Thriller: 7 Curiosities About Michael Jackson’s Most Famous Music Video
- The Video Almost Wasn’t Made: Michael Jackson had to convince the executives at his record label to fund the project. They agreed to finance it after he agreed to reduce the length.
- The Budget Was High for The Times: At a cost of $500,000, Thriller was one of the most expensive music videos made at the time.
- Horror Film Director Helped Direct: To create a horror movie atmosphere, MJ enlisted John Landis, director of the hit movie “An American Werewolf in London.”
- The Choreography Was Revolutionary: Michael worked with legendary choreographer Michael Peters to create moves that would become iconic in their own right.
- The Video Wasn’t Always Shown on MTV: Despite being heavily associated with the channel, MTV initially refused to air the video because of concerns it was too scary. They eventually did, and the rest is history.
- The Zombie Scene Took a Toll: The scene where zombies rise from the graveyard took multiple takes to get just right. The cast and crew had to endure long, cold nights to get it done.
- It Spawned a Behind-the-Scenes Documentary: In addition to the video itself, fans were treated to “Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller,” which took a look at the filming process.
Bohemian Rhapsody: The Fascinating Story Behind Queen’s Most Iconic Music Video
- It Wasn’t the First Music Video: While it’s often cited as being one of the first music videos, it wasn’t actually the band’s first. They had made videos before, but none had been as successful.
- The Video Was Shot in Just Four Hours: Despite its grandeur and scope, Bohemian Rhapsody was filmed in just four hours. The band members simply took turns singing and playing their parts while the camera rolled.
- The Budget Was Very Low: The video was made on a shoestring budget, with much of the money going toward the cost of film. The band themselves had to bring in props from home to make the video look more interesting.
- The Special Effects Were Groundbreaking: At the time, the special effects used in the video were groundbreaking. Interestingly, the band members didn’t think much of them – they were more concerned with playing their music well.
- It Was Almost Never Made: The band’s label reportedly didn’t want to release the song as a single, which could have meant the video was never made.
- It Was Re-Released After Freddie Mercury’s Death: Following the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991, a remastered version of the video was re-released in his memory. It became a chart-topping hit all over again.
