Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)
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A high-budget music video that blends 1950s aesthetic with a zombie-infested urban nightmare.
The story
In a stylized 1950s setting, Michael Jackson and a young woman find themselves in a wooded area after running out of gas. The woman accepts Jackson's invitation to be his girlfriend, but he warns her that he is "not like other guys." The narrative then shifts to the present day, where the pair are watching a horror film in a theater. After the woman leaves, Jackson performs the verses of "Thriller" on a city street at night. As they pass a graveyard, the atmosphere shifts, and the pair is confronted by a rising horde of zombies in a sequence that transforms the music video into a cinematic experience.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The story begins in the 1950s with Michael Jackson and a woman running out of gas in the woods. After she agrees to be his girlfriend, he warns her of his nature before transforming into a werecat and attacking her. The scene cuts to the present, where the two are in a theater watching a werecat film. After the woman leaves, Jackson performs 'Thriller' on a city street. As they pass a graveyard, a horde of zombies rises and surrounds them. Jackson transforms into a zombie and dances with the horde while performing the song's choruses. They flee into an abandoned house where the woman screams and wakes up, realizing the ordeal was a nightmare. However, as Jackson embraces her and takes her home, he looks at the camera and grins, revealing his werecat eyes.
- First release year
- 1983
- Runtime (minutes)
- 14
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Landis
- Writers
- John Landis · writer; Michael Jackson · writer
- Cast and characters
- Michael Jackson · Michael Jackson; Ola Ray · girlfriend
- Genres
- horror; musical
- Themes
- horror; transformation
- Tone and mood
- creepy-comical; cinematic
- Setting
- 1950s and present-day Los Angeles
- Premise and plot tags
- zombie; werecat; music video
- Source material / true-story basis
- Thriller (song)
- Content notes
- horror
- Reception
- The video was highly acclaimed, dubbed the greatest music video by various publications and and selected for the National Film Registry. It is credited with transforming music videos into a serious art form and breaking racial barriers in entertainment.
- Awards and nominations
- MTV Video Music Award · Viewers Choice · 1984 · win; MTV Video Music Award · Best Overall Performance · 1984 · win; MTV Video Music Award · Best Choreography · 1984 · win; MTV Video Music Award · Best Concept Video · 1984 · nomination; MTV Video Music Award · Best Male Video · 1984 · nomination; MTV Video Music Award · Video of the Year · 1984 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The video was filmed at several locations in Los Angeles, including the Palace Theater.; The production involved the largest makeup team in film history up to that point, with 40 makeup artists.; The video reached one billion views on YouTube in 2024.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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