Think is what I've written about Dangerous The Short Films before. I think my stance on BoW has softened over time to be honest.
Dangerous - The Short Films Review
Having pretty much single-handedly launched the medium that was the music video in the 1980s with Thriller, Michael Jackson gave us more visual masterpieces on the follow up Bad, notably with the epic title track, The Way You Make Me Feel and Smooth Criminal.
So, when it was time to launch his first album of the 1990s, Mike was sure to take advantage of the ever evolving technology and special effects to give Dangerous the biggest visual impact of any album ever.
The debut singles taken from Thriller and Bad didn't have a music video (The Girl Is Mine, I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You) and there were also some notable exceptions (Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', PYT). This wasn't to be the case with Dangerous, in fact, Michael made sure that there would be no escaping the first Short Film.
In 1991, excitement for new Michael Jackson music was fever-pitch, just like it had been ever since Thriller nearly a decade earlier. A new Jackson release wasn't just news in the music world, it would make worldwide headlines. Copies of the album were shipped in, handcuffed to security guards and Dangerous was even the target of an armed robbery. Of course, this was in the days before multi-media and leaks, so when Black or White was premiered, to say it was an event was an understatement. It was simul-cast around the world and families watched glued to their TV screens. What happened next was non-stop furore, ending up (as usual) with Michael issuing an apology for the graphic imagery contained within the video.
Anyway, this is sounding like a history lesson rather than a review of the videos. Dangerous had a video (I can't be bothered writing short film each time) for each track, ranging from glitzy to comical to sexy to smooth to schmaltzy to funky.
For glitzy, we start with Black or White, a video that isn't really sure what it wants to be; a comedy, a dance video or a dark, social statement. It's that reason that the video doesn't work for me. Admittedly the length of the video means it could fit three sections, but they don't fit together smoothly for me. We begin with the cringe-worth 50's sitcom stylings of Macaulay Caulkin, Norm from Cheers and Patrick Swayze's wife. What is that all that about? I appreciate they are replicating the start of the album version of the track, but it's very Cartoon Network.
Anyway, once Macaulay has played his guitar so loud it forces Norm out of his chair, through the roof and stratosphere ending up in the African jungle (although the much lighter Patrick Swayze's wife seems unharmed?), we finally begin with the main (best) section of the video. This sees Michael dancing with various cultures around the world as they seamlessly glide into each other.
It may seem like nothing much now, but at the time, one of the most breath-taking parts of the video was the face-morphing done as Mike wraps up the song. An advanced version of Godley & Crème's Cry some years before, this hits home the song's message as genders and creeds from all over the world segued into each other, showing we weren't really that different.
This is when it all goes weird and controversial. Had it stopped there we would have just had another good Michael Jackson video, nothing earth shattering – and I guess Michael knew that, so we now move into section 3. As the camera pans back from the video set, Michael morphs seamlessly into a panther (obviously) and slips away from the set unnoticed. The next few minutes are vocally and musically silent as Michael scats and tap dances his way through a dark, distressed and evacuated street to nothing except the beats in his head and heart. We go for seconds sometimes with him just standing still with the wind blowing through him which is risky for a video where people are expecting music and action.
The social bit comes with this as Michael makes his thoughts known about KKK and racism. No real statement as such other than we can guess he doesn't like them (I should hope not!). He also pauses on top of a car as he realises his fly was down – imagine his embarrassment. Why does no-one tell you these things?
When he's finished he morphs back into the panther and walks away. Jobs a good 'un. Oh then Homer Simpson comes in and turns us off.
So, yes, it's a strange one is Black or White. What exactly was its job? A simple video for a single? A political statement? No. I think it was there for one reason and one reason only, to launch Michael Jackson back in people's faces with so much impact he couldn't be ignored. Job done.
Anyway, I've been describing more than reviewing so sincere apologies. The Black or White video, like I alluded to, doesn't do it for me. The first part has me cringing 'I'm afraid your father's going to be very angry when he comes home', wins a special prize for most wooden line said by anyone. Ever. The song section is undeniably great and the dance part is spellbinding but weird.
I think my main problem with it as that it was too Hollywood, other MJ videos were more subtle in their greatness. Thriller, Billie Jean, Bad, Smooth Criminal were all darker, stylish and tastefully done. Black or White was too bright, too ostentatious and too swanky and like I said before, a little cobbled together.
But it did the job. What was everyone talking about the next day?
Second video was another Hollywood affair. Guest starring Eddie Murphy, Iman & Magic Johnson, Remember The Time had another movie director in John 'Boyz N The Hood' Singleton. More soulful than Black or White, following the song's direction, but still glitzy, Remember The Time is an Egyptian themed affair with once again Michael showing himself as a magic character, emerging from gold dust. Anyway you all know the video by now. Like the song, its roots are funky and fun as Mike spins, glides and smiles his way away from Murphy's guards. Cringeworthy to the extreme when he finds Iman and kisses the one inch gap between their lips, but the video is saved by the brilliantly extended ending as the acappella and remix kicks in and the Egyptian style chorography captivates the viewer.
After two colourful and swanky videos we now move into possibly Michael's sexiest and most stylish video ever. Beautifully shot by the late, great Herb Ritts who specialises in capturing splendour on film, In The Closet finds Michael and Naomi Campbell gyrating their way through unseen sauciness.
Living up to the sexiness of the track, we see the antithesis of the Iman/MJ kiss as Michael and Naomi are perfectly believable in their roles as desert bound lovers. The dancing shows moves we haven’t seen before and I remember being slightly baffled by some of the positions that Michael was throwing at the time. I still love this video, Michael has rarely looked better, and Herb just shoots it superbly with the sepia toning accentuating the beauty you see. Like a good video should, it makes the song sound better and never tires or dates.
I may go out of order here but I think we get Heal The World next. I'll plump for the Superbowl version as the other is basically a Man In The Mirror style montage of all things wrong with the world merged with a few hopeful shots. On my 20th birthday, Michael performed at the Superbowl, presumably in homage to me. Amongst others he mimed his way through an edited version of Heal The World surrounded by kids from all nations. Unfortunately on the DVD you don't see the best part of the performance, where 3 MJ's all appear magically from the giant screens only for the real one to toaster pop up tour style in the middle.
I'll go for Will You Be There next. One of his best and most underrated tracks, but I reviewed that on the Dangerous review so I'll stop myself there. The video is a hybrid of his 'live' tour version and his MTV10 performance which was just beautiful. Only Michael Jackson could marry up the beauty of this song to the choreography. Both performances of the song are fantastic and the video just fits perfectly. No special effects, no guest stars – just a gorgeous performance of a gorgeous song.
I'm going to plump for possibly the best Michael Jackson video ever. Jam. Once again, the video just matches the song perfectly. The guest stars are back, Heavy D (fair enough – he's in the song), Michael Jordan (fair enough – fits with the basketball imagery of the song) and Kris Kross (Fair enough – because….you have to ….erm…Jump to play basketball…y-e-s that's it). The video like the song smashes into life with the basket-globe-ball smashing through a window to be kicked along a street as the songs just grabs you. I adore Jam, I think it's by far Michael's funkiest ever number. It's impossible to sit still to, it's fun, it's dynamic, it won't let go of you and the video represents all that. Mike's chorography once again is spellbounding. He looks great. He's funny. This is the Michael Jackson I love. The one that enthuses you, gives you a lust for life, makes you wanna sing and makes you wanna dance. It's also his most believable 'street' video and is brilliantly shot.
Who Is It next. My favourite Michael Jackson song and a complete shock of a video. Directed by David 'Fight Club' Fincher, Who Is It is unlike any other MJ video. Fitting really, I think Who Is It is unlike any other MJ song. The video is dark, mysterious, confusing but again, looks great. Michael in a suit, no gimmicks but I was disappointed to find out afterwards it's E'Casanova in some shots, but whatever. At least we get the full 6 and a half minutes of the track and not the butchered 4 minute single version. So, what's going on here? Michael's girlfriend is a high class call girl. He tries to find her but she's too 'busy'. He's awfully upset. He leaves without her. The call girl is rejected by both her employers and Michael. ???? I still like it, just for being so damn different. It's a shame many channels played the 4 minute montage version.
God, I love the Dangerous album – from a sweet soul epic to a hard rock joint with Slash. Give In To Me was shot before a Dangerous gig in Munich I think and like Dirty Diana is a performance based video. Take away the unnecessary sub-story of some random couple arguing and smoking too much and you have a straightforward but very effective performance. The brilliance of this is in its simplicity. You just have Mike jamming with Slash and I think Izzy Stradlin is there as well. I love how Michael moves to rock music, he still manages to dance and do his thing. It just has little pieces of magic that even now I copy when listening to the song – for example, the little finger points and I love that smile he does when Slash whispers something to him. He's just so damned normal in it. Brilliant.
That's pretty much it isn't it? We also have Gone Too Soon. A heartfelt and beautiful ballad dedicated to Ryan White with the video a dedication to his cut short life.
So, possibly Michael's best set of videos from definitely his best set of singles. Like Dangerous the albums, the videos offer the viewer an eclectic mix. Never boring, always visually captivating – some are more than the song, some enhance it and bring something new.
It was just a great time, wondering what single would be next, what the video would be, who would direct it? The first three were advertised that they would be on Top Of The Pops and played in their entirety despite their length.
A golden era in Michael Jackson history. Good times.
My Michael Jackson album reviews:
Off The Wall:
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98686
Thriller:
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1265736
Bad:
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45266
Dangerous:
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44057
HIStory:
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44385
Invincible:
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44468
