Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’: When zombies became part of pop culture
“Thriller” was a hit for Michael Jackson, and it was a hit for the zombie horror genre, too
Zombies have been around for a long time. From ancient cultures and their tales of the dead rising from the grave to horror legend George A. Romero and his cult classic Night of the LIving Dead, zombies have always been a part of the cultural zeitgeist but it wasn’t until Michael Jackson danced with the undead in 1983’s iconic “Thriller” video that zombies really hit the big time.
At the time, no one had ever seen a music video on the scale of “Thriller.” The concept was created by 80s super director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London) and Jackson, and the project was directed by Landis as well.
When all of the elements came together, between the makeup, choreography, filming and Jackson’s performance, “Thriller” became so much more than a catchy song. It became a pop culture watershed moment that set the bar for music and music videos moving forward.
“Thriller” also introduced whole groups of people to zombies and the zombie horror genre. The zombie makeup and Jackson’s werecat look, created by Rick Baker, was chilling. The zombies came to life and danced like their lives depended on it, but they were very clearly corpses that were fresh from their graves.
Jackson, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, put out a statement clarifying that he did not believe in the occult after threats of excommunication came about. Though horror fans might argue that “Thriller” is relatively tame by horror standards, the National Coalition on Television Violence ruled in 1984 that “Thriller” was too violent.
“Thriller” surpassed studio expectations and became the benchmark for videos moving forward, but horror fans also appreciate how it brought zombies out of the dark and into the spotlight. Fans who had never seen Night of the Living Dead were introduced to the genre, creating a new appreciation for the undead that has lasted through the years.
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Fast forward a few decades and zombies are hotter than ever with The Walking Dead franchise, World War Z and countless movies and television shows celebrating the undead, and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” played a huge role in bringing zombies into pop culture.