© 2004-2008 The MJBaku! Project | Azerbaijan Web Site Michael Jackson
VIDEO GREATEST HITS: HISTORY VOL I
Released 1996. A compilation of Michael's greatest music videos and short films. Tracks featured:Brace Yourself, Billie Jean, The Way You Make Me Feel, Black Or White, Rock With You, Bad, Thriller, Beat It, Remember The Time, Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough and Heal The World.
Running time 75 min
Ghosts is a musical movie
Ghosts is a musical movie, 38 mins long, with Michael Jackson playing both the main characters. The first of those characters is a Maestro who lives alone in a haunted looking castle on a hill. Its known he has been entertaining the local town children with scary magic tricks which they have found to be pure fun.
Michael Jackson also plays the role of the second main character, the Town Mayor, a white ageing, overweight man. The make up effects are amazing its not easy to tell this isn't a real human actor let alone guess this role is being played by Michael Jackson. The Mayor leads some of the towns folk up to the castle along with some of the kids on a mission to run the Maestro out of town.
Moonwalker
Moonwalker is a combination of a biographical look a Michael Jacksons musical career and short films from the "Bad" album". The story for the movie doesn't really start until the 37th minute. Prior to this we see a number of clips from various stages of Michaels career from his days with the Jackson 5, performing as a solo Mowtown artist as well as with the Jacksons. We also see clips of his adult solo albums hits from "Off The Wall", "Thriller" and "Bad".
The main story itself is a story around the short film "Smooth Criminal". Its a story of good versus evil, with Joe Pesci playing the evil Mr Big who plans on getting as many children hooked on drugs as possible.
They believe he is not just entertaining the children but scaring them. They, or at least the Town Mayor perceive the Maestro as a "Freak" and "Weirdo". The children say the Maestro is harmless and want him to be left alone.
When the Mayor backed up by the towns people finds the Maestro and tells him "Are you going to leave, or am I going to have to make you?" The Maestro is unfazed by this and questions "You're trying to scare me, aren't you?...I guess I have no choice, I have to try and scare you." This is when the movies special effects really begin. As you can see from the movie screenshots Michael totally distorts his face and eventually pulls his whole face off just leaving his skull.
The Maestro then reveals he is not alone in the castle and many of his ghostly friends start appearing from balls of light thrown by the Maestro. Michael performs a dance to the song "2 Bad". This is also followed by some more routines, one with Michael's skeleton dancing and even moonwalking. The Maestro also enters into the body of the Mayor and makes the Mayor dance to the music. The Mayor ends up disappearing through a window and the towns people appear to accept the Maestro.
Overal the movie really does make the most of some of the latest special effects of the time. The dance routines, although somewhat reminnicent of Thriller, with Michael leading ghosts from past era instead of zombies are amazing and the music is Michael Jackson at his best, maybe not as regards hit records, but ideal for the movie. This ia must see movie for any fan of Michael Jackson.
The movie was released at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996 and released on VHS video in 1997. Songs featured in the film were "2 Bad" which was from Michael Jackson's HIStory album and Ghosts and Is It Scary which were both taken from Blood On The Dance Floor, which was a History in the Mix album with some new tacks.
Michael Jackson financed the film by himself and had a say in virtually every aspect of the movie. It featured thelatest special effects and animation effects for the time.
DANGEROUS: THE SHORT FILMS
Released on video 1993. A compilation of the short films released from the Dangerous album. Also takes a look at the making of some of the videos as well as appearances at the Superbowl, the Grammy awards, and the NAACP awards and highlights from the Dangerous world tour. Tracks featured: Black Or White,Superbowl Heal The World, Remember The Time, Will You Be There, In The Closet, Gone Too Soon, Jam, Heal The World, Give In To Me, Who Is It and Dangerous.
Behind-the-scenes looks at the the 'Black Or White' video (directed by John Landis), 'Remember The Time' (directed by John Singleton), 'Jam' (featuring appearances by Michael Jordan and Kris Kross), and 'In The Closet' (directed by Herb Ritts and featuring Naomi Campbell) were also included as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the
production of the Dangerous World Tour.
Running time 112 min
HISTORY ON FILM VOL II
Released in 1997 on video and was re-released in 2000 on DVD. A compilation of Michael greatest videos. Tracks featured: HIStory Teaser, Billie Jean ("Motown 25" performance), Beat It, Liberian Girl, Smooth Criminal, 1995 MTV Video Music Awards Performance, Thriller, Scream, Childhood, You Are Not Alone 11. Earth Song, They Don't Care About Us, Stranger In Moscow, MJ Megaremix, Blood On The Dance Floor (Refugee Camp Mix), Brace Yourself
Running time 117 min
THE WIZ
Released to cinemas in 1978, and was later released on video. The is a black musical version of the one of Michael Jackson favourite films The Wizard Of Oz. Michael Jackson stars as a loveable Scarecrow with Diana Ross starring as Dorothy. Running time 138 mins.
The Wiz soundtrack featureS Michael on 6 songs, Ease On Down The Road (3 versions), Brand New Day, Be A Lion, A Brand New Day ay, Be A Lion, A Brand New Day.
"The Ultimate Collection" Box Set
MJJ Productions Inc. DVD (November 22, 2004)
Three and a half decades after an 11-year old phenomenon from Gary, Indiana and his teenage brothers forever changed the face of popular music, MICHAEL JACKSON - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION marks the most extensive presentation of his artistry ever assembled in one package.
The deluxe 5-disc Box Set includes 4 audio CD's (totaling 57 tracks) of hit singles, album tracks, 13 previously unreleased recordings, and impossible to find rarities from the U.S. and U.K. archives spanning 1969 to 2004, plus a completely unreleased
1992 "Live In Bucharest" concert on DVD.
The disc listed below is the DVD (the 5th disc).
The One
Optimum Productions. DVD (2004)
This DVD of an hour-long CBS Special originally aired on January 2nd, 2004.
Designed as a retrospective look at the life and career of the singing sensation.
The DVD includes additional footage from the 'Victory', 'Bad', 'Dangerous', 'HIStory' Tours and behind the scenes footage, plus Michael Jackson's New Video 'One More Chance'.
Number Ones
MJJ Productions Inc. DVD (2003)
This home video was released in November, 2003 on DVD around the world.
Michael Jackson's biggest hits have been collected for the release
of "Number Ones" a 15-track Greatest Hits DVD.
The DVD was released to coincide with the CD release of the same name
and can be found with 4 different limited-edition covers.
Live In Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour
Sony Music BMG. DVD (July 25, 2005)
This is the first officially released Michael Jackson's LIVE DVD!
This legendary concert originally filmed in October, 1992 and was shown on
HBO cable television, but never been officially released. 2 hours LIVE concert of amazing Michael Jackson's dance moves, voice, fantastic effects and costumes really gives 10 of 10 points to this show!
For those of you who have never seen Michael Jackson live, this is the DVD for you!
Among the clips are a rendition of 'Ben' from American Bandstand, 'Billie Jean' from the Motown 25th Anniversary TV special, 'The Way You Make Me Feel'
performed at the Grammys, and many others.
Plus there are featured guest commentaries by Beyonce, Missy Elliot, Dick Clark, Carson Daly, Shaggy, Savion Glover, Pharrell Williams, Wyclef Jean and Quincy Jones.
Running time: Approximately 60 minutes
