Movies in Memory of Michael Jackson
Going Down the Yellow Brick Road with Michael Jackson
by Jaden
Born in Gary, Indiana, USA on August 29, 1958, Michael Joseph Jackson departed this world June 25, 2009. Most known for his dance moves, musical accomplishments, plastic surgery, and child-love scandals, what has been neglected are his magical movie moments on screen.
Bringing zombie horror cinema to music and television, the epic music video Thriller (1983), written and directed by The Blues Brothers director John Landis, was something of a scale that no other artist had touched before or ever since.
At the time of its release, MTV played Thriller night and day ad nauseam.
I remember they did a television special about the casting of the girlfriend in the video, Ola Ray, and talked at length about her historic scream. Of course they left out the most interesting detail that she was Playboy Playmate of the Month June 1980.
Below is dialog from the Thriller script:
Michael’s Girl: Can we get out of here?
Michael: No, I’m enjoying this!
Michael’s Girl: Well, I can’t watch!
Michael: It’s only a movie!
Michael’s Girl: It’s not funny.
Michael: You were scared, weren’t you?
Michael’s Girl: I wasn’t that scared.
Michael: Yeah, you were scared.
Michael’s smile in the opening sequence of this video, as he courts the girl, exemplifies the unique charm of Michael that will most be missed.
My favorite image of Michael Jackson is his sweet soft humble role as Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978), which is a Black musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. No one ever talks much about this movie, but it is a vibrant genius piece of film history. With its innocence and purity, it is an excellent movie for the whole family.
Wiz Costar singers are Diana Ross as Dorothy, Nipsey Russel as Tinman, and Ted Ross as Lion. Legend Lena Horne plays Glinda the Good Witch and Richard Pryor plays The Wiz. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the play was written by William F. Brown and the screenplay adaptation was written by Joel Schumacher.
SCARECROW
Do? Why, if I had a brain, I could –
(sings)
I could while away the hours,
Conferrin’ with the flowers,
Consultin’ with the rain.
And my head I’d be scratchin’
While my thoughts were busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain.
I’d unravel every riddle
For any individ’le
In trouble or in pain.
The genuine camaraderie of the performers, of Michael and of Diana, dives out of the screen at you. The Wiz is a great movie for a family fun night. It will probably be hard to rent in the wake of Michael’s death, so you might as well just buy it. Anyway, the kids will enjoy having it to watch over and over again so they can sing along.
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8 Responses to “Movies in Memory of Michael Jackson”
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Michael Jackson will be the greatest pop singer in the whole world. Everyone will miss him.
i could say that Michael Jackson is a living legend when it comes to pop music. he would be surely missed by most of us.
i idolize Michael Jackson because of his great achievement in the Pop Music. farewell King of Pop.
| Michael Jackson is truly the King of Pop. i am a die hard fan of him and we are going to miss him now that he is gone.
Michael Jackson would always be the best popstar ever. i love all his songs and his live concerts.
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Michael Jackson is truly the King of Pop. He made a lot of great songs in the area of Pop Music. His death is a great loss to the music industry.
I LOVE MICHAEL JACKSON, AND I WILL MISS HIM DEARLY, I WAS PART OF
HIS FAN CLUB BY IN 1978, I LOVED HIM THEN, AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE .
R I P MICHAEL JACKSON.
I really miss Michael Jackson. He is truly the greatest pop singer of the century. Farewell king of pop..