38 Years of Thriller: Fun Facts You Never Knew!

In 1983, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, shocked the world with his mini-monster movie, Thriller. Interestingly, the 14-minute music/dance video was released in December, not October as you might have assumed. The video is packed with iconic choreography that we’ve all come to know, learn, and mimic - even if you’re not an aspiring or professional dancer. 

At the time, Thriller was the most expensive music video ever made, totaling around $1 million. However, MJ hired a second crew to shoot a 45-minute documentary of the process, which he later sold to MTV and Showtime for $250k each to help offset the cost.

Legendary film director, John Landis (The Blues Brothers), was specifically chosen to shoot the music video as he was just coming off making his film, American Werewolf in London. The all-star cast also included Tony Award winning choreographer/dancer, Michael Peters - known for his work on Broadway’s Dreamgirls. MJ’s personal friend, Fred Astaire, also attended rehearsals of Thriller but only as a spectator. 

Thriller has gone on to inspire many. It changed the way the music industry released music, influencing other blockbuster hits like Springsteen’s Born to Run and Prince’s Purple Rain. It sparked several flash mobs and tribute videos that you can find all over YouTube. And it has become somewhat of a traditional group dance at every Halloween party across the US.

Read more fun facts about Thriller in the articles linked below.

Have a Happy Halloween!

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