Ghosts (1997 film)
| Michael Jackson's Ghosts | |
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| Directed by | Stan Winston |
| Produced by |
Michael Jackson Stan Winston David Nicksay |
| Written by | Michael Jackson Stephen King |
| Starring | Michael Jackson Pat Dade |
| Music by | Michael Jackson (Songs) Nicholas Pike (Score) |
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Production
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| Distributed by | SMV Enterprises |
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Release date
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Running time
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39:31 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| "On the Line" | ||||
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| Single by Michael Jackson | ||||
| B-side | "Ghosts" (Mousse T's Radio Rock Singalong Remix) "Is It Scary" (DJ Greek's Scary Mix) |
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| Released | January 11, 1997 | |||
| Format | CD maxi single | |||
| Genre | R&B, pop, soul | |||
| Length | 4:39 (short version) 4:53 (long version) |
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| Label | Epic Records, Sony Music | |||
| Writer(s) |
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Michael Jackson |
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| Producer(s) | Babyface | |||
| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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Michael Jackson's Ghosts is a 1996 short film starring Michael Jackson, co-written by horror novelist Stephen King and directed by film director and special effects guru Stan Winston which could also be classified as a long-form music video. It was filmed and first screened in 1996 and released along with select prints of the film Thinner. It was released as promo a year later internationally on LaserDisc, VHS and Video CD. Jackson plays a total of five roles in the film.
The film tells the story of a scary Maestro with supernatural powers, who is being forced out of a small town by its mayor all the way to New York, pictured as a comically arrogant, plump man. 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 albums HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix.
The Maestro (Michael Jackson) lives alone in a creepy-looking mansion on top of a hill, overlooking the town of "Normal Valley", who occasionally entertains the local children with scary magic tricks. One of the children tells his mother, who alerts the Mayor (also Michael Jackson). He in turn organizes the townspeople to go to the Maestro's mansion and force him out of town. When they arrive at the mansion, it is guarded by a large 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 says that he's weird and cannot be in their town.
The front gate opens, frightening the townspeople, who make their way to the front door, which also opens by itself. 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 Maestro himself. The Mayor angrily confronts him, calling him "strange", "weird", and a "freak", and telling him that he's not welcome in their town. Maestro defends himself, and in response the Mayor threatens him to leave. Maestro replies by scaring the townspeople. The frightened townspeople run for the doors, which Maestro shuts with his magical powers and saying they are his guests.
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Wikipedia