Flashy. 'Thriller Video Icmdmmrlc. Mini--M Y
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Par; 3 10 Dally Nchn::kan Monday, Decembers, 1CC3 L .., L J L O V- - . O v, ... .4 L ....... - v... - vi. m . mini-- 02 if Flashy 'Thriller video Icmdmmrlc. Television review by Ward 7. Triplett III The scene is always the same. Under eerie moon- the innocent-lookin- g falls light, young, couple prey , to car trouble. The young man insists he's not - t.p '.'-y.L- kidding, and the two set out on foot through the y woods. ' They engage in a bit of sappy conversation, and the next thing we know, the young man has asked V' ' " the much younger-lookin- g to be "his as he girl girl" ' " , S .. l, f 4 .. slips a ring on her Hncr. 1 . - f "But," he warns, "I'm not like other guys." v n Surely enough, the dark cloud3 that have covered the moon dissipate, and the young man begins to 0 shiver. As the girl screams, he becomes a menacing, crowned werewolf. She turns to but there is no o run, ! escape, the werewolf that was once Michael Jackson pounces in front of her. There's only time for one more scream . That's only the start of Jackson's "Thriller" video, which premiered Friday on MTV in its 14-minu- te entirety. It will also air six times on Showtime before the end of the month. r It takes five minutes before the first beats of "Thriller" begin to kick in, but that's not the problem with it. Thriller," though a magnificent production in itself, not only finally succeeded in making music rhita ccuriasy LA Tl.--tt tynCal only an incidental part of the video phenomenon, it could lead to the return of the movie musical For $500,000, Jackson used the best horror film director he could find Landis the best back-to-bac- (John credits at the end, it looks like a motion picture Jo Boxers, k with Thriller" Saturday, special-effect-s expert (Rich Baker, who did the and thw two transformation scenes in "An American Werewolf in excerpt: completely paled by comparison. "Thriller" also tears the itsel The There's no reason why the Rolling Stone3, for ex- London"), and the best choreographer (Michael apart song mini-fil- m album track is remixed so Jackson can rattle off ample, or the Police wouldn't try to go the Peters who did dance steps for "Beat It") former route for their next either. three verses in succession before another non-music- al clips, Ola 140 on Ray, as leading and over-producti- Playboy playmate lady . The path to such W3 already set professional dancers and actors. Naturally, "Thriller" break. Then, the chorus of "Thriller" is It"-sty- with the Stones' "Undercover" and Pat Eenatar's in at end of a "Beat le dance routine pitched well-construct- is the high water mark of rock video thus far. ed Jackson and a cast of terrible, but "Love is a Battlefield." Even ifyou don't like Jackson's music, you have to featuring ghouls. Thriller" should the door be with the slickness of open completely making impressed setting, pace and The result of all this is that while Thriller" is anything short of the brief "epic" seem remote and the performance. Even if it does seem to never end. unique and stands alone now, how long will other ancient - "Thriller" video all. does But isnt really a at It not, groups able to throw out big money stand still for it? Thriller" shouldn't kill off the entire video genre, for instance, set a story to music. It transends that, MTV played two very good videos, "Girls Just Wanna but it does set a lofty standard that will have to be and the result is a mini-movi- e. If you take away the Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauoer and "Just Got Lucl.7," by met from now on. f beingshown as part ofthe University .Television Program Council Foreign Rim Series Bob Hope was just in town for in the Film Theatre. Screenings are the Devaney-Cbbora- e roast If you at 7 and 9 p.m. want to see Hope when he was both and catch the 1942 ' younger funnier, On BtzZ2 ; flick The Eoad to Mcrccco," which airs at 10:05 p.m. on channel 12. The The Christmas Carol" begins co-sta- rs y its week !m Hope-cron- Ding Crosby. successful second at the Howell Considering how long it took Theatre, 12th and B streets. the media to fe.ee up to the Vietnam The play has been doing good busi- ness, and theater patrons are advised i addresair., the unrest in Cen- to make reservations, rather than . A spped , tral America, "llksins" and "Under just showing up and hoping for the Fire" both dealt with the situation, best nercrvetisns can be acquired MM 472-207- 3 made-for-televisi- on by between noon - ' and now the caTlng i r movie "Choices cfthe Heart" (8 p.nu, and 5 pan. Tickets Ere 1 1 fbr students, Chanel 3) examines the llTe of a 5 for interested ethers. David will US. mission fcTy iuk&sCS ill 1Z1 Creamer review tha dry in The all-st- ar cast includes !I;L"a . Tuzzzzya Day Uilr Gilbert, Sheen, F"wTcIl and Bene Enri I.e : tlele tr.d tha Tedreps Lincoln for arrival of Rail ha returned to tl;3 Zoo 1C3 II. ready i lth Ct, for r -- ether week cf titles de a French Ccver T"f P "Coup Tc;:rchc:i," crdtement charge fer the JhJr ll'Aturl Highway, Tuesday ni.t lzn deuaXing &d i unrest in Afiiea o show (through Wcdr.erdzy) b 2. In a musical sense, '1 33 will be Ke.Ts cennection rith 11 TV is almost. I CttUuvilM BM. "4 AIM tal Althcu;,h the b:tr.d did win ' ( remembered for a number of thir.3. : One of those will be the resurgence cf the cable channel's first rcur.d cf the i; the "heavy metal" sound Crct thit viewers voted for .their favorite new : over the sirvrcrs in tha - reigned czzlj never-belare- -; mid-1970- band on and 3. 'Another wfll Le tLe the bzzh cftix way Music Television took n even ": greater grasp on the rock n' rcll m the competition was net made 1"- - branch of the musied tree by con- with the contest in n&uL tinuing to break 'new bedj en a The story, told by YcuirV res I' national level o Olf A I" H v. ?& 5 tcetimony to both cfthee plienemem - - -- - - ' t Ti.!i C:::eue, Vrr.:h.-- t :J qurrUt v.wu i.a w.a u-- ? ii t- -- - 1 ' Vf f t Jtfb'r 'T r V li.i 4wa,ii3 " . 3 o- 3-n- i:-!.::- rr-e- C !e Il fer a c:t ;. " L : L r 1 r - , . , 11: j.