1997 to 1999
The film was directed by Stan Winston, and its story was written by Stephen King [the author of horror stories] and Michael. The plot for «Ghosts» had been approved in May 1994. The media released news about the collaboration between Stan Winston [who in 1978 had worked with Michael as the special effects designer for the film Wiz] and Michael, and they also published that the two had released a musical version based on the fictional film ”Seven Faces of the Doctor Strange Love“. But the result of their collaboration was the film «Ghosts».
[Stan Winston ـ Michael ـ Steven Spielberg]
On 14 May, «Ghosts» was released in the UK for the first time. The film was also shown in many European cities and was very successful. The film had previously been released for the first time in the United States on 5 November 1996 in eleven selected Sony cinemas, and on 19 December 1996 in Tokyo - Japan. Michael was present at the first screening of his 35-minute film in Tokyo.
Ghosts
Also on 14 May 1997, Michael’s first mix album «Blood On The Dance Floor/«HISTORY» In The Mix» was released.
This album contained thirteen tracks. Five of these tracks were new, and the other eight were mixed tracks from the album ««HISTORY»» that had not been released before. Since Michael was busy touring the world with ««HISTORY»», the production of this album also took place in different parts of the world. The mixing of the tracks was done by many producers and creators who were active in this field.
The album «Blood On The Dance Floor/«HISTORY» In The Mix» achieved remarkable successes around the world and proved to all of Michael’s critics that they were wrong. This album brought Michael another record. «Blood On The Dance Floor/«HISTORY» In The Mix» took the record for the best-selling mixed album of all time, and to this day it has maintained that record.
On 31 May 1997, Michael restarted the second leg of the ««HISTORY»» tour in the city of Bremen in Germany, with a concert where all the tickets had sold out.
In 1997, a poll revealed that 99% of the world’s people aged between five and sixty-five years knew Michael Jackson. Therefore, Michael Jackson was recognized as the ”most famous“ human being on Earth of all time. In second place was Pope John Paul II, and third place went to Elvis Presley [the king of rock and roll].
On 6 August, the film «Ghosts» was shown at the opening night ceremony of the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival in California. Bruce Fessier described the festival in an article published the next day in the Desert Sun: ”This festival showed everyone Michael Jackson’s hidden talent for making short films. Nearly four hundred and fifty people had gathered in the Palm Springs hall to watch a two-and-a-half-hour film plus Michael Jackson’s 40-minute musical film, and to listen to the statements of its director, Stan Winston. The ceremony that night ended with praise and admiration for Michael Jackson. The special effects of the film and the skill Michael displayed by playing the main roles with different appearances and voices created a commotion among the crowd. Winston said: This film has been very successful in Europe, but it cannot be promoted in the United States. Because people here believe whatever they read about Michael. I stand here and tell everyone that Michael Jackson is truly a very great man.“
On 12 September 1997, the NBC network arranged an interview with Michael on the occasion of the death of Princess Diana.
The interview was recorded at the George V Hotel in Paris and was broadcast in other countries such as Germany, Canada, and Australia. In this interview, Michael appeared with more calmness and less caution than in previous interviews.
[Interview]
More information about this interview (click here)
He was cheerful, and during the short twenty-minute duration of the interview, he displayed a full range of moods and feelings. By using his voice tone and pitch modulation, as well as his body movements and facial expressions—he showed sadness, fear, hatred, anger, joking, certainty, nervousness, seriousness, joy, love, pleasure, and delight.
There was also another funny and surprising part—using voice imitation to make his statements even more impactful—
Michael, using his own voice box, randomly but effectively imitated the sounds of objects to emphasize his words. Sounds such as an automatic camera that keeps taking pictures one after another without interruption, the sound of a scooter engine racing, and the sound of pressing a light switch.
After the interview, Barbara Walters described Michael as attractive and charming.
On 15 October 1997, the ««HISTORY»» tour ended in Durban - South Africa with a concert where all the tickets had sold out.
[The world tour HISTORY]
Michael Jackson’s History tour around the world broke all previous records. This tour was the biggest tour that a single stage show had ever held on its own. This tour also broke the legendary Rolling Stone group’s record.
Four and a half million eager fans accompanied the «HISTORY»» tour across all five continents, in fifty-six cities, and in eighty-two concerts.
With the «HISTORY»» tour, Michael broke his own record that he had achieved for the tour «Dangerous». Michael held the «HISTORY»» tour on the biggest stages that no one had ever performed on before. These ”mega shows“ also included special effects prepared by famous magicians, David Copperfield, Siegrid, and in that order.
During the time when the second leg of the «HISTORY»» tour was being held, Michael performed forty concerts. The total income from these concerts amounted to about eighty-three and a half million US dollars, and more than 2,035,189 people attended. On average, the gross income per concert could be estimated at 2,087,853 US dollars. And the average number of spectators was estimated at 50,880 per concert. These figures are only related to the second leg of the «HISTORY»» tour!
In an interview with Life magazine, which hit newsstands on 24 November 1997, Michael revealed exciting news. Michael said that he and Debbie were expecting the birth of their second child. He also stated in this interview that the godfather and godmother of his son ”Prince“ are Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor.
On 11 February 1998, news of Michael’s nomination for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize was released. Michael was among the one hundred and thirty nominees for this prize, along with Pope John Paul II and Bill Clinton.
Nobel Peace Prize nominees can be introduced by members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, members of parliament and the government, previous winners of this prize, and professors of history, philosophy, and political science working at universities. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded on 10 December, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in Oslo. Nobel had willed that after his death, his capital would be used to grant prizes.
This prize was not awarded to Michael Jackson. But being a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize is also a very great honor.
[The Simpson family]
During the second annual international animation festival, in February 1998 in Pasadena - California, Matt Groening, the creator of the cartoon ”The Simpson family“, revealed that in 1991, Michael’s voice had been used in a segment of this cartoon titled ”Bad Tempered Dry Daddy“. However, in the credits, the nickname ”John G. Smith“ was mentioned, and the real name of the person who spoke instead of the cartoon character remained hidden until then. Matt Groening also revealed that the song «Do The Bartman» was composed by Michael. This song, in 1991, was released on an album titled ”The Simpson family sings blues songs“, along with other songs from the cartoon ”The Simpson family“.
Matt Groening: ”It has always been surprising to me that nobody understood that Michael wrote that song. He was a huge fan of this show.“
Brian Loren, the producer of this song, said in an interview that Michael also sang the background vocals for this cartoon, «Do The Bartman», together with him.
On 9 March 1998, Time magazine celebrated its 75th anniversary by publishing a special combined issue containing articles that had been published in the magazine over the past 75 years. The cover design of this issue was a collection of designs from previous issues. Among them, a design that had been printed on the cover of Time magazine on 19 March 1984 featuring Michael Jackson with the title ”Why He\'s A Thriller“ was also visible.
That issue, with the design of Michael on its cover, became the fifth best-selling issue of Time magazine in its publication date. The issue that was published after the death of Princess Diana is in first place. In the opinion of many people, having the cover design of Time magazine is a very important achievement.
[Time magazine]
At 6:26 in the morning on 3 April 1998, ”Paris Michael Katherine Jackson“, Michael and Debbie’s second child, was born with a weight of seven pounds and seven ounces, equivalent to 3.374 kilograms, and a height of twenty and a half inches, equivalent to 53.3 centimeters.
Debbie said in an interview: ”I wanted to name him Michael, but Michael objected. So we decided to name him ”Paris“, because I was pregnant in Paris. And then ”Michael“, because I really wanted the name Michael to be on him. And ”Katherine“, because that is Michael’s mother’s name.“
On 17 May, Michael spoke at an economic summit of more than sixty African countries about children’s rights. He said: ”We treat the most vulnerable segment of society like people without mercy, compassion, and love. The children of the world have no one to speak on their behalf. They are silent. We are familiar with the brutality done to children—sexual and physical abuse, exploitation and child labor, and lack of access to education. We feel shame, anger, and fear. But we do nothing. Nothing. Right now, more than one hundred million children in the world are homeless. While the global economy is progressing, heads of countries decide how to deal with these problems and solve them. My partner and I, Dan Barden, an American businessman, have decided to be men of action and to rely on global investment to empower people, which ultimately benefits children’s lives. And we ask the leaders of the countries who are present here today to support this important initiative and help it.“
In November 1998, the English newspaper Mirror apologized in an issue of Michael Jackson for publishing false claims in an article titled ”Mirror“ in 1992. An out-of-court settlement was reached regarding Michael’s lawsuit against the Mirror newspaper, and the matter was resolved.
The text of the apology was as follows:
”In 1992, before the start of the «Dangerous» tour, we published photos of Michael Jackson in the newspaper, especially photos related to close-ups of his face and nose. We pointed out that these photos made his face look deformed. He quickly sued us and strongly denied these claims. During the negotiations, we recently went to Los Angeles with a prominent plastic surgery specialist to examine his face up close. The inspections proved that his face was in fact not deformed. As a result, our lawyer met with Mr. Jackson’s lawyer, and after a great deal of discussion and dialogue, a confidential agreement was finally signed between the parties, out of court, to end the legal negotiations with delay. And both parties are satisfied about this. We also apologized for the claims made in the newspaper that his face was deformed. We saw with our own eyes that such a thing is absolutely not true. Last night, both parties expressed their satisfaction with the settlement regarding this lawsuit.“
On 12 December 1998, Michael attended the grand opening ceremony of the $450 million Atlantis Royal Towers on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
Michael performed the song «Heal The World». Other performers included Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Enteis, Twin Campbell, James Ingram, and Stephanie Mills. Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poitier, Donald Trump, Denzel Washington, and Quincy Jones were among the 1,600 invited guests at the ”Sunrise Atlantis“ celebration.
[Michael in the Bahamas]