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Billie Jean video could have been a lot better?

L.T.D

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I cant help but feel that the Billie Jean video could have been a lot better.

There are some cool concepts in there and the dancing was ok. But this is Michaels biggest hit of all time and I cant help but feel that the video doesnt live up to the song.

For starters there should have been MUCH more dancing in it. What do you all think?
 
do you see the scene with the billboard of two girls and MJ is dancing there? yeah... that's actually the only scene MJ had a say in it. The entire video was the vision of the director. That's why you don't really see a connection between the video and Michael... i know i don't :|

Oh and as a side note. The video was meant to include 0 dancing but michael refused, and begged for that one scene.
 
Michael wanted more dancing but director of clip let him to dance just in one place
 
Agreed. I do love some parts of it, but the differences in quality in comparison with other things he did around the same time are just night and day.
 
I have thought this for a long time now...It definitely could have been better....I wouldn't consider it a great video...And, in saying that, because Michael didn't have much say in it...it's obvious why it wasn't that great of a video...Just being honest...
 
Arklove said:
I have thought this for a long time now...It definitely could have been better....I wouldn't consider it a great video...And, in saying that, because Michael didn't have much say in it...it's obvious why it wasn't that great of a video...Just being honest...
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Your definately right.

Well maybe Michael SHOULD have had more input in how the video went down. Was this something he didnt have control over?

It could have been so amazing!
 
this was the begining of music videos as we know it ,
so to me, its forever epic .:yes:
 
Im not saying it isnt epic.

It broke the barrier for Black artists on MTV, and its definately a very good video.

It just, could have been a lot better. If Michael were able to dance more.
 
ASIS said:
do you see the scene with the billboard of two girls and MJ is dancing there? yeah... that's actually the only scene MJ had a say in it.
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MJ said one of those girls is supposed to be Billie Jean...

What does LOUISA mean??? It says that on the bottom of the billboard with the two girls.
 
I love it. :wub: Although I see what you guys are saying, I wouldn't change it for the world.
 
I've never seen anything wrong with it!!!!

I've always thought that it was one of Michael's best videos.......I mean it helped make it Michael's best selling single!!!
 
Frankyboy5 said:
MJ said one of those girls is supposed to be Billie Jean...

What does LOUISA mean??? It says that on the bottom of the billboard with the two girls.
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I had no idea about the girls part and i never noticed the lOUSIA part... I feel dumb :(
 
sorry joining in here......with an incline that we discussing MJ's BJ epic as in on this is it??
I'll leave someone to reply b4 I say more on this topic!!!
 
Arklove said:
I have thought this for a long time now...It definitely could have been better....I wouldn't consider it a great video...And, in saying that, because Michael didn't have much say in it...it's obvious why it wasn't that great of a video...Just being honest...
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yeah, that explains EVERYTHING.

but i do like the video and think that it's perfect. because the song lyrics are very deep and the story it tells is STRONG. i think it's nice that the message was expressed through michael walking down streets, and entering bedrooms at night while having the papz stalk him secretly. rather than all that dancing and choreographed moves.

luckily, for his live performances, NO ONE could tell him what to do.
 
The video for BJ is undoubtedly very famous but its the live performances that people think about when Billie Jean is mentioned, rather than the video. Motown 25 was the start of the Billie Jean phenomenon! I do not know a single person that doesn't love the live performances of Billie Jean. They're just so iconic.
 
Well, I only saw the Motown 25 performance this year. (I know, I know). When I was a wee lad, I remember liking BJ more than any other MJ video. The street lighting up, the 3 screens when he was dancing, when he got in the bed and disappeared. I remember as a child my sisters and i thought that was the coolest thing ever.

We also liked that the video was relatively simple. i think MJ sometimes got sidetrack because of always trying to outdo himself. But this video, and Beat it, were very simple while still eyecatching. And it really put alot of focus on MJ (eye candy).

When those videos came out I was like 4. Years later when bad premiered and my dad decided to educate us on some of his other videos, we could remember DSUYGE, RWY, BI, and BJ. The videos were epic because the videos never out shined (or were never meant to out shine) MJs raw talent.
 
No,it couldn't have been better. It is perfect.


As for the dancing, I believe it's a good thing there isn't much dancing to it. Cause by doing the Motown 25 performance he kind of upgraded this song to another level. That's the thing about Michael - you don't just remember his videos, but his clothes, his performances... Everything.

Had the video featured the moonwalk and stuff, Motown 25 and everything that came with it wouldn't be what it is today.
 
I think Billie Jean is fine as it is because it tells of a story in the video. I also think the glowing tiles were epic as well. I'm glad it didn't have dancing because the "Beat it" video would've looked ok, since it would no longer be his first choreographed routine in a video. Motown 25 wouldn't be as timeless as it is if he did dancing in "Billie Jean" since the routine would be the same performance on stage as it was in the video, the moonwalk probably wouldn't have been done first by MJ if he decided to do a different choreography for the video. I think the videos escalated in their greatness, which helped with the sales of Thriller.
 
ASIS said:
I had no idea about the girls part and i never noticed the lOUSIA part... I feel dumb :(
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(click to enlarge)
MJ-Louisa.jpg
 
I've heard a number of fans complain about this video, but "Billie Jean" is actually one of my fave MJ videos. I love MJ's dancing and how the steps light up, iconic really. The video captures the mystery and dark mood of the song perfectly.
 
I really like the Billie Jean video. Looks like he's in some strange otherworldly dimension. The tiles lighting up is very cool and iconic too. I do agree that his latter videos/short films just got better.
 
I think it's boring and I never watch it...

the live performances on the other hand :)

I don't get that everyone's saying Mj didn't have a say in it? it's Michael jackson!! didn't he always have the final word in things? I mean..if michael jackson wanted this and that he usually got it..weird. he could have changed the director of the music video and make the video the way he wanted it
 
I love it, it definitely has a special place in my heart. Way back when I was trying to record all of his videos onto VHS from MTV around '88-'91, that was one of the last ones I finally caught. It was frustrating since its my favorite song! LOL
 
stineLOVESmichael said:
I don't get that everyone's saying Mj didn't have a say in it? it's Michael jackson!! didn't he always have the final word in things? I mean..if michael jackson wanted this and that he usually got it..weird. he could have changed the director of the music video and make the video the way he wanted it
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I don't think Mike had much power at the time. CBS Records didn't want to pay for the videos and that was why he started paying for them himself. MTV refused to show it because it didn't fit their rock format and it was by a black R&B performer. "Michael Jackson!" didn't exist yet. The only reason MTV started showing the Billie Jean video was CBS threatening to remove all of their other acts like Journey and Men At Work, which would have killed the new (at the time) network.
 
I never really understand the concept behind the video. :lol:

But I do love the Billie Jean music video. The iconic jacket, white leather shoes and pink bow. Not to mention, the streets lighting up every time he steps on it. As a kid, I used to jump on the streets hoping it would light up like in Billie Jean... :D

Of course, only Mike can do that.
 
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