Look up the background of the production of this video.
What kind of society is portrayed here?
Do the zombies or the werewolf provide any kind of alternative?
Is there a difference between zombies and undead in this film?
What to you are the most striking lyrics? and images?
As we all know Michael Jackson’s Thriller which was directed by John Landis in 1983 can be considered as a cultural millstone in terms of reflecting the 1980s American society. The video clip itself represents some major elements by offering many symbolic creatures during the Thriller. Excessive drug usage or gangs which were occupying the cities are being reflected by the image of zombies. Therefore, appearing of zombies in street and terrorizing the girl cannot be a coincidence, but it can be a metaphor for the social troubles in that period. On the other hand, we can see the society in terms of clothes and dialogues as well.
ResponderEliminarBasically, there are two types of living deads which are recognisable in “Thriller”. One is werewolf and the other is zombie. However, in the very beginning, when these creatures are coming out of their graves, it is quite difficult to distinguish them for a while whether they are zombies or the other types of undeads. Nevertheless, their decomposed bodies, nasal voices, absent appearance and other specific characteristics of zombies make us believe that they are actually zombies. It is not special zombie video clip, yet there is also a part when Michael Jackson is transforming into a werewolf. Perhaps, that kind of transformation can be related to his title as rock star.
In my opinion, his aim to impress the girl throughout the video clip is given in the title itself. Thriller can be considered as a metaphor of “thrill”. Additionally, the most striking lyric is the one that offers religious advice to us. “There's demons closing in on every side.” “They will possess you, unless you change that number on your dial” Since the society in the 1980s had some troubles, it was a warning to the people who are sinful in their attitudes. This is the reason why he tells his girl friend that she needs to change this, otherwise, demons will control you.
Zeynep Ozay
A sociedade retratada no videoclip de Thriller é uma sociedade violenta. Os zombies são uma metáfora à sociedade dos anos 80: Uma sociedade violenta não só militarmente como também no campo social. A alternativa que o lobisomem e os zombies oferece é permanecerem juntos, unirem-se , estarem em paz uns com os outros.
ResponderEliminarNão há diferença entre os zombies e outros mortos-vivos excepto talvez o facto de Michael Jackson se transformar num lobisomem e não num zombie como os outros.
As partes da letra que mais me marcou foi a parte inicial "It's close to midnight and something evil is lurking in the dark", a do refrão "'cause this is Thriller, Thriller night" e rap interpretado por Vincent Price "Darkness falls across the land..." Quanto ás imagens, as que me mais me marcaram foram o encontro de Michael Jackson com a namorada no cinema e a cena do cemitério onde Michael e PSD zombies dançam juntos.
Andreia Camacho
The most striking scene in this video depicts the audience mechanically eating popcorn while at the movie: just like the zombies eat people so do they eat popcorn. This is consumerism at its best. Zombie genre represents a dehumanized society where everything has to be "fast and now". The other is completely ostracized. The profit and pleasure are ahead of all. The words of Vincent Price, however, give us back some hope:
ResponderEliminar"Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y´alls neighbourhood
And whomsoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse´s shell"
In this "modern" society of consumerism, those who are willing to change it, can. This sound like a step for man to rewrite his narrative of life and think "what really matters in this life and what is truly important"