15 supremely cinematic music videos that could (and should) be feature films
“Thriller” – Michael Jackson
Like Rihanna’s “B*tch Better Have My Money,” you know a music video is going to be good when there’s a warning before it. But this time, the warning wanted to make sure viewers didn’t think he believed in zombies. The message reads: “Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult.”
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” basically revolutionized the music video genre for good. At over 13 minutes long with an extended acting scene at the beginning, it later became the first music video to be inducted into the National Film Registry, which is quite a feat. The spoken-word portion of the song is performed by screen legend Vincent Price, which only helped it be even creepier.
The video almost didn’t happen, because the record company didn’t want to foot the huge budget to finance Jackson and director John Landis’ vision for the project. It later went on to sell over a million copies on VHS, which helped it become the bestselling tape of all-time.
If you haven’t seen this video by now, where have you been? Jackson is out on a date with his best girl, when he tells her he’s not like other guys. The full moon comes out and Jackson transforms into a werewolf, scaring away his date as she screams bloody murder… then it turns out it’s just a movie that Jackson is watching with his real-life girlfriend.
When the couple leaves the theatre, the music starts and the king of pop is trying to creep out his date as they walk the empty streets. Zombies start flooding the streets, and they break out into the iconic dance break with Michael Jackson front and center.
When his girlfriend runs away and locks herself in an abandoned house, her loving date comes to rescue her, but then he turns and looks at the camera, and he has the eyes of a werewolf — the camera freezes on his face and we hear Vincent Price’s cackle in the background.
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What music video would you love to see turned into a movie? Let us know in the comments!