He really was childlike. At one point, she climbs up the building to a room where Paul McCoy and the rest of the band are playing music. We didn't get a Channel 4 signal until late 84 so missed out entirely! Love it or hate it, labels are obsessed with it and it's here to stay. "The thrill is gone," suggested the Melody Maker in its review of the album, and it wasn't until videos for Billie Jean and Beat It hit heavy rotation on MTV in early 1983, and Jackson performed the Moonwalk for the first time on the Motown 25 TV special in May, that it really took off. [14] He initially imagined the werecat would resemble a black panther, but added a longer mane and larger ears. "Everybody Hurts" is a heavy song, and the corresponding video highlights the emotional lyrics. The legendary video has been honored countless times. Between Britney Spears' flight attendant uniform, diamond and nude body suit, and black cat suit, all of her outfits are memorable. The speed of the video shifts with the music resulting in a satisfying video. The cat's dance moves even mirror her's. YouTube/KendrickLamarVEVO. Thriller extended the usual pop video format with a long build-up to the start of the music in which Jackson was slowly transformed into a werewolf, and later a zombie.The horror film star Vincent Price was hired to provide a suitably eerie commentary. It got video of the year at the MTV VMAs. Encompassing just about . She and other dancers groove and show off their moves throughout the video. The song was originally going to be called "Starlight". Her father, a hunter, disapproves of their romance and tries to shoot antler boy with an arrow but he's hit by a car. After a screaming, profanity-laden phone call with Jackson and director John Landis, CBS Records head Walter Yetnikoff offered up $100,000, leaving the creative team to find the rest of the money elsewhere. 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. And yet, it was something of an afterthought: the seventh single from a 10-track album that didn't have the most auspicious of starts when it was released a full year before the Thriller video (long enough for Jackson's nose to look different in the film than it does on the LP cover). [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. Injustice: Created by Anthony Horowitz. "[11], Thriller was the first time Jackson had interacted with a woman in a video, which Landis described as a "breakthrough". 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. "The Thriller video became a worldwide megahit and an iconic pop culture phenomenon that has continued to generate profits for defendants Optimum Productions and Michael Jackson, who have wrongfully refused to pay or account for such profits to plaintiff," the suit read (via The Guardian). 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? | [40][39], The Thriller dance is performed in major cities around the world; the largest zombie dance included 12,937 dancers, in Mexico City. 08/07/2009 17:32. Samuel L. Jackson in "Unbreakable." Credit: Getty Images. "It was the first time an artist had considered the pop video as a legitimate art form. Jackson's success ensured the lifting of a ban on black video by MTV in the US. Jackson becomes a zombie himself and dances with the horde to the song. Crazy Credits Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official 4K Video) Michael Jackson 27.3M subscribers Subscribe 6.6M Share 887M views 13 years ago #Halloween #MichaelJackson #4kRemastered Michael Jackson's official. On Sunday, January 15, it will debut on HBO at 9 . 1 Thriller Michael Jackson 2 Bohemian Rhapsody Queen 3 Take On Me A-ha 4 My Heart Will Go On Celine Dion 5 Virtual Insanity Jamiroquai 6 Vogue Madonnna 7 Fastlove George Michael 8 Say You'll Be There Spice Girls 9 Earth Song Michael Jackson 10 Sledgehammer Peter Gabriel, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. 4 My Heart Will Go On Celine Dion. In 2009, according to Broadway World, theater production company the Nederlander Organization announced that it had obtained the rights to Jackson's magnum opus and would be making a big musical based specifically on the "Thriller" video. In August 1983, film director John Landis received a phone call from Michael Jackson. MC Hammer's video for "U Can't Touch This" is extremely simple. The UK version features Bush in a white dress as she dances around a dark room white white mist. This short film displays the absolute highest standard in music video and no-one will ever be able to out-beat this 'King Of Pop' masterpiece! The rules have been rewritten, unleashing a new surge of creativity. 7 Fastlove George Michael. Jackson, for his part, hadn't seen Landis's films Animal House, The Blues Brothers or Trading Places; he wanted Landis because of An American Werewolf in London. Some music videos are more memorable than others. I recall it was late night purely because of the content. It ends with her holding a photo of them. [8] As films required theatrical screenings to be eligible for Academy Awards, Landis had the video played before screenings of Fantasia (1940) at a Los Angeles cinema, though it was not nominated. It really opened our eyes to music videos as a creative form of film-making, and a potential career." | [23], Michael Jackson's Thriller was named the "greatest video" by MTV in 1999,[24] and by VH1[22] and Time in 2001. In 2009, the Library of Congress added "Thriller" to the National Film Registry, naming it part of its collection of films that should be "preserved as cultural, artistic, and/or historical treasures for generations to come," according toLA Weekly. Tom Petty channeled "Alice in Wonderland" for the "Don't Come Around Here No More" music video. The remastered 3D version first premiered at the 74th Venice Film Festival on September 4th, 2017 alongside the 'Making Of' documentary. It won the MTV video of the year award. It's hard to forget, and it won a Grammy for best music video. This weekend, HBO and HBO Max will premiere the first episode of "The Last of Us," a post-apocalyptic thriller based on the popular video game. 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". All Rights Reserved. And then there's the wild action sequence in a futuristic Paris where she poisons her unfaithful boyfriend. I would never do anything like that again." ", "Thriller" hit MTV and other outlets in 1983, the same year that the risqu (for the time) Flashdance was a hit in movie theaters and made a star out of Jennifer Beals. And as later legal filings would indicate, that's about all the actress and model took home. He reaches out to her but can't pull her back up and she falls. From "Leave it to Beaver" to Marilyn Manson to Bill Clinton to "The Brady Bunch," Eminem doesn't hold back on pop culture references or the barbs he makes in his lyrics. The girls are together when the guy comes knocking and slam the door in his face. As fun as Smash Mouth's song is, the video is even more wild. At Murphy's insistence, the film was played again. Here's the inside story on the development, production, and impact of the video for Michael Jackson's spookiest hit. In May 2009, Ray sued Jackson, along with his production company, for breach of contract. 1 Thriller Michael Jackson. I think that video by MJ is just big, but it isn't that fantastic. It is credited for transforming music videos into a serious art form, breaking down racial barriers in popular entertainment and popularizing the making-of documentary format. 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. In 1984, Making Michael Jackson's Thriller won the Grammy Award for Best Video Album, and in a 1999 end-of-the-century countdown, MTV named "Thriller" the #1 music video of all time. ", Jonze doubts Thriller has had a direct influence on the new school of music video directors, but he is nonetheless convinced it will survive as a portrait of an artist on the mountaintop. Eventually, she stands on the edge of an overpass preparing to jump when her ex shows up with a bunch of cops. 'we Need To Talk About Kevin' (2011) Based on Lionel Shriver's novel of the same title, this Golden Globe-nominated film stars Tilda Swinton as Eva, the mother of a disturbed teenager (Ezra Miller) who has committed mass murder at his school. Ola Ray took home a lot of memories and stories from her time co-starring in Michael Jackson's landmark "Thriller" music video. [41] The lawsuit was settled in 2012 for an undisclosed amount. But that night is also known as the night Kanye West got on stage and interrupted Taylor Swift's speech after she beat Beyonc in the best female video category. There are shots of Missy covered in bees and tributes to the late Aaliyah and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes spray-painted on the hoods of cars it's truly filled with striking visuals. The music video director Brian Grant credited Thriller as the turning point when music videos became a "proper industry". [12] Jackson's parents Joseph and Katherine Jackson also visited. According to Baker, he technically portrays a "werecat. [8] Epic had little interest in making another video for Thriller, believing that the album had peaked,[10] and eventually agreed to contribute only $100,000. In July 1983, after Thriller was displaced from the top of the chart, Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo suggested making a music video for "Thriller". It was also the first big break for drag queen RuPaul. This brilliant video won the VMA for video of the year. 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). Landis had helmed several big movies, including the horror-comedy An American Werewolf in London, whichJackson so enjoyed (per Vanity Fair) that he wanted the director to tell another werewolf story and helm his "Thriller" video. In January 2009, nearly three decades after production on the video wrapped, Landis sued Jackson and his production company for having failed to fork over what was due over the years. Amazon Studios. "Due to my strong personal convictions," the disclaimer credited to Michael Jackson reads, "I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult." "I won't say that I have seen him in his birthday suit but close enough.". 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.". She has visions of her dead lover in the mansion and remembers moments when they were together. Prior to its production in 1983, music videos weren't taken seriously or considered anything more than a way to cheaply promote a single or an album. Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" has two iconic videos. The "Dancing Zombie" enemy was originally resembled Jackson dressed in his Thriller outfit and the "Backup Dancer Zombies" that surrounded the Dancing Zombie resembled the backup dancers from the part of Thriller where Jackson turns onto a zombie. "I loved it," he says. The metamorphosis of the polite "boy next door" into a werecat has been interpreted as a depiction of male sexuality, depicted as naturally bestial, predatory, and aggressive. They pass a graveyard, where zombies rise from their graves and surround them in the street. [8] Thriller is popular on YouTube, which hosts user-submitted videos of reenactments of the dance. [8], The horror-themed "Thriller" had not been planned for release as a single. The short film was packaged on home video with The Making of 'Thriller' (1983) as "Making Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'", which became the world's best-selling VHS musical. Each girl shows off her personality as they move throughout the hotel, making a mess and causing general chaos. 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. Also, the group performs in water and in liquefied forms in front of a waterfall. 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. Contents 1 Background 2 Releases 2.1 Hosted by Elvira 2.2 Non-Elvira releases 3 References 4 External links Background [ edit] ", Jonze took the freedom he sensed in Thriller and also its eccentricity and humour and ran with it, creating some of the 90s' most famous music videos, including the Beastie Boys' Sabotage and Praise You by Fatboy Slim, which also get continually spoofed. The groom's family is filled with circus performers who interrupt the wedding. However, after the new channel Showtime agreed to pay half the budget, MTV agreed to pay the rest, justifying the expenditure as financing for a motion picture and not a music video. According to The Guardian, Jackson made up a lot of the difference out of his own pocket. Michael Jackson is amazing. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is considered one of the greatest songs of all time, and the video is a testament to the song as a teen rock anthem. When the series was re-broadcast as part of The CBS Late Movie however, the original title sequences and music were restored. [16] The director of photography was Robert Paynter, who had worked with Landis on Trading Places. [8] Vestron Music Video offered to distribute Making Michael Jackson's Thriller on VHS and Betamax; this was a pioneering concept, as most video cassettes at the time were sold to rental stores rather than directly to viewers. It's hard to forget. The "Life on Mars" music video was filmed for the song's release as a single. Later, she's on the same ball nude, except for the boots. Jackson stayed in the projection booth, declining Ray's invitation to join the audience. 2023 Hearst UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 30 Panton Street, Leicester Square, London, SW1Y 4AJ. The LP is only nine tracks long, andseven of those of those were commercially released singles: "The Girl is Mine," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Human Nature," and "P.Y. I just wanted to create something that would do justice to the song and I was excited about making, and I think Thriller was the same way.". On principle, though, it should be up to the parents to decide , in a situation where a film is being shown that is above the age range for that class. It continuously shifts through a series of triangles shifting between images of Meg and Jack White playing instruments. It's easy to overlook this fact, but M. Night . [8] According to Landis, Ola Ray, a former Playboy Playmate, was cast as she was "crazy for Michael" and had a "great smile". Cast: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Toby Jones. That's a pretty serious statement, and one that makes the silly horror movie-inspired fun to follow seem like it's going to be a lot darker and menacing than it is. There's shots of them on a boat in a "storm," there's memorable camouflage outfits, and a truly special dance break in front of a temple. [6] Jackson's make-up casts "a ghostly pallor" over his skin and emphasizes the outline of his skull, an allusion to the mask from The Phantom of the Opera (1925). ThrillerVideo ThrillerVideo was a horror home video series that began being released in February 1985 to 1987 by U.S.A. Home Video and International Video Entertainment (I.V.E.). It even stops briefly for a countdown. When antler boy runs to his side, he realizes that the man has deer hooves for legs. He warns her that he is "not like other guys", transforms into a werecat and attacks her. Director: Scott Cooper | Runtime: 128 minutes. If youd like to join in, please sign in or register. "Thriller," of course, came from the Michael Jackson album also called Thriller. [10], In 1984, the National Coalition on Television Violence (NCTV) reviewed 200 MTV videos and classified more than half as too violent, including Thriller. The emotional video for "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" starts with Cline Dion's love leaving their mansion on a motorcycle in a rainstorm before dying in a fiery crash when lighting causes a tree to fall. It's a weird video, but that's why it's unforgettable. [10] At the time, commercial directors did not direct music videos, but Landis was intrigued. "I love the ideaof making Thriller a musical," said James L. Nederlander. The Rig is a horror thriller series arriving on Amazon Prime Video in early 2023. 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. Michael Jackson's Thriller is a 1983 music video for the song "Thriller" by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on December 2, 1983. They run naked on a beach, they wear ridiculous outfits, and they rock out in front of crowds of people. Before any of the "Thriller" fun monster transformations, choreographed zombie dances, creepy yellow eyes the video begins with a brief bit of text on screen. There's a lot to unpack in Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" video. She screams and wakes up, realizing it was a nightmare. "Out of all my videos, it was the least expensive and took the least amount of time. 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. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. 2 Bohemian Rhapsody Queen. Could you want anything more in a video? [8] Jackson covered additional costs, for which he would be reimbursed. [27] The Library described it as "the most famous music video of all time". Recorded as a cover for the movie "Moulin Rouge," the four women appeared in the video. [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. Andr 3000 plays all eight characters featured in the band. [8], Initially, the television networks refused to finance the project, sharing the view that Thriller was "last year's news". Trudy Bellinger was studying art in Brighton when it first shown and it inspired her to start making music films herself. It references numerous horror films and sees Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies . I was yet another taper of the original Channel 4 broadcast. The "Ironic" video stars Morissette getting into her car at a gas station and then driving into a wintery landscape. "I auditioned a lot of girls and this girl Ola Ray first of all, she was crazy for Michael," Landis said. No wonder we readily accept the concept of a literal metamorphosis. [8], According to Landis, when he called Yetnikoff to propose the film, he swore so loudly he had to remove the phone from his ear. [8] According to Landis, the response was "a surprise to everyone but Michael". However, Epic wouldn't pay for it the label spent $250,000 on the video for "Billie Jean" but made Jackson pay the $150,000 budget for "Beat It" himself. "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. [15], Landis said directing Jackson was "like dealing with a gifted 10-year-old". The video was directed by John Landis, written by Landis and Jackson, and stars Jackson and Ola Ray. [20] In 2009, Jackson sold the Thriller rights to the Nederlander Organization to stage a Broadway musical based on the video. / The foulest stench is in the air / The funk of 40,000 years / And grizzy ghouls from every tomb / Are closing in to seal your doom / And though you fight to stay alive / Your body starts to shiver / For no mere mortal can resist / The evil of the thriller. Jackson was all in, especially after Landis said he could probably get An American Werewolf in London makeup master Rick Baker involved. "[21], Vinny Marino of ABC News said that the video's selection as the "Greatest Video of All Time" was a "no-brainer", and that it "continues to be considered the greatest video ever by just about everyone". In one scene, Michael's right "cat's eye" contact lens is askew and not in straight. In attendance were celebrities including Diana Ross, Warren Beatty, Prince, and Eddie Murphy. My Chemical Romance is on a float leading the parade of masked figures in what looks to be a wasteland. In 2018, the short film was digitally remastered exclusively for IMAX 3D theaters, playing before. Alternate Versions Jennifer Beals turned down an offer to play Jackson's girlfriend. The singer and the filmmaker met, and Landis dismissed the notion of presenting "Thriller" as a typical, cheaply made music video. From his Pope outfit to the reenactment of Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" painting, Lamar doesn't shy away from religious visuals. The video does feature a couple of clips of her walking through Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris, but the emotional close-ups are the most striking parts. He said he had blocked further distribution and promotion of the film where he had been able. The video tells a romantic story through a mix of live-action and pencil-sketch animation. 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. [30] "Thriller" has become closely associated with Halloween;[31][14] in 2016, US president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama danced to the song with schoolchildren at a White House Halloween event. Taking place on New Year's Eve, the video shows J-Lo and her friends getting ready for a party. Thriller sealed MTV's reputation as a new cultural force; dissolved racial barriers in the station's treatment of music (though MTV has always denied they existed); revolutionised music video production; spawned the "making of" genre of documentary ("The Making of Filler," as Landis said at the time); helped create a market for VHS rentals and sales, because fans were desperate to see it when they wanted, rather than at the will of TV stations; and, in 2009, became the first music video to be inducted into the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. He took both "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" to #1, debuted his signature "Moonwalk"dance move to stunned and delighted fans, sold millions of copies of his album Thriller, and then starred in one of the most popular, famous, and well-produced music videos of all time. The video won for video of the year at the MTV VMAs. After falling asleep and dreaming that a saint statue turned into the man, she wakes up, goes to the prison, and tells them that the man is innocent. The proposed cost of the "Thriller" video: slightly less than $1 million. The video was directed by John Landis, written by Landis and Jackson, and stars Jackson and Ola Ray. The video is as fun as the song itself. The video has received over 700 million views on YouTube. "[8] Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo suggested making a music video for it, and recalled telling Jackson: "It's simpleall you've got to do is dance, sing, and make it scary. The "All the Small Things" video is a hilarious parody of other boy bands and pop artists of the '90s. [17], On November 14, 1983, Thriller was shown to a private audience at the Crest Theater in Los Angeles. Every shot in the "Bye Bye Bye" video is memorable. Michael Jackson's Thriller is a 1983 music video for the song "Thriller" by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on December 2, 1983. It starts with the boy band as puppets being controlled by a giant woman. What worries me a bit is the kids who have a bit of bravado, and don't admit they are afraid, and then have nightmares. Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire, Rock Hudson and Jackie Kennedy Onassis all turned up on set, and Eddie Murphy, Prince and Diana Ross were spotted at the private premiere on 14 November. Thirty years ago this week on 21 November it was first shown to the public. | 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. Jurassic World: Dominion is the third film . Epic Records head of promotions Frank DiLeo suggested a third music video, for the album's title track, which wasn't even slated to be a single. According to Landis, Michael asked Joseph to be removed; he refused and had to be escorted off the set by police. Connections Here are 55 of the most iconic music videos of all time. Blink-182 does parodies of the Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, and more as the camera flashes to different scenes. 1. 9 with Earth Song from his 1996 album HIStory. To be eligible for the Oscars, it needed a week-long theatrical release, so Landis arranged for it to open, bizarrely, for Disney's Fantasia at a single cinema in LA. 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. | "As soon as the Americans got involved, things became monetised, turning music videos into a proper industry, which operated alongside MTV. She ends up shoving him out of a car and leaving him in the dust and goes into a rebellious phase. The "Work It" video is filled with some interesting CGI work, memorable dance moves, and some wild cameos that include Timbaland and Eve. The visuals are striking, and at one point, Janet throws a middle finger to the camera. 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. [26] In 2009, it became the first music video to be selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. 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. She later lies next to the charred remains. PopCap agreed to remove the Thriller zombies and replace them with generic disco-dancing zombies. 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. There's a lot to process. The flipside of all these interviews, sessions and phone footage is that it takes the heat off music videos, making the traditional performance video completely redundant. [12] Nina Blackwood, a former MTV executive, said music videos improved after Thriller, with more storylines and more intricate choreography. J-Lo brought in the new millennium with her video for "Waiting for Tonight." 1. It was the first music video to be selected. There's running on a moving train, there's dancing in a blue room, there's a dog chase, and a car chase. It's trippy to watch and makes the video one of the most recognizable of all time. Here, in no particular order, are the eight best thrillers on Prime Video. [5], The zombie dance sequence corresponds the lyric about a masquerade ball of the dead. 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. "We came to the conclusion that if Michael was going to dance, it would be a hell of a lot easier for his monster to have two legs instead of four." DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. See production, box office & company info, The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018), At the Movies: Christine/Silkwood/Sudden Impact/Thriller, Palace Theater, 630 S Broadway, Los Angeles, California, USA. [12][18] After each broadcast, MTV advertised when they would next play it, and recorded audience figures ten times the norm. The simple black-and-white video features Beyonc in a leotard flanked on either side by a dancer in a similar outfit. 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. He and Peters imagined how the zombies would move by making faces in the mirror, incorporating "jazzy" moves, "not too much ballet or whatever". [12] Perhaps the most ingenious[editorializing] episode is the Dial M for Murder-style "The Double Kill", in which a man hires a hitman to kill his wife, but makes a fatal error in his otherwise meticulous planning. One major part of the early concept was rejected. [11] One episode, "Screamer", concerns a rape victim who murders her attacker, only to then see the man stalking her everywhere. Spooks (a.k.a. In the present, Jackson and his girlfriend are watching the werecat film in a theater.