Released on November 30, 1982, Michael Jackson’s Thriller remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. The King of Pop’s sixth studio album has amassed more than 100 million sales across the globe and produced multiple top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” both reaching No. 1. Its title track, “Thriller,” also became a cultural phenomenon in its own right. Apart from the record’s genre-defining tracks and unmatched production, the title track also boasts an equally iconic music video, which revolutionized the medium with its cinematic scale, choreography, and groundbreaking visual storytelling. But perhaps, unbeknownst to many, the music video that would become a pop culture landmark is inspired by a 1981 film directed by John Landis, who went on to direct Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Music videos inspired by movies are nothing new in the industry. Over the past years, we’ve seen artists reference iconic films for the visuals of their singles, including Madonna’s “Material Girl” (inspired by the Marilyn Monroe-led Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX’s “Fancy” (Clueless), and Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” (The Evil Dead), among others. Some even go as far as referencing more than one movie, such as Ariana Grande in “thank u, next,” which recreates scenes from 2000s films Mean Girls, 13 Going on 30, Legally Blonde, and Bring It On; and Sabrina Carpenter in “Taste,” which nods to Death Becomes Her, Ginger Snaps, Kill Bill: Volume 1, Psycho, and Addams Family Values. In fact, it is a practice that’s become common in the music world. While there is no definitive “first” artist to ever incorporate film-inspired elements in their music videos, Jackson is certainly one of those who helped popularize the practice on a global scale. And that music video — inspired by An American Werewolf in London — became one that redefined what a music video could be.
‘An American Werewolf in London’ Inspired Michael Jackson To Make “Thriller”
An American Werewolf in London,a supernatural horror-comedy, follows two American college students, David Kessler (David Naughton) and Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne), who are trekking through the English countryside when they’re suddenly attacked by a mysterious creature. Jack is killed in the attack, but David survives — only to discover that the beast that bit him was a werewolf. The horror film features a scene in which David undergoes a terrifying transformation into a werewolf, a moment that was ultimately referenced in the “Thriller” music video. While it’s typically associated with horror, “Thriller” proved to be more than just a seasonal hit. And we have John Landis to thank for the spectacle that it became. Jackson, who wanted to create a horror visual for his single, chose the filmmaker to direct the video after seeing An American Werewolf in London, and eventually became a fan of his work.
“He called to say he was a fan of my film,” said Landis. “He wanted to make a rock video where he turned into a monster, and he felt he had the best song to do it with, ‘Thriller.’” Landis was, at first, skeptical about taking on the project but decided to do it anyway. He added, “I thought, ‘I don’t know, because music videos are essentially commercials to sell records.’ I decided to do ‘Thriller’ because it was an opportunity to do a proper musical number.”
The Weeknd has always openly expressed his deep admiration for the King of Pop.
Making the music video for “Thriller” was already a risk. By the time the title track was released as a single, the album had already made waves the year before. Even Jackson’s record company was hesitant to fund another video from the Thriller album, and no television networks wanted to air a music video as long as “Thriller.” Despite these obstacles, the music video — released a year later — helped turn not only the song but the entire album into one of the biggest successes in music history.
“The earth-shattering success of Michael Jackson’s Thriller was a surprise to everyone but Michael,” Landis wrote for The Guardian. “My memories of him are naturally shaded by his tragic end. But I recall the Michael I collaborated with in 1983, and that Michael was joyous, hard-working, relaxed and determined to do his best. And Michael’s best was truly fantastic.”
