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What Era is Smooth Criminal?

My_HeartBreaker

My_HeartBreaker

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Can someone tell me about the Smooth Criminal video?

I need this information,

What era is it in? 1920s, 30s, unclear? Possible 40s?
Are the dancers in the video mafia members?
Ive seen moonwalker, but Im still kind of confused on what exactly that part of the story is,

Any information would be much appreicated!
 
i dont know what era :no:but the men are from the film moonwalker :yes:
 
My_HeartBreaker said:
Can someone tell me about the Smooth Criminal video?

I need this information,

What era is it in? 1920s, 30s, unclear? Possible 40s?
Are the dancers in the video mafia members?
Ive seen moonwalker, but Im still kind of confused on what exactly that part of the story is,

Any information would be much appreicated!
Click to expand...

I always got the impression that its from the 40s. I think the early version of smooth criminal was named '' Chicago 1945 '' makes sense when you think about it:)
 
I always thought it was from the 30s because of the building that Michael went in to in Moonwalker. Called I think club 30s or something like that. I really can't remember. It has been a long time since I last seen Moonwalker.
 
Wikipedia:

Jeffrey Daniel of the soul music group Shalamar co-choreographed the "Smooth Criminal" video with Vincent Paterson, who had previously danced in "Beat It", "Thriller" and choreographed Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel". It was directed by special effects coordinator Colin Chilvers. The dance sequence of the video in the 1930s style lounge (and Michael's white suit and fedora) pays tribute to the Fred Astaire musical comedy film The Band Wagon. Currently there are four different versions of the video for "Smooth Criminal," as well as an additional vignette created for the 2009 This Is It concert series:

...
Click to expand...
 
Bad era :p

But yes, it should be in the 30s, because the club is named "Club 30s".
 
1930's. The transition between the 20ish dresses and the more 30's menswear would tell us that this took place, most likely, in the early 1930s. The women's clothing is more telling than the men's, because women's fashion is more diverse, and changes the most dramatically with each era. The club's name seems to confirm my hypothesis.
 
It was in the 1930s.

As for the demos it's not confirmed that Chicago 1945 is the original version.Michael reworked the song on Dangerous and Invincible sessions if I remember well.

It was rumoured that Al Capone was the demo of the song also :).
 
Moonwalker's full of art deco architecture, so Yeah it would be in the 1920'30's period, Agh I love the style!...
 
Dorian said:
It was in the 1930s.

As for the demos it's not confirmed that Chicago 1945 is the original version.Michael reworked the song on Dangerous and Invincible sessions if I remember well.

It was rumoured that Al Capone was the demo of the song also :).
Click to expand...

Yeah, why would he re-work Smooth Criminal's demo for Invincible? (Which is a fact, he did re-work that song durring the Invincible sessions).

I personally think "Chicago 1945" is a finished song that has nothing to do with Smooth Criminal. "Al Capone" is the demo, not "Chicago 1945"... at least that's what I think!
 
I always thought it was set in 1940's. I'll have to watch it again. :)
 
Smooth Criminal is set in the modern day (late '80s at the time) which you can tell from the cityscapes, cars, motorbikes, etc.

Michael then goes into a previously dead, cobwebbed places formerly known as "Club 30s". The place comes alive with a gushing breath of life, dancing and music from a jukebox.

It's a magical Club only Michael was supposed to have known about as well as the kiddies looking for him. So, the Club is the 1930s, but Smooth Criminal is set in the late'80s itself.
 
AndreyZidane™;3242526 said:
Yeah, why would he re-work Smooth Criminal's demo for Invincible? (Which is a fact, he did re-work that song durring the Invincible sessions).

I personally think "Chicago 1945" is a finished song that has nothing to do with Smooth Criminal. "Al Capone" is the demo, not "Chicago 1945"... at least that's what I think!
Click to expand...

CHICAGO 1945
Song written by Michael with Toto’s Steve Pocaro.
‘Years ago, Michael and I wrote a song called Chicago 1945 – I did the
music and Michael the lyrics,’ Pocaro confirmed on Toto’s web-site.
‘He recorded the song twice, but never put it on an album… the
instruments were played in a constant rhythm in the 16th note, which
was called ‘yada’. When I explained this to Michael, he liked it so
much he gave me that nickname!’
In the film, Moonwalker, in an outdoor shot of Michael with Brandon
Adams and Sean Lennon, a clapper-board with ‘Chicago Nights’ on it
can be seen – possibly an alternate title.
Evolved into Smooth Criminal.
Cited by Michael in his court disposition in November 1993 – remains

Source : For The Reccord

Chicago 1945 and smooth criminal seems to been writin by michael and toto's steve pocaro, so it could very well be the early version. Maybe michael found some elements in the early version that could develope to a new song (sorta like he did with streetwalker to the early version of dangerous) Idk, but it can be both, really.
 
Hmm... this is interesting, I had always thought that it was in the 20s and they were in a Speakeasy, and that he was dressed like a 20s gangster.
 
AndreyZidane™;3242526 said:
Yeah, why would he re-work Smooth Criminal's demo for Invincible? (Which is a fact, he did re-work that song durring the Invincible sessions).

I personally think "Chicago 1945" is a finished song that has nothing to do with Smooth Criminal. "Al Capone" is the demo, not "Chicago 1945"... at least that's what I think!
Click to expand...

Your right. Chicago 1945 is indeed a separate song, reworked during the Invincible sessions..
 
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