Jun 26, 2009 by The MovieWeb Team

Michael Jackson 1958-2009: A Video Retrospective

It's pretty safe to say that Michael Jackson played a gigantic role in ushering in the era of MTV with his high-end, high concept music videos. From very early on in his solo career, The King of Pop was always interested in creating stylish videos for his songs, but in 1983 the rules completely changed, and the music video was truly born with Jackson's video for "Thriller", directed by John Landis. Beginning with a night at the movies, and ending with a mash-up of dancing zombies and werewolves, the video was unmatched in it's cinematic excellence and choreography and set the bar to a new level for all videos that followed.

Of course, Michael Jackson didn't stop there. In 1986 he starred in the Francis Ford Coppola directed, George Lucas produced short film, Captain EO, which was a mainstay attraction at Disneyland for over 11 years. Captain EO made full use of its 3-D effects with action that played out onscreen and extended into the audience, which included lasers, laser impacts, smoke effects, and starfields that filled the theater.

In 1988, Jackson brought more special effects, cinematic intrigue, and more of the storytelling process to his videos when he released Moonwalker, which ended up blending the aspects of a full-length film and fusing them with elements of his music videos. Chock-full of sci-fi, action and fantasy, Moonwalker fits right into the rest of the pop culture that came out of the 80s.

As each record passed, the videos always utilized the latest in film technology, and always had the hottest directors at the helm, proving Jackson not to only be an entertainer of extraordinary magnitude, but also as an innovator in the way music seen.

Michael Jackson leaves behind a gigantic legacy. He was a living legend in our time and there will never be another like him.




Captain EO was released September 18th, 1986 and stars Michael Jackson, Anjelica Huston, Dick Shawn, Tony Cox, Debbie Lee Carrington, Cindy Sorenson, Gary DePew, Kahea Bright. The film is directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Moonwalker was released November 1st, 1988 and stars Michael Jackson, Joe Pesci, Sean Lennon, Kellie Parker, Brandon Quintin Adams, Ben Hoag, Bilal, Brent Kelly. The film is directed by Jerry Kramer, Jim Blashfield, Colin Chilvers.

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Comments (20)

  1. CelluloidDreams

    Sad he is gone...takes me through my childhood ...I can remember seeing Michael Jackson live in tour in 1989 for the "Bad World Tour" in Los Angeles, California!!!!

    3 years agoby @2movieguysFlag

  2. BigTJ

    EVERYBODY go to the website Petitionspot and search Captain EO. Sign the petition to get Captain EO back at&#65279 Disneyland!!! It was a 3-D/4-D movie starrin Michael Jackson...directed by Francis Ford Coppola...scored by James Horner...produced by Steven Spielburg!!!

    3 years agoby @bigtjFlag

  3. GK

    RIP

    3 years agoby @indianajonesFlag

  4. SexualHarasmentPanda

    I wish he would stayed looking the way he looked in "Dont stop till ya get enough"...I love when Chris Tucker sings that! Lmao, anyways, yes, I hope poor MJ R.I.P...

    3 years agoby @sexualharasmentpandaFlag

  5. SexualHarasmentPanda

    Speak for yourself SevenJoyce...The guy sang some good songs, hells yeah, but then again, some HE DID NOT. And then the whole dancing thing...In every video he did the same dance moves? I mean in todays performers I dont see the exact same dance moves. If you need an example, go watch "The way you make me feel"...Its one thing to do the same dance moves in pretty much all your videos, but to do the same damn moves in the same video!?...And then I swear to god I will never EVER understand why he didnt stop doing the surgeries after the time when he was in that badass white suit music video. And turned himself into a damn fairy looking type creature.

    3 years agoby @sexualharasmentpandaFlag

  6. -comrade-

    RIP

    3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  7. The First Avenger: JohnnyBlaze

    WoW he was so Freakin talented!

    3 years agoby @johnnyblazetb82Flag

  8. Structure (ONSTRA)

    wow. he will be remembered forever. rest in peace king of pop.

    3 years agoby @gaj1992Flag

  9. scream67

    i just can't believe he's gone.rest in peace king of pop.

    3 years agoby @scream67Flag

  10. JonSpidey07

    Rest In Peace King Of Pop

    3 years agoby @jonspidey07Flag

  11. CDT1013

    So sad. I remember dancing to his music as a small child.

    3 years agoby @jmt1000000Flag

  12. SlysnideII: Angel Eyes

    3 icons in a week. First the elderly (Ed McMahon), then the sick (Farrah Fawcett), and now the sudden (Michael Jackson). Who's gonna be next? I hope none too soon.

    3 years agoby @slysnideiiFlag

  13. Vamp

    Great compilation. I just can't believe he's gone. Rest In Peace, man.

    3 years agoby @vampire2000Flag

  14. sirmetro

    He was a great man who shat his life away. Still, i got respect for his f*cking work

    3 years agoby @sirmetroFlag

  15. Stiles

    That frame from Thriller captured there used to REALLY sh*t me up when I was a kid. Great stuff.

    3 years agoby @stilesFlag

  16. Shelley

    I agree, great tribute.

    3 years agoby @shelleyFlag

  17. CBF

    Great tribute to the once King of Pop, its crazy the world lost two icons in this last day... Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson. Yall will be missed.

    3 years agoby @comicbookfanFlag

  18. Brian

    Michael Jackson changed the world. Thank you for the inspiration!

    3 years agoby @brianFlag

  19. HorrorHound

    Check out MJ's channel on youtube or myspace !! R.I.P.

    3 years agoby @donnieFlag

  20. Timmy

    This is awesome. thx so much for posting. Watching all of em!

    3 years agoby @timmyFlag

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