Special - Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Review #X: Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Cast: 
Michael Jackson, co-starring Ola Ray, with 'Rap' from Vincent Price. Directed by John Landis (#328 - Trading Places, #410 - Coming to America, and #513 - Spies Like Us)

Dancers: Marcea Lane, Kim Blank, Lorraine Fields, Tony Fields, Michele Simmons,,Vincent Peters, Michael Peters, Vincent Paterson, Michael De Lorenzo, Ben Lokey, John Command, Richard Gaines, Mark Sellers, Suzan Stadner, Diane Geroni and Suga Pop.

Review: 
You probably are wondering what am I doing reviewing a music video, especially on Friday the 13th. Honestly, I do enjoy Movie Night and the films that it can cover (for better or for worse), but I decided that it wouldn't hurt to do something that was both interesting and different from the usual content. This is basically a one-off special for me, and I hope you enjoy this, especially for an October like this.

How many music videos linger in your memory? Or more importantly, can a music video be more than just a "vanity piece" for a song/album? If you haven't guessed my opinion, Michael Jackson's Thriller is one of the most memorably crafted pieces of music video ever put onto screen ever since its release in 1983, especially if you enjoy Jackson's music (as I do from time to time) or like the execution of direction and movement. The Thriller album happens to be the world's best-selling album, but the motivation for doing this album is because the record had fallen off being #1 in the summer of 1983. One can't really say anything too substantial about the acting, since it plays only a small role in regards to the "story", but it gets the job done (this was five years before Moonwalker (#403), which was actually stranger, especially since that was an actual film). Jackson and Ray seem to be a decent little duo, but the real star of the show involves the dancing and the "Rap" by Vincent Price, who seems to revel in delivering these lines so capably well, the perfect choice. Landis, who had directed An American Werewolf in London just two years prior (speaking of films, that is one I will have to get to eventually) was recruited by Jackson to make (along with write) the video, and it certainly is interesting seeing how film directors did not generally direct music videos at the time. He does a fine job in setting the mood, with the photography by Robert Paynter being a big help as well in making for a spooky experience, especially with the ending. The choreography by Michael Peters and Jackson is praiseworthy, having movements that are still being done and repeated to this very day. The fact that there are numerous allusions to horror films also helps in making for a interesting atmosphere, from the parody of horror films to the style of the two leads in clothes. Rick Baker contributed to the special effects, and they are the hauntingly spectacular capstone in a video that has expert production values. It was actually screened in theaters (along with the 1940 film Fantasia) in December of 1983 as an attempt to garner a nomination for an Academy Award as a short subject, though it was not nominated. However, it did win a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video (now known as Best Music Film).

Among all of the iconic things one can cite from the film, the jacket (designed by Deborah Nadoolman Landis) worn by Jackson is particularly noteworthy, particularly because of how cool it looks. There is something undeniably entertaining about how he rocks the jacket. You might wonder if it overstays its welcome, seeing how it runs at 13 minutes, 41 seconds. But it really isn't, and that is likely due to how entertaining it proves itself to be, not feeling overtly dragged out. This is a landmark of music videos, to the point that it was even selected for the National Film Registry in 2009 by the Library of Congress, the first ever music video to be selected.

For the rating system, here is something different for the review different from the rest. Enjoy today, along with the rest of the month, folks. I hope you enjoyed this special.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.