Isn't it just about the lamest piece of shit he ever put out?

I can see why it wasn't released to the video channels back in '97. But why now?

I liked it
Didn't know it was Michael playing the fat white guy till the end.

Maybe they're playing the film because it's Halloween. My local music station did that last year.

I just thought it was more bizarro MJ freakshow weirdness. It was silly, but it made for good spectacle.

"hmmm... I had that hit with Thriller. Now, lets see, what did I do? Oh yeah, I had scary things dancing in sync. That's it! I'll just do that again! I truly am a pop-genius!"

Oh, go get your Justin Timberlake video collection then, 'cuz you guys are on a trip!

Ghosts is amongst his best work. The soundtrack is impeccable (I challenge you to name me a song in the charts at the moment stronger than Ghosts or Is It Scary).

The choreography is probably some of the best he's ever done (I challenge you to name anything that rivals it), the special effects were really ahead of their time. It's a shame the more ignorant people amongst us dismissed it as "MJ doing that whole scary thing again".

The whole theme behind it is very autobiographical. Think about it... strange guy living in a big mansion, the adults saying he's a dangerous figure around children... like MJ said "there's a tear behind the fun."

Truly one of the greatest shortfilms ever made.

I have edited the post because it seems that Tron is considered to be good ppl. I am not a massive MJ fan but I do like a lot of his work. I personally think that it is absurd to slag GHOSTS off the way Tron has when all it is is entertainment.
It is just not necessary, it is a cool short movie with Great special effects & dancing, i love the segment at the end where Michael smashes himself on the floor, never a more personal moment in a video by MJ.
Anyway Tron, apologies for the personal attack, I often find myself jumping to the defense of MJ & Prince because it seems that sometimes for no reason they get slagged off for just trying to entertain us.

Peace 2 All

Me
[This message was edited Mon Nov 3 5:02:26 PST 2003 by jolajeph]

jolajeph said:

Jesus! Harsh.

I have a life thank you. And I like a lot of Michael Jackson's work. I just can't believe how cheesy and childish this film is. And I don't understand why it was released to TV 5 years after the fact.

Instead of jumping on me, you could explain why you think "Ghosts" is something of merit.

I thought 'Ghosts' was good.

MattyJam said:[quote]Oh, go get your Justin Timberlake video collection then, 'cuz you guys are on a trip!

[quote]
Sorry. Missed that one.

ahhh, the MJ "fams" unite!


it's really irritating the way Jackson (Michael and Janet) faMs act. the same way the Prince ones do. illogically, and exhibiting no taste.


they either love him so much (or have brainwashed themselves into it) that they don't even have any taste when it comes to his music. the same things happens with all artists' hardcore fans, i suppose, but i've noticed it is always extreme with Janet and Michael fans.

it's one thing to like him. i do. and i like Janet. and Prince. and Madonna. but i've retained enough sanity in my fandom to realize that there is good and some bad in any artist's catalog.


to the people that think Ghosts is good, you've shown yourselves to have no taste, style, or class, and have no discerning eye.

it is an extravagently, expensively cheap rip off of Thriller, with little music and less imagination. which is sad in itself, that he spent so much time, money and effort into making something so incredibly lame.


even sadder are the people who fail to realize what it is. the plot sucks. the acting sucks. the song is okay, but there are like 5 minutes of music in a 45 minute video. it is bankrupt of ideas and revealed Michael as bankrupt of creativity.


if you can't see ho lame it is, you're fucking insane, and it's time you realized it.

I don't think it's that bad. Give me "Ghosts" over "Childhood," "You Are Not Alone" and other schmaltzy stuff like that ANY day!

jolajeph said:

You have no idea who TRON is. I suggest you take that back. At least he has seen and heard the video and music he is criticizing.

jolajeph said:

well, let's see what you have to offer humanity in general...

good lord.
[This message was edited Sun Nov 2 22:28:57 PST 2003 by cborgman]

i and every1 else who has seen it told me that they liked it, even my mom watched it 2 times, my friends watched it until they memorized sum lines, my brother liked it, my moms boyfriend said it was cool,

I havent heard a bad review on it, hmmm. I dunno. U still my boy though Tron.

TRON said:

well had nice effects, Michael Jackson as the fat man was HILARIOUS. Well acted as that man, somewhat funny, nice lil' movie for kids and adults. IT was sweet. The only thing corny was the walkin on the ceiling thing, took a little 2 long 2 get 2 it. Had a message behind it, to show the ugliness of character on the outside, and look on the inside.

MattyJam said:

AMEN.

cborgman said:

Thanks Chris and Ian.

TRON said:

prolly woulda been more effective if i had typed it correctly

cborgman said:

S'ok. I knew what you meant.

TRON said:

Any time.

It's like, the thing about that video was that it was cool, but it just seemed like he was repeating himself. I mean, to me it was just like Thriller Pt. 2. That's what I don't like about MJ now. He seems to be running out of ideas. It's just like the "Rock My World" video. I mean, hello?? haven't we seen that before?? um, "Smooth Criminal", anyone??

I love the "Ghosts" video (or mini-movie,as it should be called).It's WAY better than the 'Thriller' video,which now looks really dated and cheap.The dancing is great,the special effects are amazing,and you can tell that Michael is really enjoying himself throughout (he LIVES for these types of expensive,horror-movie video fantasies...lol).The only weak thing about this project are the songs that he sings.But,of course,in this video,the music seems to be secondary anyway.

For years,I've been looking for the "Ghosts" movie.They show it on VH-1 from time to time,but where I can buy my own copy? Is it on DVD yet?

Raven said:

Yeah,that surprised me too

TRON said:

If I'm not mistaken,wasn't it shown in a few select movie theatres back in '97? VH-1 shows it repeatedly every Halloween season,along with the "Thriller" video. So I guess it's one of those videos that only gets played around October.

I adore the dancing. I'd say the choreography was on par or better than Thriller. The effects haven't really dated yet IMO, but the story itself is a bit BLAH! Watching 'The Making of' featurette gives you the impression that there's some deep meaning behind the whole thing, but it's hardly profound. Still, it's entertaining and would be a lot more so if some of the sequences were cut (ceiling dance, Michael shouting "hooo" far too much etc.)

If MJ were smart,he would release "Ghosts" on DVD,with all of his other music videos.It's the only MJ video that hasn't been "overexposed" from being shown too many times, and I think many fans would rush out to buy it on DVD.

jolajeph said:

I have changed my post, sorry if I upset anyone.

I love 'Ghosts'.

But then I would say that, wouldn't I.

I didn't want to quote what AaronUniversal wrote because I didn't really want to bring too much attention to it. I probably should take my own advice & not reply but...

At least Tron put a question mark in his original post allowing for a comeback, AU simply tells us that to like what he doesn't like means we are lesser than he/she.

Just because you like something that an artist has done, does not mean that you have been brainwashed into that opinion, it may just be that you like it.

Jolajeph

jolajeph said:

It's okay. Very considerate of you in fact.

I know MJ's work usually has an element of over-the-top to it. But usually I like that. In the case of "Ghosts" I just find that it falls flat. I was just disappointed when I saw it and feel that he's capable of better. Not so much a slag on him, cuz I love him. More just a criticism of that particular work.