'Thriller' really livens them up

Contestants from the Bravo TV series "Step It Up and Dance" perform at the  Tribeca Film Festival. Click here to see their performance video. [Getty Images]

Another day, another 80s anniversary. This time, we mark the 25th anniversary of the landmark "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson.

MJ fans in New York tried to create "the world's largest zombie disco" this week by staging a mass dance exhibition at the Tribeca Film Festival. Among those in attendance, video director John Landis and Jacko choreographer Vincent Patterson, who tried to coach a few steps for the masses assembled.

Rollingstone.com reports the "disco" never really happened: "But the night was electric nonetheless due to the carnival atmosphere, a big-screen outdoor screening of 'Thriller' and 'The Making Of Michael Jackson’s Thriller 'and just witnessing the awe that classic Michael Jackson still inspires in fans all these decades later."

A few more "Thriller" factoids:

• In 1999, MTV ranked it as the best video of all time. No surprise. (The real surprise: Madonna's "Vogue" is No. 2?!?)
• With a budget of $800,000, it was the most expensive music video made at that time. (Jackson would later spend more than that for four future videos.)
• The 45-minute "Making Of" video was filmed largely so that -- paired with the 15-minute video -- it could be sold in stores.
• Both the "Thriller" video and Landis' other opus -- "An American Werewolf in London" -- offer the same disclaimer at the end of the credits: "Any similarity to actual events or persons living, dead, (or undead) is purely coincidental."

Comments

[Marissa]

I wonder how many of the people in the photo above were alive to witness an MTV where videos were a natural part of the daily line up.

[Bassnote]

Ahh... the old days of MTV. When you could watch for hours on end and see nothing but music videos. Makes me want to listen to the Martha Quinn and Adan Curry podcasts again.

[Bassnote]

I meant Adam Curry. Curse my lousy typing.

[jane]

Love the concept of a "zombie disco"... Studio 666, perhaps?

I used to study with MTV on in the background in college -- I just couldn't resist the siren's call of visual music. Fave VJ = Kevin Seal. Yeah, I know.

[Melissa]

Jane, I loved Kevin Seal too. He had such a cute quirkiness about him. My favorite VJ of all time...J.J. Jackson. Can't get cooler than that (especially when he wore his Cheap Trick shirt).

[jane]

Melissa, I dug J.J. too -- and not just because those were my initials back in the day. He was indeed the epitome of cool, right down to that fab voice of his.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HjDcJ3MvtBE

[sjdrj]

My husband and I just viewed "Thriller" for the umpteenth time, with our 11 year old son viewing for the 1st time. It was pretty incredible. My husband and I recounted where we were and how it felt to watch "Thriller" for the first time as teenagers.

[Lana]

Ah yes. Support the child molester. Encourage your kids to watch him and become his latest victim.

[Marie]

I am one of the few who never liked Thriller. It was too overproduced. Listen to the song and all you hear is the overdubbing. You could have had just about anyone as the singer and the song would have been just as popular. Keep your Thriller - for me it was a yawner.

[Melissa]

Jane, THANK YOU for that link. That was awesome. That makes me really miss those days. Even the commercials were cooler back then! I forsee me spending hours on youtube now.

[Jennifer]

Another highlight of an overhyped no talent hasbeen. Sigh.