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The Making of Thriller - New MJ Book

Mashlie

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wow it's only £10 with free delivery on amazon. i just ordered it, thanks for letting us know about this :D
 
I want this book, but understand that the introduction is written by a journalist on the set, Nancy Griffin (not the author Mr. Kirkland) who calls Michael "disfigured"

From page 8, the introduction:

What we could not have known is that "Thriller" would represent the peak of both his artistry and his personal life. While he would remain the biggest star in the world for a decade and produce more remarkable music, videos and life shows, he was unable to cope with the harsh scrutiny his superstardom brought. What had seemed like youthful eccentricities became more pronounced and debilitating. In a metaphorical sense, the dark fears and fantasies Jackson expressed in "Thriller" came true. Whether he was victim or perpetrator in his later years we may never know. What we know for sure is that his life was complicated and he did not find happiness. It is impossible to reconcile the troubled disfigured person that Michael became with the radiant young man we knew. And now he is gone too soon."

They took the page off Amazon which is where I read it and screen capped it.

FYI.
 
A book on the making of Thriller?
I have an old vhs video of Thriller and has a section 'of the making of'!
Wonder whether it talks about MJ's late night phone call to John Landis, asking to make a short film to go with his song Thriller? :D
Let's not forget, this was never heard of back in the early 80's! :doh:
Static singers sitting on a stool with a mic!
MJ ground breaking stuff! :yes:
Oh sorry- lol got carried away there- the book? Sounds great! :tease:
 
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ItsALLforLOVE said:
I want this book, but understand that the introduction is written by a journalist on the set, Nancy Griffin (not the author Mr. Kirkland) who calls Michael "disfigured"

From page 8, the introduction:

What we could not have known is that "Thriller" would represent the peak of both his artistry and his personal life. While he would remain the biggest star in the world for a decade and produce more remarkable music, videos and life shows, he was unable to cope with the harsh scrutiny his superstardom brought. What had seemed like youthful eccentricities became more pronounced and debilitating. In a metaphorical sense, the dark fears and fantasies Jackson expressed in "Thriller" came true. Whether he was victim or perpetrator in his later years we may never know. What we know for sure is that his life was complicated and he did not find happiness. It is impossible to reconcile the troubled disfigured person that Michael became with the radiant young man we knew. And now he is gone too soon."

They took the page off Amazon which is where I read it and screen capped it.

FYI.
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If this trash is in the book, I definitely will not buy it. This is the reason I am reluctant to buy books that are not by Michael or came out after his death. The only book I bought was Katherine's. Thanks for this information.
 
My book arrived today and I have to say it is well worth £10, usually you would be paying something like £30-£40 for something like this. The pictures and paper are really high quality. It's set out very much like the opus. Also there are a few pics I have never seen before. The front cover is soooo cool!
 
Ashtanga said:
:puke:

:mat:

Thanks for that! After reading this, definitely I'm not going to buy this book. -_-
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Good for you. I am with you on this. I think if we as a fan group let publishers know we will not accept these books with dual messages--write something hateful to please he haters group, and then show something positive to please the fan group--then they will begin to respect us and give us better MJ products/materials. We and Michael are worth MORE and we should not forget it.
 
Petrarose said:
Good for you. I am with you on this. I think if we as a fan group let publishers know we will not accept these books with dual messages--write something hateful to please he haters group, and then show something positive to please the fan group--then they will begin to respect us and give us better MJ products/materials. We and Michael are worth MORE and we should not forget it.
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:clapping:


Exactly. -_-
 
I bought 'The Making of Thriller' book. I love the photos and the majority of the text about Michael.

There are about 3 short things written about Michael, that I don't like. I don't like the comment about Michael being disfigured, because Michael never looked disfigured. The two other comments I don't like are by Thriller make-up artist Rick Baker and photographer Douglas Kirkland.

Rick Baker made this comment about Michael when he worked with him on the Thriller video. "His face lends itself very well to make-up. He's got such a gaunt face, with high cheekbones and expressive eyes." The bit of this that annoyed me is him saying Michael had a "gaunt" face. Michael had a slim face, but not gaunt. Gaunt means someone with an ill or very tired look about them, and that's not Michael apart from when he looked stressed as in his trial in 2005 etc. Michael looked very healthy in 1983, and not gaunt.

The other comment that annoyed me is by Douglas Kirkland in an interview in the book

Q: Ola Ray looked like she had a crush on him.

KD: I saw that, too. What a waste! (laughs) This beautiful girl, who obviously really did like him. And he dropped a penny in her direction, it was a fait accompli, it would have been a done deal. But he wasn't wired that way.

I don't like this "But he wasn't wired that way", what the f**k is that supposed to mean. That Michael had no interest in women. Michael was dating Brooke Shields when he was making Thriller, and Ola Ray even knows that. Just because someone else thinks Ola Ray is beautiful (I'm sure Michael could see she was), that doesn't actually mean that Michael should fall for her because someone else think they would make a good couple. Hasn't it crossed Douglas Kirkland's mind she might just have been Michael's type of women.

Anyway the people that wrote this book like Michael during his Thriller era. The book say's it was Michael at the peak of his artistry and personal life during the Thriller era. I'd say Thriller era was close, but for me the Bad era was Michael at his peak. On other had according to Michael's own words in a telephone interview in 2008 on his 50th birthday, he does say the happiest time of his life was during the times recording the Off The Wall and Thriller albums. So in that respect this book is accurate.

Anyway, despite those three bits of text that I think are sweeping and unfair statements. The are quite minor in the book as a whole, as the text is very positive about Michael and just sticks to those 4 days of the Thriller video shot. The book does say what a nice and unassuming person Michael was. Douglas Kirkland also says "He was so good looking", when he talks about first meeting Michael. He talks about how cool he thought it was to have a good-looking subject to photograph.

There is also brilliant text by the cinematographer of Thriller, Robert Paynter. He say's how Michael was shy, pleasant and polite. How Michael was a movie buff, how talented he was, and how proud is to have worked on the Thriller video.

Yes the book is built around the myth Michael was at his peak on Thriller etc. But it's a brilliant book, with awesome photographs that gives more insight in to that period of Michael's career. Despite 3 comments I question, it isn't a book that thrashes Michael, it's a positive book about Michael and I think all fans should buy.
 
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benscarr said:
I bought 'The Making of Thriller' book. I love the photos and the majority of the text about Michael.

There are about 3 short things written about Michael, that I don't like. I don't like the comment about Michael being disfigured, because Michael never looked disfigured. The two other comments I don't like are by Thriller make-up artist Rick Baker and photographer Douglas Kirkland.

Rick Baker made this comment about Michael when he worked with him on the Thriller video. "His face lends itself very well to make-up. He's got such a gaunt face, with high cheekbones and expressive eyes." The bit of this that annoyed me is him saying Michael had a "gaunt" face. Michael had a slim face, but not gaunt. Gaunt means someone with an ill or very tired look about them, and that's not Michael apart from when he looked stressed as in his trial in 2005 etc. Michael looked very healthy in 1983, and not gaunt.

The other comment that annoyed me is by Douglas Kirkland in an interview in the book

Q: Ola Ray looked like she had a crush on him.

KD: I saw that, too. What a waste! (laughs) This beautiful girl, who obviously really did like him. And he dropped a penny in her direction, it was a fait accompli, it would have been a done deal. But he wasn't wired that way.

I don't like this "But he wasn't wired that way", what the f**k is that supposed to mean. That Michael had no interest in women. Michael was dating Brooke Shields when he was making Thriller, and Ola Ray even knows that. Just because someone else thinks Ola Ray is beautiful (I'm sure Michael could see she was), that doesn't actually mean that Michael should fall for her because someone else think they would make a good couple. Hasn't it crossed Douglas Kirkland's mind he might just have been Michael's type of women.
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Oh God.... this book.... Sad. :(
 
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