The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko of Neverland? Michael, the new biopic about Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958, to June 25, 2009), tells neither story.
Instead, the Antoine Fuqua film is a sanitised take on the life — from ages eight to 30 — of one of 20th century’s biggest cultural phenomena. Juliano Krue Valdi and MJ’s nephew Jaafar Jackson play the boy who was the family’s golden goose in The Jackson 5, under father Joe Jackson’s iron grip, and the youth who broke away to forge his own musical journey.
Most biopics, bound by the limitations of mediation and legalese, choose the path of least resistance — selective memory. Fuqua’s Michael is no different.
But one can revisit the art to rediscover the artiste. For instance, the wildly successful Thriller in 1983. The disco-funk track written by Rod Temperton with the iconic video by John Landis transformed music into visual storytelling and horror into entertainment. And yes, an androgynous Black youth with heavily arched eyebrows, smooth moves and a boyish, light voice with amazing range into a global superstar.
Fans of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung can ponder why the young Michael was so into the horror genre that he got Landis to make a scary video for Thriller. With multiple plot twists, no less. One charming date ends with the boyfriend turning into a werewolf and attacking the girl. Turns out that it’s part of a film. The couple watching the film leave midway. They walk for a bit, but the boyfriend turns into a zombie, dances with other zombies and tries to attack the girl. But this turns out to be the girl’s nightmare from which her boyfriend gently wakes her. Final shocker: The boyfriend faces the camera — his eyes show he’s a zombie!
The lyrics go well with MJ’s spooky four-octave vocal range: It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurkin’ in the dark/ Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart...
You can’t miss the atmospheric synthesiser bassline, the staccato percussion beats and all the “Halloween” sound effects one can imagine. From creaking doors to creeping footsteps, from werewolf cries to thunderclaps, every uncanny sound makes music.
Veteran actor in horror films, Vincent Price, adds to the chilling effect with his spoken-word monologue and maniacal laughter. Famous last words? “For no mere mortal can resist/ The evil of the thriller.”
Thriller heralded a new experience which felt unhinged, dark and compellingly addictive. Almost like MJ. Art sometimes reveals the artiste more than any biopic can.