Thriller: 4 Days in 1983
A new book recounting the events during the making of the legendary Thriller music video is ready for sale on Amazon.
Titled “Michael Jackson: Making Thriller—4 Days in 1983,” the book contains rare and unseen images, along with stories about the production stages of this exciting, suspenseful, and musical short film. Thriller is a masterpiece of video songs by Don. But the song almost made Michael’s blood boil—so much so that it almost made him let it go.
In this regard, the King of Pop said:
“Thriller was awful—the song mix messed up my mood. When I listened to all the songs on the album, I started crying. I was crying like a kid. I stormed out of the room shouting, ‘We’re not releasing this crap!’ One of the studio repairmen had a bicycle. I took it and rode it to the schoolyard. I watched the kids playing. When I got back to the studio, I was ready to rule the world. I went to the studio and made songs out of that crap.”
Famous photographer Douglas Kirkland and journalist Nancy Griffin were the only media members allowed onto the set of this famous film shoot, and this book is a tour through four days in 1983—days spent filming this short movie.
Douglas Kirkland says about the Michael he saw behind the scenes:
“The eternal child, Michael was always warm and funny. He didn’t hide in his room; he spent time with the crew and joked around.”
“The yellow masks he used for makeup were painful when putting them on and taking them off. But he remained steady and determined.”
“His ability to write, create, and perform was truly exceptional.”
“I don’t think there has ever been stage direction as good as his before, and maybe there will never be stage direction as good as his again after him.”
The book also includes quotes from director John Landis and from model and actor Ola Ray, who played Michael’s 25-year-old partner in the Thriller video.
John Landis says: “He was in his twenties, but he was like a brilliant 10-year-old boy. Emotionally he was hurt, but he was very sweet and very talented.”
Kirkland says, regarding why fans should have this book:
“The first time you saw Thriller, do you remember? You danced to it, you got scared, and you were amazed. Thriller is the most innovative and breath-taking video of all time. Thriller transformed television music. It made MTV and smashed racial boundaries. This book is a document and tribute to one of the most triumphant and iconic moments in music history. This man was a genius, and he expressed his power in Thriller.
In this book, there are many photos of Michael joking and laughing, playing pinball, and sitting in the makeup chair to become a werewolf while a snake trainer’s hand rests in his lap. There are scenes of him in his legendary red leather jacket, with that famous smile, posing in front of the camera.
Most of these photos have never been published anywhere. The Thriller location was kept secret, and I was the only photographer who managed to get there to take photos for Life magazine that were never published. This book is the only place where you can see these photos.
This book has been my most popular work project. Although I’ve taken photos of every actor, idol, or big star, and published several behind-the-scenes books, none of them have been like the present book for me. I enjoyed working with him. He was a genius... an outstanding example, a prominent perfectionist, a true professional in every sense. This book is my tribute to the King of Pop.
Many musicians, actors, directors, producers, and prominent figures such as Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Alicia Keys, Usher, Jay-Z, and many others talk in this book about Michael Jackson’s impact on them. For example, Usher says: ‘... I wouldn’t be the stage director and the human-friendly activist I am today without Michael Jackson’s influence.’... He advanced our culture in many ways... He removed obstacles for us... His legacy is unmatched.’”
Source: eMJey / msn.com / sohh.com / aceshowbiz.com