Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal



MJ was the master of the spectacle, and when he made music videos he just went all out. By the standards of 1988, the production values for Smooth Criminal were through the roof: incredible choreography, sets, costumes, everything to the nines. The song itself is something we would have all forgotten about, but coupled with the visuals of MJ dancing around a speakeasy and the trademark lean move it became an icon of the 80's.



Did we skip Dom? I don't know who pm to go next.

Love the choreography. I see a homage to Guys and Dolls in the dice scene.

Smooth Criminal was a potential Round 8-10 pick for me

Great video
Well played sir

Fun fact: the extreme lean thing MJ does in the video is done with wires, but he later invented (and patented!) a special shoe that anchored itself onto a stage so that he could do the move at live shows.

you're up again, CT

I have a poker tournament I'm playing in, today, so I will make my next pick and assume I'm not sniping Cranberry.

We are going ten rounds now and the spreadsheet reflects that

My Round 6 Pick:

Veruca Salt - Volcano Girls



Like the Blur song, this one just kicks ass and is a blast to watch and listen to. Great song, fun video, hot 90s chicks with guitars bouncing around on bungee chords, playing a song that references their biggest hit AND the Beatles all in one. What more could you ask for? I grin a mile wide every time I watch this.

******

My Picks:

Johnny Cash - Hurt
NIN - Closer
George Michael - Freedom '90
Beyonce with Jay-Z - Crazy In Love
Blur - Song 2
Veruca Salt - Volcano Girls

Round 6

While I'm in Asia I need to post a Jolin Tsai video. She's Taiwanese but she incorporates all sorts of elements, from hip hop to Bollywood, in her work. She's made a ton of vids, on all sorts of subjects, so basically I'm just picking one at random.

I became an orphan a little over a year ago. Seems strange to look at it that way, and I really didn't until a friend pointed it out that it doesn't matter how old you are, when both parents have died, you're an orphan. My dad has been dead for 13 years, and it seemed that my mom had been gone for almost that long. She had slowly deteriorating Alzheimer's, but she still knew me and my brothers. But for the past few years, she could barely carry on any sort of conversation. Just about a month before she died, she asked if I were going back to my wife. I explained that my wife had been dead a number of years. She asked if she ever knew that. I told her she did at one time. She asked if I were thinking of getting remarried. I said, "Why? Do you think I should?"

Her response, "It couldn't hurt!" I think that was the last time we came close to talking to each other. A last glimpse of her humor that had been absent for too long.

Some days the past intrudes. I'm busy at work, or doing something with my friends or children and grandchildren, and thoughts come unbidden. I guess I think that no one quite knows who I am any longer. And I think about being an orphan now from time to time.

I think Sampha captures this feeling beautifully.





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Nice

Mastodon - High Road



Honestly, I'm just picking this because it's Friday and I wanted to go with something modern and silly. I love metal bands that have fun and don't take themselves too seriously.

Walk This Way (Run DMC / Aerosmith)
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More
Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg)
Sober (Tool)
Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal
Mastodon - High Road

I absolutely adore Mastodon!!!

My next pick is a very easy and obvious pick in regards to an awesome video. I mostly can't stand Korn, I despise the genre, and I don't even like the song too much. But the video is amazing!!

Yeah, that video is great

Round 6

Whip It - Devo



I like Whip It and Devo. They have excellent taste in head ware as well! You wouldn't expect a serious type of video from them and you don't get one. It's stupid and frivolous but that's cool because I like stupid and frivolous and that its also entertaining.

so far:

Paperback Writer - The Beatles
The Making of Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
Singin' in the Rain - Gene Kelly
Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood
Simply Irresistible - Robert Palmer
Whip It - Devo

I like Devo better than Korn and Mastodon. And I don't like Devo.

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Never seen a Mastodon video actually. But they’re one of my favorite heavy bands!

Whip it good.

So when that Devo video comes out, I’m about 19, in college, and I knew what I was seeing true greatness, even if it confused the hell out of me.

I like Veruca Salt, but I missed the Beatles reference. Did they allude to Seether?

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Beatles sang “and here’s another clue for you all, the walrus was Paul” while VS sang “and here’s another clue if you please, the Seether’s Louise.”

Ah, didn't quite catch the entire lyric.

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Let's talk for a minute about firsts

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Not the greatest movie by today's standards but is still very notable and relevant since this was the first movie with a twist ending

The Jazz Singer

Not the greatest movie by today's standards but is still very notable and relevant since this was the first talkie.

xander biscuits - Pick 6 - Dire Straits - Money For Nothing


Not the greatest music video by today's standards but is still very notable and relevant since it was the first CGI music video. This was 1985. Look up the capabilities of a 1985 computer and you'll hopefully appreciate how great of an achievement this was. Plus it's a nice time capsule to look at from 30+ years ago. Plus it's a pretty great song...

This one was definitely on my short list.

I PMd revots33 6 hours ago, but I'm guessing I should give him more of a window to draft because of night time.

When people think I should pick again just send me a PM

Round 6 pick is another Smashing Pumpkins video. Tonight tonight is my favorite song by them. The video is a homage to the classic early silent film "A Trip to the Moon". The directors did a fantastic job of recreating the era's sets and primitive special effects. I also realized that this is the third video out of my 6 picks that was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Farris (1979 and Otherside being the other 2).

Next pick is a rather simple and stark video that is not flashy, but is still great. Fast Car is one of the saddest/most beautiful songs ever written imo and the simple imagery of the video helps capture the essence of the song. It was directed by Matt Mahurin who also directed Metallica's Unforgiven.