Guide Note
The "Thriller" music video is for a track off Michael Jackson's 1982 album of the same name.
Fast Facts
- Genre: Pop
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Album: Thriller / Thriller 25
- Director: John Landis
- Label: Epic Records
- Producer: Quincy Jones
- Writer: Rod Temperton
- Debut: December 2, 1983
- Filming Location: Los Angeles
- Budget: $800,000
Synopsis
The music video starts with a disclaimer from Jackson, who was a Jehovah's Witness at the time, and criticized by its members for the video's contents.
It continues with scene from a horror movie where DJ (played by Jackson) and his date (Ola Ray) drive around a park and run out of gas. As they walk from the car, a full moon appears and DJ turns into a werewolf. The werewolf chases Ray and corners her in the park.
The video then cuts to the theater, where Jackson and Ray are watching the movie with an audience, who squirm and scream in their seats. Jackson enjoys the movie, but Ray steps out.
Jackson sings the verses of "Thriller" (minus the chorus) to Ray as they walk from the theater past a haunted graveyard. Zombies and corpses emerge from their tombs and surround the couple. Ray turns to Jackson, who is transformed to a zombie himself, leading to a long dance routine with the others. For the song's chorus, Jackson turns and sings without the zombie makeup.
Ray frantically runs to a dark, abandoned house, where Jackson (as a zombie again) attacks with the other ghouls. Just as they grab her, Ray screams, and instantly, everything is back to normal. The room is lit and clean, and Jackson is his normal self.
Relieved, Ray goes with him, but he turns to the camera to reveal his werewolf eyes.
Critical Response
The Thriller music video is widely considered to be one of the most influential of all time. Released a year after the album's release, its storyline and budget--the most expensive at the time--made the video's debut on MTV a hyped event.
Its choreography, as well as Jackson's red jacket, have been referenced and /or parodied in several films, television shows and even other music videos. Recently, a Filipino prison had its inmates reenact the video for exercise, and was popular on YouTube. That, and other reenactments are featured here.
In 1984, the "Thriller" video won Grammy Awards for "Best Video, Long Form," and the behind-the-scenes video, "Making Michael Jackson's Thriller," won "Best Video Album."
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