https://www.youtube.com/w...-akA1kks18

Gripping documentary series. In addition to the preview above, there are 16 parts..at the time of this writing the first two have been released. Also check out the Prince series from the same channel.

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Spike Lee’s incredible unfinished documentary trilogy left a giant gap. “The Journey from MOTOWN to OFF THE WALL” and “BAD 25” told us about the single minded focus of Michael Jackson to grow out of the shadow of the Jackson 5/Jacksons family act. BAD 25 is the story of an artist in maintaining his grip on the public imagination.

The true history of THRILLER HAS NEVER BEEN told.

It’s not hyperbole to say that THRILLER is the story the world is begging for. The world showed out for THRILLER in 1982, 1983, 1984 and has continued to show out! THRILLER has defied format through vinyl, cassette, CD and music streaming. The 1982 release has entered the lexicon of nearly every country on earth. The album itself has sold potentially 100,000,000 units. It’s videos changed the racially exclusionary practices of MTV forever. His performance on Motown 25 launched the single BILLIE JEAN into the number 1 spot on Billboard’s charts where it would sit until BEAT IT came to call. The marketing plan would be replicated in perpetuity.

Michael Jackson's rise was more like an ascendancy. The entire music world conspired to create the perfect pop star. Michael Jackson's talent was always explained as magical. Michael Jackson branded himself in the same iconography. This album's impact was powerful, not solely for the music that came from it, but for the effect it had on people, the economy and many of the institutions it created that still exist 40 years after Thriller was released on November 30, 1982. Thriller was a true shift of the paradigm.

Michael Jackson was both ubiquitous and phantomesque during Thriller's chart run (starting in 1982 and slowing well into 1985). Motown 25 was Michael Jackson's lone television appearance of the era. Michael Jackson did not grant interviews to the press. Michael Jackson did not make promotional appearances. Michael Jackson’s costuming and style were copied by that generation’s youth culture. The shocking success grew out of a decade of prep as a Motown prodigy with the Jackson 5, a teenage performer, and a writer/producer of the seminal EPIC/CBS Jacksons albums DESTINY and TRIUMPH. THRILLER consequently may have been predictable.

If the success of THRILLER wasn’t predictable it was because no one was aware of the intent of the two men responsible for its creation. Quincy Jones, a legendary jazz and film arranger with sparse experience in pop/r&b mentored Michael Jackson through “OFF THE WALL” and created an instant classic. Michael Jackson felt that OFF THE WALL fell short of his expectations somehow.

Inspired by the recent creative and commercial gigantic offerings from Stevie Wonder and the BEE GEES Michael Jackson knew where he wanted to go. He was sure now that Quincy Jones was the right producer to get him there.

Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones entered Los Angeles’ WEsTLAKE studios in April of 1982 with laser focus. The opus that created the biggest selling album on earth was seven months of creative compromise and pristine selection. 9 songs made the cut.

The creators of this documentary deep dive into the studio work that Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones used to establish the 9 songs on the Thriller album. Thriller's creation over 180 days included drop-ins by rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen and horror legend Vincent Price. The band Toto (Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, Jeff Porcaro) pitched in as session musicians during a period where they were securing grammy awards and major hits like Africa and Rosanna. Stephen Spielberg would make a special request ofMichael Jackson and Quincy Jones. The resulting legal drama nearly caused CBS to impound the master tapes before Thriller's release date.

Thriller is the record that changed the game. No really...the dance lines in the music videos, the features, the meticulous production, the detailed song selection. The aforementioned are techniques that were advanced during the making of this album and its massive promotion machine. Mtv was in its ascendancy as well. Mtv was not allowing black acts for the most part to present their videos in this new visual rock only cable TV format. Thriller became too large, almost a movement. CBS records huge stable of music stars were leveraged in a legendary strong arm tactic that forced Michael Jackson into the living rooms of middle America. Soon Michael Jackson's Thriller was selling 1 million copies weekly. His performances became marvels. His tour was a behemoth. Michael Jackson became too big to fail.

Michael Jackson would famously utilise the tactics of PT Barnum to stay relevant in the press. Michael Jackson would soon buy the Beatles music catalog for 52 million dollars.

We are the deepest of divers out here. We tryin to mine the past using the depth of knowledge stored on the global electronic LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA. Know that we bout to dig into this moment.

[Edited 8/28/21 5:47am]

[Edited 8/28/21 13:38pm]

DonRants said:

Free2BMe said:

Can’t wait to see this.😀😃😃

So far it is very good..the first two parts (of 16) are already available.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/w...LfMlUJoMWw

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/w...pfA02FlUwQ

Honestly, this guy's work deserves a much bigger audience. I love his use of James Baldwin...I wish he would use less of those effects..especially the ones that blur the picture...but other than that..great story telling.

[Edited 8/28/21 13:38pm]

DonRants said:

You are welcome Free2BeMe. Part 3 just dropped. MJ finds a Wizard.

https://www.youtube.com/w...qc3xHDgM9g

[Edited 8/28/21 13:39pm]

DonRants said: