Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”: A Halloween Classic That Redefined Music Videos

GenX Time Machine

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” remains one of the most iconic songs and music videos of all time. Released on November 30, 1982, the song and its accompanying 14-minute music video transformed the music industry, broke cultural barriers, and became a staple of Halloween celebrations worldwide.
Directed by John Landis, known for his work on *An American Werewolf in London*, the “Thriller” music video was a groundbreaking fusion of film, theater, and pop music. The video’s cinematic approach, which featured zombies, werewolves, and classic horror movie tropes, was a major departure from typical performance-based music videos of the early 1980s.
“Michael wanted to do something different, something no one had ever done before,” said Landis in a 1983 interview about the video. “He didn’t just want a music video, he wanted a story—a mini-movie.”
At a time when music videos were often low-budget promotional tools, the “Thriller” video set a new standard. With a budget of $500,000—unheard of for a music video at the time—it featured elaborate special effects by makeup artist Rick Baker, who transformed Jackson into a terrifying werewolf and later, a dancing zombie. Jackson’s iconic red leather jacket, designed by Deborah Nadoolman, became a fashion symbol of the 1980s.
The song “Thriller,” penned by British songwriter Rod Temperton, who also wrote Jackson’s hit “Rock With You,” initially had a different title: “Starlight.” However, Temperton reworked it, drawing inspiration from his love of horror films, and the result was a genre-blending track that infused pop, funk, and rock with eerie sound effects and a spoken-word horror monologue by actor Vincent Price.
“He wanted to bring the horror genre to music,” Temperton explained. “But it was never meant to scare—it was meant to thrill.”
The *Thriller* video had a profound cultural impact, particularly on MTV, where Jackson became the first Black artist to receive significant airplay. His success with *Thriller* helped break down racial barriers in the music industry, paving the way for future generations of Black artists.
In the years since its release, “Thriller” has become a Halloween classic. The iconic “zombie dance” routine, choreographed by Michael Peters, has been replicated countless times in movies, television shows, and flash mobs across the world.
The success of *Thriller* extended beyond the video. The *Thriller* album remains the best-selling album of all time, with over 70 million copies sold worldwide. Even though the song “Thriller” was released as a single two years after the album’s release, its popularity surged with the release of the video, propelling the album back to the top of the charts.
According to Jackson’s producer Quincy Jones, “It wasn’t just a song or a video—it was a movement. People were dancing to it in clubs, learning the choreography at home, and dressing up like Michael.”
Decades later, “Thriller” still holds a special place in pop culture, particularly during the Halloween season. In 2009, the music video was inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, solidifying its status as an American cultural treasure.
Today, “Thriller” continues to be celebrated for its innovation and impact. Fans and dancers recreate the iconic choreography every year, with flash mobs performing the “zombie dance” in cities worldwide.
“It’s something that transcends time,” said Landis in a recent interview. “It’s as thrilling now as it was then.”
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