Thriller 40

I was 11 when I first got stepped into the magic world that was Michaelmania. It's hard to describe how that felt. Michael was all around and he was indisputably the pinnacle of pop around the globe. Like mentioned before by many, it was like or must have been like Sinatra, the Beatles and Elvis. This documentary did a very good job in getting very close to that energy and excitement, for people that were born after the album came out and are witnessing it today for the first time.

The format is something we've seen before in official documentaries like 'the legend continuous' and many more, starting with the very beginning, seeing Michael as a kid being the lead singer of the J5 and the Jacksons. Instead of it being a showcase or marketing his back catalogue, it really built up to why and what he wanted to prove; making Thriller the best selling album of all time.

Would've loved to see more of Quincy and his team behind the succes, since it was promoted as more about the art, than the artist, but to me it was more about the impact it had on a cultural level.

A lot of never seen before footage, private audio fragments and a very good insight into his thinking, his strategy and his philosophy makes it a must see for everyone who wants to understand the creative, the business and the cultural impact it had and still has today on contemporary artists and even beyond.

As "Thriller 40" (2023 release; 88 min) opens, talking heads are gushing over the album, and we are reminded along that Thriller was, still is, and always will be the best selling album of all time. We then go back in time to the Jackson 5. At this point we are 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is directed by writer-musician-director Nelson George (who in fact played on the Thriller album). Here he celebrates one of the best and most iconic albums of all time, with Michael Jackson, then 24-25, at the peak of his creative forces. The talking heads include people like Usher, Mary J. Blige, Maxwell, etc. The documentary really pays off when we get to the actual dissecting of the album tracks and the videos. Watch how current acts like K-Pop's BTS liberally "borrow" many moves introduced by MJ. And last, but not certainly least, there is "Thriller, the short film". Bottom line: I rarely play "thriller" anymore (because all of it has been played to death), but watching this documentary gave me a new appreciation for this, one of the greatest achievements in the history of pop music, and frankly all music, period. Please note that of course "Thriller" the album was released in late 1982, but "Thriller" the short movie was released in late 2983.

"Thriller 40" was released in limited theaters as a one-off on December 2, 2023. It started streaming on Showtime (now part of Paramount+) in late December. I just caught up with it the other night. If you are a fan of Michael Jackson or, say, of the just released "The Greatest Bight In Pop" documentary, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

It is a good documentary with some footage I have never seen taken from the archives which was nice especially some thriller footage. I also enjoyed John Landis giving deeper insight into the making of thriller which I loved.

There was some reused footage and also some of the same celebrities giving their interviews I have seen before eg usher.

I think the documentary was lacking a little bit in regards of showing some candid video footage of Michael Jackson himself. I would of loved to see some unreleased footage of himself maybe giving deeper insight into the music but it was pretty top level info we have all seen before.

Overall I did enjoy it as any Michael fan will. But in terms of directing of this documentary it could of been better I have watched other recent music documentaries that are far better than this as an example the story telling of Mili Vanilli documentary was fantastic.

I have been looking forward to this for years after the excellent Bad 25.

Unfortunately it didn't deliver.

Way too much focus on the opinions of newer folks who weren't there. Instead of Misty Copeland why not interview Jeffrey Daniel or the NY Undercover guy who was in Beat It? First hand opinions by people who were there.

No historical interview footage of Rod Temperton or Bruce Swedien yet tons of Usher and Will I Am giving the exact same interviews they have all over youtube a thousand times. These parts pull down the good elements of this film as they look and feel like filler material. Yes these are great artists who were influenced by Thriller but not directly relevant to the subject at hand as they were probably children back then so all they can contribute are opinions.

I was really hoping for the definitive story of this incredible album by the people who created it but it feels like an homage created for YouTube.

Bad25 in contrast did a fantastic job of keeping the story very focused on the actual creation of the record by the people who were there.

Good to see Greg Phillinganes and a few others but this feels very incomplete with some glaring omissions. Yes some of the main players are sadly deceased but there is a ton of historical interview footage by people who were there that could have made a much more cohesive and definitive telling of the story.

Unfortunately I felt like this didn't really tell the full story which an album as genre defining as this still deserves.

I expected a mediocre retelling of the success of "Thriller", a sort of a cash cow, but what I got to see was (pun intended) actually really thrilling. Goosebumps from start till finish.

The good: this album still is such BLISS to listen to some 40 years later! What is especially great about this documentary is that we get to hear snippets of the demos of "Thriller", which sounded awesome already, with merely hearing Michael Jackson's voice solo. What power.

Back in time. Back to the eighties. Back to one of the greatest classics. Back to music heaven!

Recommended watch for any fans of the "Thriller" album!