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Thriller

Michael Jackson's Dance Phenomenon

By , About.com Guide

Filled with unique choreography and talented dancers, the mini-film music video Thriller was released on December 2, 1983. Written by Michael Jackson and John Landis, the video was somewhat of a short horror film featuring dancing zombies performing with Jackson. The video was 13 minutes long and became the most expensive video of its time, costing $500,000 to produce. Despite a few bad reviews, it was an instant success. The song remains a favorite around Halloween, and the main dance sequence remains a favorite among choreography buffs.

The Story

After watching a scary movie called "Thriller," Michael and his date argue about how frightening it was. Michael smiles, assuring his fearful date that "It's only a movie!"

The couple then walks down a dark street, passing a graveyard. Corpses suddenly begin to rise from their graves. Michael and his date are quickly surrounded by horrific zombies. Suddenly, Michael becomes a zombie. He and the zombies perform an elaborate dance number together, followed by the chorus of the song "Thriller." Michael then changes back into himself as his girlfriend frantically runs away.

The girl runs for cover to an old, abandoned house. The zombies and Michael find her hiding and slowly approach her. She wakes up right then and realizes that it was all a dream. Michael asks her, "What's the problem?" He reassures her and offers to take her home. As the video ends, however, Michael glances back at the camera and grins, revealing his glowing monster eyes.

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