Published By: Sayan Paul

Happy Birthday, Martin Scorsese: Did You Know The Legendary Filmmaker Once Directed Michael Jackson For A Music Video?

A legendary filmmaker, Martin Scorsese has also directed a couple of music videos. And one of them featured the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson.

Filmmaking is usually seen as a young person's job, as it demands endless passion and energy, and long hours of hard work. Take a look at world cinema, and you will realize that many legendary filmmakers' later works do not match the standard of their previous masterpieces. And this is where Martin Scorsese stands out. Even in his 80s, he is so passionate about his work, defying all the age norms effortlessly. Of course, while he once used to make one film every couple of years, now it takes him longer. But the quality, as evident in films like 'The Irishman' and 'Killers of the Flower Moon', remains intact! Now, all eyes are on his upcoming projects, especially the adaptation of Marilynne Robinson's award-winning novel, 'Home'.

Born on November 17, 1942, Martin Scorsese has made some of Hollywood's greatest films of all time. But not many know that he has also made a couple of music videos. And arguably the best of them is the one where he directed the "King of Pop", Michael Jackson. Today, on Scorsese's 82nd birthday, let's have a throwback to that.

When Martin Scorsese Directed Michael Jackson for A Music Video

It was during the 1980s when Scorsese had already become a top filmmaker in American cinema. On the other hand, Michael Jackson was reigning supreme in popular culture worldwide.

In 1982, Jackson released his album 'Thriller' which turned out to be the biggest album in the world at that time. Thereafter, the pop star had to deal with loads of pressure - due to his health issues, his personal life, and the rising competition from other artists. Hence, he realized that to remain at the top level, his next album (a follow-up to 'Thriller') had to be a massive success. That's why he hired Martin Scorsese. And the result, well, was astounding, to say the least.

(Credit: michaeljackson)

The album, titled 'Bad', featured several music videos. One of them (also titled 'Bad') was directed by Scorsese and earned enormous critical and commercial success from across the world. It was sort of a short film, with a duration of 18 minutes. The synopsis read, "Inspired by the real-life story of Edmund Perry, a prep school graduate from Harlem whose shooting death by a plainclothes policeman galvanized New York City, ‘Bad’ stars Michael as Darryl, a student returning to his inner-city home while on break from a prestigious academy."

About The Music Video

For the 18-minute-long music video/short film, Scorsese mixed his classic theme of "New York Crime" with street realism. Both the style and the choreography were heavily influenced by the 60's musical romantic drama 'West Side Story'. And besides Jackson’s own idiosyncratic moves, the choreography also included elements from Jerome Robbins’ musical theater dance. Jackson’s performance was captured in one take with a moving camera technique, making it one of his greatest ever.

(Credit: All The Right Movies)

The script was written by Richard Price, who had penned Scorsese’s 1986 feature 'The Color of Money'. And it's choreographed by Jackson alongside Gregg Burge and Jeffrey Daniel.

Have A Look:

(Credit: Michael Jackson)

When Martin Scorsese Spoke About His Experience of Working with Jackson

After Jackson died in 2009, Scorsese praised him enormously, referring to the production of their music video. He said in a statement, "Michael Jackson was extraordinary. When we worked together on ‘Bad,’ I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on the one hand, and of the music on the other. Every step he took was absolutely precise and fluid at the same time. It was like watching Quicksilver in motion. He was wonderful to work with, an absolute professional at all times, and — it really goes without saying — a true artist. It will be a while before I can get used to the idea that he’s no longer with us.”

(Credit: All The Right Movies' Podcast)

About 'Bad' - The Music Album

Released on August 31, 1987, 'Bad' was Michael Jackson's seventh studio album and third (final) collaboration with the producer Quincy Jones. It incorporated pop, rock, funk, R&B, dance, soul, and hard rock styles, and featured several new recording technologies, including digital synthesizers. Some of its lyrical themes were romance, media bias, self-improvement, and world peace.

(Credit: Michael Jackson)

'Bad' emerged as a remarkable commercial success, selling more than 2.25 million copies in its first week in the US.

Happy Birthday, Scorsese. Best Wishes For All Your Upcoming Projects!