular "Michael Jackson eating popcorn" GIF to the choreographed zombie dance, it's 14 minutes of pure enjoyment. [8] Landis encouraged Jackson and Ray to improvise during their scenes,[10] and urged Jackson to act "sexy" and "show virility" for his female fans. Within just a few months of release in November 1983, it had sold over a million copies, easily making it the best-selling home video ever to that point. The video for My Chemical Romance's jam featured a main character in a hospital bed who is eventually led by Death to the Black Parade. The Rig is a horror thriller series arriving on Amazon Prime Video in early 2023. The striking video is mostly black-and-white with some of the only color provided by red flowers on the float. [8] At the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, Thriller won the awards for Viewers Choice, Best Overall Performance and Best Choreography, and was nominated for Best Concept Video, Best Male Video and Video of the Year. At the end, everyone gets out of their cars and walks before mysteriously vanishing. [15], Landis said directing Jackson was "like dealing with a gifted 10-year-old". Early music videos were usually shot on video, not film, adding a cheap look to a cheap production a singer or a band might do little more than stand in an unadorned studio and lip-sync to their recording. Adobe Premiere Pro 2023 is an impressive application which allows you to easily and quickly create high-quality content for film, broadcast, web, and more. The actress and the musician wound up getting along just fine more than fine, actually. The "Life on Mars" music video was filmed for the song's release as a single. The music video for "Survivor" takes place "somewhere in the South Pacific," as stated in the beginning and begins with Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, and Beyonc shipwrecked on an island. [8] After originally being screened late at night in the U.S. under the ABC Wide World of Entertainment billing from 1973, some episodes were retitled for U.S. syndication in 1978, and all had additional opening sequences shot with new titles and credits but without the original cast and, for this reason, often only featuring menacing figures seen from the neck down. NCTV chairman Thomas Radecki said: "It's not hard to imagine young viewers after seeing Thriller saying, 'Gee, if Michael Jackson can terrorize his girlfriend, why can't I do it too? [3] Background [ edit] [9][8] These title sequences were used in Britain when the series was repeated on regional ITV stations in the 1980s, and are also included as extras on the Complete Series box set. It took videos to another level, but in my world and in the world of artists I was dealing with, it's almost like it didn't relate.". [10], To help finance the production, Landis's producer George Folsey Jr. suggested a making-of documentary that, combined with the "Thriller" video, would produce an hour-long film that could be sold to television. This article includes content provided by Spotify. The boy returns in ghost form but his mom can't see him, and both the man and woman fade from the video. One of the lengthiest music videos made at the time, running for 14 minutes and 7 seconds. Filmeditor Marshall Harvey had previously been hired by John Landis to make the behind the scenes footage to his movies An American Werewolf in London and Blues Brothers. The video even won a Grammy. And then, at midnight on 2 December, after weeks of trailers and hype, MTV showed it to the world. It ends with her holding a photo of them. The video finishes with the bed being set on fire, burning the man who bid on her. I think that video by MJ is just big, but it isn't that fantastic. Part of a longer movie, the "Runaway" music video features Kanye West playing a white piano as a ballet troupe dressed all in black dance near him. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" clip permanently elevated the medium of music video to artistic and cinematic relevance at a time when it was still relatively new and directionless. This idea was replaced with a two-legged monster, as this made it easier for him to dance. Here are 55 of the most iconic music videos of all time. He grooves on an escalator, he flies in the air, he shimmies in the lobby. On June 27, 2011, the red jacket Jackson wore in this video sold for 1.8 million dollars at Julien's Auctions of Beverly Hills. Jennifer Beals turned down an offer to play Jackson's girlfriend. [3], The series was created by Brian Clemens, who also scripted the majority of the episodes and story-lined every installment. I would never do anything like that again." TheOddOne - no, I know . [42], number of copies sold were 900,000 at a price of $30, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, YouTube video of more than 1,500 prisoners performing the dance, Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, "Director: Funds for "Thriller" almost didn't appear", "Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is the eternal Halloween bop and so much more", "John Landis says Michael Jackson was too 'grotesque' to film: Howell", "How Michael Jackson's Thriller changed music videos for ever", "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is the eternal Halloween bop and so much more", "Michael Jackson's Life & Legacy: Global Superstar (198286)", "It Happened This Week in L.A. History: Silver Screen Thrills Los Angeles Magazine", "Michael Jackson's videos set a new standard", "VH1 Names '100 Greatest Videos of All Time', "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Added To National Film Registry", "MTV: 100 Greatest Music Videos Ever Made", "The 30 All-TIME Best Music Videos Michael Jackson, 'Thriller', "Jackson "Thriller" film picked for U.S. registry", "Michael Jackson's Thriller added to US film archive", "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' remains a Halloween hit", "Barack and Michelle Obama make Halloween a thriller for DC kids", "John Landis on 'Thriller 3D', the 'American Werewolf' Remake, & Lucasfilm's Director Troubles", "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Could be Broadway Show", "Review: Masterful Plants vs. Zombies Proves Less Is More", "Plants vs. Zombies (Windows, Mac OS X) - the Cutting Room Floor", "Michael Jackson Estate Forces 'Plants vs. Zombies' Update", "Monster Metaphors: Notes on Michael Jackson's Thriller", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Jackson%27s_Thriller_(music_video)&oldid=1142427273, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 09:09. A-ha pushed boundaries with their creative video, actually the song's second video, for "Take on Me." Between his Mad Hatter costume and the trippy adventures of Alice as she tries to escape Wonderland, the video is ful of memorable scenes. It's like he's disconnected from everything and everyone, and that's exciting. It references numerous horror films and sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies. She has visions of her dead lover in the mansion and remembers moments when they were together. "Thriller" never really stopped being popular. Soundtracks. [11], Landis's wife Deborah Nadoolman, who had recently worked on the film Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), designed the costumes, including Jackson's red jacket. As the song progresses, multiple Morissettes sing in the car and act as her passengers until the car runs out of gas and she has to walk. The proposed cost of the "Thriller" video: slightly less than $1 million. As Psy's Gangnam Style proved, films shot relatively cheaply and quickly, and which don't require pluggers, or for the artist to necessarily have an existing profile, can have a global impact comparable to Thriller. [36], A Hollywood production company attempted to turn Jackson's song "Billie Jean", which is also featured on Jackson's Thriller album, into a feature film, but no plans were completed. Following a worldwide audit during 200304 by the then copyright-holders Carlton, almost all the original UK PAL fisheye-titled 2" videotapes of Thriller were located and transferred onto modern digital tape by the British Film Institute, with subsequent restoration work by BBC Resources. It's dark and striking and fits perfectly with the song. It may seem odd to have a cat playing her love interest as she sings about loving a guy despite their differences, yet that's the theme of the video. Fans worldwide re-enact its zombie dance and it remains popular on YouTube. "When you're making music videos, it's like you're a tailor; you cut the suit to fit your model and the artist you're working with. I want to do what's right. In the 1980s, millions of consumers were purchasing their first VCRs. It's full of genius symbolism and won Lamar a Grammy for best video. Much of Cher's body is exposed and both she and the Navy received criticism for it. A YouTube video of more than 1,500 prisoners performing the dance attracted 14 million views by 2010. The visuals are striking, and at one point, Janet throws a middle finger to the camera. This ground-breaking video is the toast of MTV and will forever be remembered for what is the greatest music video of all time!! And his "Hammer pants" are iconic. The black-and-white "Rhythm Nation" video is known for its military-style outfits, warehouse setting, and choreography, which has inspired numerous dance routines since the video was released. [28] The National Film Preservation Board coordinator, Steve Legett, said the video had been considered for induction for years, but was chosen mainly due to Jackson's death that year. There's the car running out of gas and it's like a movie, then it just keeps going, as if they're saying: 'That'd be cool, let's do that.' The original UK title sequence featured still shots of locations in the story, devoid of people, shot through a fisheye lens, bordered in bright red and set to Johnson's eerie, discordant theme music. Even now, Kirsty Wark can perform the Thriller dance on Newsnight as a Halloween joke, and everyone gets it. 6 Vogue Madonnna. [10], In 1984, the National Coalition on Television Violence (NCTV) reviewed 200 MTV videos and classified more than half as too violent, including Thriller. (based on the familiar songs of ABBA). "Thriller" remains a classic, as well as an unprecedented moment in music and film, and it wasn't easy to pull off. But the image forever in people's minds is Lopez dancing around in the forest with green lasers behind her. This particular Thriller musical is not to be confused with Thriller Live, a Michael Jackson-themed theatrical experience that ran in London's West End (the British Broadway) for well over a decade. Ola Ray took home a lot of memories and stories from her time co-starring in Michael Jackson's landmark "Thriller" music video. '"[20], The Thriller video sealed MTV's position as a major cultural force, helped disassemble racial barriers for black artists, revolutionized music video production, popularized making-of documentaries, and drove rentals and sales of VHS tapes. MTV paid $250,000 and Showtime $300,000 for the rights to the documentary, Jackson would take care of upfront costs, and the video was able to go ahead, with the label coughing up $100,000. The video tells a romantic story through a mix of live-action and pencil-sketch animation. Landis said he would do the video if it could be a short film, and Jackson embraced the idea. When Michael Jackson's Thriller started to drop down the charts in 1983, according to Vanity Fair, Jackson grew unnerved and pressed executives on how to restore the LP to its #1 perch. Jackson died about six months later, and his estate settled with Landis in 2012. [33] It was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival,[34] followed by a US premiere at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre. [14] He initially imagined the werecat would resemble a black panther, but added a longer mane and larger ears. Directed by Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl, the video follows a man, whose face is never shown, as he rescues a baby, a dog, and grabs a photo from a burning building. Sessions had been previously sparsely attended, so Garcia introduced elaborately choreographed dance routines, and before long, as many as 1,500 inmates reported to the prison yard to learn some moves. It's amazing. 1. And so, that's what happened, although Jackson's character doesn't, per common knowledge, become a werewolf. In 2017, Ray had to file a lawsuit again, when she alleged that she wasn't paid her share for a 3-D re-release of the "Thriller" video. Dendle wrote that the video captures the feelings of claustrophobia and helplessness essential to zombie films. Michael Jackson's Thriller was launched to great anticipation and played regularly on MTV. The first thing he said to me when he came out of school was 'Are zombies real, mum?'. The video includes clips from "Purple Rain," too. She was the first woman to win video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards for the work. It was the first music video to be selected. Branca wouldn't do it, and he instead locked up the footage and gave Jackson the idea to let "Thriller" out, but just with a denouncing disclaimer tacked on to the start. Walking down a city street at night, Jackson teases her by performing the verses of "Thriller". In one scene, Michael's right "cat's eye" contact lens is askew and not in straight. It shows Michael turning into a zombie and dancing in the street with some spectacular choreography. At the time, music videos cost around one hundred thousand dollars to produce. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video is a cinematic masterpiece. The zombie's costumes were purchased from The Salvation Army. Real clips from the show are also used throughout the video to make it seem like the band is actually on the show. "Thriller was important because it was the first time anything this ambitious had ever been attempted," a spokesperson for VH1 said yesterday. Then the scenes begin to shift between Houston in brightly colored dresses and makeup in various different scenes. Jurassic World: Dominion is the third film . [10] Makeup artist Rick Baker decided to turn Jackson into a werecat "because I just didn't want to do another werewolf". One of the Zombie ladies from "Thriller" short film by Michael Jackson is Claire Sisk Reeves. In 2009, it became the first music video inducted into the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". As fun as Smash Mouth's song is, the video is even more wild. The story is great, the scenes are marvelous, the music is fantastic and overall the clip is fun, eye-popping, spooky and is a real spectacle. [19] The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global pop culture, and cemented his status as the "king of pop". Other videos that featured highly in yesterday's poll included Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody at No. 9 with Earth Song from his 1996 album HIStory. YouTube/KendrickLamarVEVO. And as later legal filings would indicate, that's about all the actress and model took home. The critic Kobena Mercer found similarities to the werewolf in The Company of Wolves (1984). The premise of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video is fairly straightforward. Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson had a hit with "Uptown Funk," and the vibrant, simple video was the perfect fit. [35] It was remastered in IMAX 3D for a limited engagement in 2018, preceding screenings of The House With a Clock in Its Walls in North America for its first week. [8] Within months, the documentary sold a million copies, making it the bestselling video release at that point. The "Honey" video starts with Mariah Carey as a Bond-esque spy named Agent M who is being held hostage by an organization known as D.U.N.C.E. According to Vanity Fair, Vestron Video helped offset the high production cost of "Thriller" by paying for the VHS and Betamax distribution rights for the Making Michael Jackson's Thriller documentary and then gave it a $29.95 retail price tag. [8], The horror-themed "Thriller" had not been planned for release as a single. Feel free to tell me if you think I'm being over protective but I'm really not happy that my son's Yr3 class has been shown the full version of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video this afternoon in school. Joseph denied this. Goofs Landis' production partner George Folsey and Jackson's lawyer John Branca hatched a plan: raise money by pre-selling the rights to a behind-the-scenes documentary shot during "Thriller" production. The 15-year-old promo, directed by John Landis, is now regarded as a landmark release - the first to transform pop videos into mini-films. | "It was the first time an artist had considered the pop video as a legitimate art form. It even stops briefly for a countdown. He's taking things to a whole new place. TV-MA | 240 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller 7.4 Rate A young couple move into an apartment only to find the body of a young woman that had been missing for 2 years but never registered as missing which leads to a deeper investigation into what actually happened. [37], The video game Plants vs. Zombies by PopCap Games contained a reference to the Thriller music video in its original releases from May 2009 (a month before Jackson's death) until it was removed in July 2010. According to Vanity Fair, Beals passed on the female role in the "Thriller" video, and after a lengthy search, director John Landis cast Ola Ray as the poodle-skirt-wearing young woman in the video's fake horror film as well as Michael Jackson's date who witnesses his transformation into a monster. Directed by F. Gary Gray, who also directed "Straight Out of Compton" and "The Fate of the Furious," the "Waterfalls" video is emotional. He reaches out to her but can't pull her back up and she falls.
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