I remember when Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was first shown on MTV in 1983. I was amazed at the video and how long it was. The coolness of all the zombies and the cheesy storyline made it an instant classic on MTV. It was such a huge success that it was played almost every hour.
Music videos were still evolving over the years. British artists had a good 10-year jump on the U.S. and were typically funnier and more cheesy. Like Flock of Seagulls’ song, “I Ran So Far Away.” As you can see, the cameraman is all wrapped in tinfoil going around in circles. Motley Crue’s “Too Young To Fall in Love” was another video I laughed at all the way through. The band tried to look like they were a tough street gang in Little China. Who can forget Billy Squire’s “Love Me Tonight” video, which just about ruined his career.
In 1985, Michael Jackson’s famous “Thriller” was re-imagined featuring a leading man dressed in a red leather costume, not unlike the one Michael Jackson wore for the “Thriller, with a mixture of traditional and Western dance moves and a good leading lady to make it watchable. This takes the award for not King of Pop but rather King of Cheese videos. Weird Al Yankovic even makes better videos than this. This Halloween season, make it a point to have a few moments of laughter and watch this version and be happy- Halloween only comes once a year.
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