Michael Jackson Thriller Jacket
Relive the Thrill in your Michael Jackson Thriller Jacket
In 1983, music video history was made when John Landis directed a 14 minute long video called, “Thriller”, and the Michael Jackson Thriller jacket became famous. Landis also co-wrote the screenplay withJackson for the video.
Thriller was voted the most influential pop music video of all time for its merging of two genres, music and filmmaking.
Included in the video was music by composer Elmer Bernstein and narration by horror film veteran, Vincent Price. Deborah Landis, the wife of director John Landis, designed the red Michael Jackson Thriller jacket that went on to become so famous.
The music video has a 1950’s horror movie theme and opens with Jackson and his girlfriend, played by actress Ola Ray, running out of gas and becoming stranded in the dark woods. As they walk off in to the forest, Michael, in his red Michael Jackson Thriller jacket gives her a ring and warns her that he is “different”.
As the full moon appears, Michael begins to transform into a “werecat”, as opposed to a “werewolf”, and chases after the terrified girl until it catches her and lunges at her with its claws.
It is then revealed in the video that the scene was actually playing on a movie screen in a theater and, as Michael tells his girlfriend, “It’s only a movie”.
The now iconic red Michael Jackson Thriller jacket worn in the video is candy-apple-red with black stripes. It has many zippers, an “M” logo and angular, rigid shoulders.
Within a year of the release of the video, copies of the jacket were selling for as much as $500.00. On June 27, 2011, the original Michael Jackson Thriller jacket was auctioned off for $1.8 million dollars, described by the buyer as “the greatest piece of rock and roll memorabilia in history”.
In an interview that aired on MTV in 1999, Michael was quoted about his feelings on making the Thriller video. “I’m very much involved in complete making and creating of the piece. It has to be, you know, my soul. Usually, you know, it’s an interpretation of the music”.
Michael was also concerned how the dancing Zombies who rose from their graves would come across. “How do you make zombies and monsters dance without it being comical?”
He wanted it to be scary but also a little jazzy. “Kind of gruesome things like that, not too much ballet or whatever”.
Michael dances with the zombies in his stylistic, Star Trek inspired Michael Jackson Thriller jacket. The dance scene was actually filmed at the intersection of Union Pacific Avenue and South Calzona Street in East Los Angeles.
The zombies then dance back into their graves and the legendary, master of horror, Vincent Price is seen with a terrifying expression on his face as the “Thriller” music video fades to black.
The jacket is made of faux leather with a black screen-printed design that resembles the look of the jacket worn in the “Thriller” video. The Michael Jackson Thriller jacket is an officially licensed Michael Jackson product, so you know it has the authentic look and feel of the original.
