GHOSTS is a short feature film by Michael Jackson which could also be classified as a long-form music video (and longest music video of all time). It was filmed and first screened in 1996 and released along with select prints of the film Stephen King's THINNER. It was released a year later internationally on VHS. The film tells the story of a scary Maestro with supernatural powers, who is being forced out of a small town by its mayor. The movie includes a series of dance routines performed by Michael Jackson and his "family" of ghouls. Every song from the film was taken from Michael Jackson's HIStory and Blood on the Dance Floor albums. Image File history File links Mjghostsposter. ... Stan Winston (born April 7, 1946, in Richmond, Virginia), is an Academy Award winning special effects and makeup artist, and film director. ... Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of over 200 stories including over 50 bestselling horror novels. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... A reel of film, which predates digital cinematography. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Thinner is a 1996 horror film directed by Tom Holland and written by Stephen King (novel), Michael McDowell and Tom Holland (screenplay). ... Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Video Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS is a recording and playing standard for analog video cassette recorders (VCRs), developed by Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) and launched... Look up Maestro, maestro in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... The image above is believed to be a replaceable non-free image. ... HIStory - Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double-disc album (one half greatest hits, one half studio album) by American musician Michael Jackson released in June of 1995 by the Epic Records division of Sony BMG. The first disc, (HIStory Begins) contains fifteen hit singles from the past...

Plot summary

Michael Jackson as The Maestro

Michael Jackson as The Mayor

The Maestro (Jackson) lives alone in a creepy-looking mansion on top of a hill, overlooking the town of "Normal Valley". Occasionally, he entertains the local children with scary magic tricks. One of the children tells his mother, who alerts the town Mayor (also played by Jackson); he in turn organizes the townspeople to go to the Maestro's mansion and force him out of town. Some of them show reluctance to do so, but are pressured into joining the Mayor on his crusade. Image File history File links Mjmaestro. ... Image File history File links Mjmaestro. ... Image File history File links Mjmayor. ... Image File history File links Mjmayor. ...

On a stormy night they go to the Maestro's mansion (which instead of a numbered address, is addressed "Someplace Else") holding flaming torches. When they arrive at the mansion, it is guarded by a large gate. They peer in through the gate, and by the haunting look of the mansion, have second thoughts about entering. The children assure the parents that the Maestro has done nothing wrong, and ask that they leave him alone. But the Mayor remarks, "He's a weirdo, and there's no place in this town for weirdos".

The front gate opens, frightening the townspeople, who make their way to the front door, which also opens by itself. The inside of the mansion appears to them even creepier than the outside, and the parents re-assure their children (and themselves) "there's no such thing as ghosts". They make their way into the house, and once they are all inside, the front door slams shut and locks itself.

Two more large doors swing open revealing a large, darkened dance hall. Hesitantly, the townspeople make their way to the dance hall, where they are greeted by The Maestro who makes a scary yet comical entrance. The Mayor angrily confronts him, calling the Maestro "weird", a "freak", and telling him he's not welcome in their town. The Maestro defends himself, and in response the Mayor threatens "Are you going to leave, or am I going to have to hurt you?" (The townspeople appear not to be as forceful in their position, but don't offer an objection.) This article describes the modern definition of freak. For the older meaning, see freak show. ...

To this the Maestro replies, "You're trying to scare me, aren't you?...I guess I have no choice; I have to try and scare you." He then makes a series of funny faces, which the Mayor calls "ridiculous" and "not funny". In a change of tone, the Maestro asks, "Is this scary?" and pulls his face off to reveal his skull. The frightened townspeople run for the doors, which the Maestro shuts with his magical powers, then smashes his skull with his fists, revealing his normal head. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Maestro then introduces his "family" of ghouls who, along with the Maestro, perform an extended dance routine (to original music composed by Jackson) which alternately impresses and scares the townspeople. During this sequence, the Maestro's acts include ripping his skin off to reveal a skeletal body; possessing the Mayor and making him dance; and transforming the Mayor into an ugly, horrific demon while remarking, "Who's the freak now?" Spiritual possession is a concept of many religions and tales, where it is believed that a demon, or disincarnate being, may take temporary control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in behaviour. ... Tsarevna Frog by Viktor Vasnetsov: a frog metamorphoses into a princess Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology and folklore, as well as in science fiction and fantasy. ...

After his performance ends, the Maestro asks, "Do you still want me to go?" While the townspeople respond "no", the mayor vehemently says "Yes!" The Maestro quietly agrees by saying, "Fine...I'll go." He falls, and after smashing his hands and face into the floor his face and body violently start to crumble into dust on the floor, which is then blown away by the wind. The townspeople are saddened by this, and somewhat sorry to see him go. The Mayor however thinks he has come out victorious and heads for the doors. When he opens them he finds a monstrous-looking Maestro-demon head which terrifies him, and he runs away scared (leaving a comically Mayor-shaped hole in the glass door).

The townspeople then turn back to the now open front doors to see the Maestro standing there, laughing. They realize he isn't so bad after all and make peace with him. The story ends with one of the children asking, "Is this scary?", and the camera moves to a long shot of the mansion while terrified screams are heard.

Influences

Ghosts has much in common with its most direct predecessor, "Thriller". Originally released in 1983, "Thriller" also featured Jackson as the main protagonist/antagonist, interacting and choreographed with "undead" dancers. Likewise, both films act as homage to monster films past. Michael Jacksons Thriller is a 14-minute music video for the song of the same name released on December 2, 1983 and directed by John Landis. ...

While "Thriller" could be viewed as a tribute to 1950's - '70's genre films (I Was a Teenage Werewolf and George Romero's Living Dead Series among them), Ghosts owes more directly to the Universal Monsters series of films. Even its opening sequence recalls scenes of torch-wielding villagers storming the castle gates of an assumed antagonist, a repeating motif in movies ranging from 1931's Frankenstein to 2004's Van Helsing. I Was a Teenage Werewolf is a 1957 horror film starring Michael Landon as a troubled teenager and Whit Bissell as the primary adult. ... Living Dead is a blanket term for various films and series that all originated with the seminal 1968 zombie movie Night of the Living Dead created by George A. Romero and John A. Russo. ... Universal Horror DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. ... Ochlocracy (Greek: οχλοκρατια; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of constitutional authorities. ... Frankenstein is a 1931 science fiction film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and very loosely based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long. ...

Ghosts also can be viewed as a not-so-thinly veiled self-commentary by Jackson on his personal circumstances in the years preceding its production. Direct parallels can be drawn between various elements in the film and Jackson's own life: The Maestro - a reclusive, solitary figure, living removed from the townspeople, and interacting primarily with their children - suffers much the same reaction as the "King of Pop" did.

Cast

• The Maestro: Michael
• The Mayor: Michael
• The Townspeople:
  • Kendall Cunningham
  • Pat Dade
  • Mos Def
  • Heather Ehlers
  • Shawnette Heard
  • Edwina Moore
  • Loren Randolph
  • Amy Smallman
  • Seth Smith

Mos Def (born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City, USA), is an American rapper and actor. ...

Songs used in the film

• "2 Bad (film version)"
  • Taken from the HIStory album
• "Ghosts"
  • Taken from Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
• "Is It Scary (film version)"
  • Taken from Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix

HIStory - Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double-disc album (one half greatest hits, one half studio album) by American musician Michael Jackson released in June of 1995 by the Epic Records division of Sony BMG. The first disc, (HIStory Begins) contains fifteen hit singles from the past...

VHS release

In December 1997, SMV Enterprises realeased the movie in VHS format and in a collector version (Deluxe collector box set - limited edition ) with : the program - the vhs and 2 cd: " blood on the dance floor" and a minimax cd with "On The Line" (duet with Babyface)

External links

• Michael Jackson Ghosts Movie Information and Screenshots