Michael Jackson's Ghosts - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Ghosts (1997 film)) 1996 Short Film For the song, see Ghosts (Michael Jackson song).

Michael Jackson's Ghosts
Promotional poster
Directed by	Stan Winston
Screenplay by	Stan Winston Mick Garris
Story by	Michael Jackson Stephen King Mick Garris
Produced by	Michael Jackson Stan Winston David Nicksay
Starring	Michael Jackson
Cinematography	Russell Carpenter
Edited by	Marcus Manton
Music by	Michael Jackson (songs) Nicholas Pike (score)
Production companies	MJJ Productions Kingdom Entertainment Optimum Productions
Distributed by	SMV Enterprises
Release dates	October 25, 1996 (1996-10-25) May 8, 1997 (1997-05-08) (Cannes)
Running time	39 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million ($29 million in 2023 dollars)

Michael Jackson's Ghosts is a 1996 short film starring Michael Jackson, directed by Stan Winston, and written by Stephen King and Mick Garris. It is based on a story by Garris, Jackson and King.

Ghosts tells the story of an eccentric man with supernatural powers being forced out of a small town by its judgmental mayor. Jackson plays five roles, and performs dance routines set to the songs "2 Bad", "Is It Scary" and "Ghosts", taken from his albums HIStory (1995) and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1997). The AV Club described Ghosts as an allegory for Jackson's life and pop culture status.

Ghosts was filmed and released in 1996 and released along with select prints of the horror film Thinner, and was first screened in the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. It was released as promo a year later internationally on LaserDisc, VHS and Video CD.

Plot

The mayor of Normal Valley leads a mob to the mansion of the Maestro, who has been entertaining local children with magic tricks and ghost stories. The children assure the parents the Maestro has done nothing wrong, but the mayor intends to banish him as a "freak".

The Maestro challenges the mayor to a "scaring contest": the first to become scared must leave. He performs magic tricks and dance routines with a ghostly horde, then possesses the mayor, forcing him to dance. After the performance, the Maestro agrees to leave and crumbles to dust, but returns as an enormous ghoul. Terrified, the mayor leaps through the window. The families agree that they had fun and allow the Maestro to stay.

Production

Ghosts began production in 1993 under the title Is This Scary? with the director Mick Garris. It was planned for release in conjunction with the family comedy film Addams Family Values. Jackson backed out of the deal, returning an estimated $5 million, and the Addams Family connection was dropped. Stan Winston, who was previously in charge of makeup and visual effects, took over as director when Garris left to make the Shining miniseries. According to Garris, Ghosts was the most expensive music video ever made, at around $15 million, all paid for by Jackson.

Cast

Michael Jackson as Maestro / Mayor / Mayor Ghoul / Superghoul / Skeleton
Pat Dade as Pat
Amy Smallman as Amy
Edwina Moore as Edwina
Dante Beze as Dante
Seth Smith as Seth
Kendall Cunningham as Kendall
Loren Randolph as Loren
Heather Ehlers as Heather

Choreographers

Dancers

Michael Balderrama
Troy Burgess
John "Havic" Gregory
M.G. Gong
Heather Hayes
Paula Harrison
Shawnette Heard
Cris Judd
Richard Kim
Dorie Konno
Kelly Konno
Suzi McDonald
Courtney Miller, Jr
Nikki Pantenburg
Travis Payne
Mia Pitts
Charlie E. Schmidt
Joie Shettler
Yuko Sumida
Anthony Talauega
Richmond Talauega
Lisa Joann Thompson
Mic Thompson
Stacy Walker
Michelle Weber
Jason Yribar

Songs

The original orchestral score was composed by Nicholas Pike. In 2021 the soundtrack was released on the web from the non promotional CD.

The Michael Jackson songs are the following ones:

"2 Bad" (film version)
- Taken from HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
"Is It Scary" (film version)*
- Taken from Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
"Ghosts"
- Taken from Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix

Release

Ghosts was screened out of competition at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. At over 38 minutes long, it held the Guinness world record for the longest music video until 2013, when it was eclipsed by Pharrell Williams' "Happy". In 2020, the film was available on Jackson’s YouTube channel from October 29 to November 1.

Home media

In December 1997, towards the end of promotion for Michael Jackson's remix album Blood on the Dance Floor, a Deluxe Collector Box Set of Ghosts was released only in Europe. The box set included a VHS release of Jackson's Ghosts mini-movie on home video and his Blood on the Dance Floor album on CD, as well as a CD maxi single named the Limited Edition Minimax CD. "On the Line" was the first track on this single.

Reception

The A.V. Club writer Nathan Rabin described Ghosts as "clunky, leaden and overblown", and said it was a "staggeringly blunt" allegory for Jackson's life and pop culture status. He attributed its failure to Jackson's place in the public imagination at the time, following his recent divorce from Lisa Marie Presley and the 1993 child molestation allegations against him.

On the Line

"On the Line"

Single by Michael Jackson

B-side

"Ghosts" (Mousse T's Radio Rock Singalong Remix)
"Is It Scary" (DJ Greek's Scary Mix)

Released

January 11, 1997

Recorded

1996

Genre

Length

4:39 (short version)
4:53 (long version)

Label

Songwriter(s)

Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Michael Jackson

Producer(s)

Babyface

Michael Jackson singles chronology

"Stranger in Moscow"
(1996)

"On the Line"
(1997)

"Blood on the Dance Floor"
(1997)

"On the Line" is a song co-written and produced by Babyface. Michael Jackson performs the track and is also credited in its writing (on the writing credits of The Ultimate Collection). It was originally recorded by Jackson for the Spike Lee film Get on the Bus (1996), but it was not featured on the soundtrack.

The full-length version of the song was released on November 16, 2004 as an album track of his limited edition box set The Ultimate Collection.

Personnel

Written and composed by Babyface and Michael Jackson
Produced by Babyface
Solo and background vocals by Michael Jackson

Track listing

Limited Edition Minimax CD (EPC 665268 2)

"On the Line" (Short Version) – 4:37
"Ghosts" (Mousse T's Radio Rock Singalong Remix) – 4:25
"Is It Scary" (DJ Greek's Scary Mix) – 7:12

References

1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
"Stan Winston School of Character Arts". www.stanwinstonschool.com. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
^ Rob Galluzzo (May 9, 2016). "Check Out The Long-Lost Michael Jackson Video Directed By Mick Garris & Written By Stephen King!". blumhouse.com. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
Weinraub, Bernard (November 16, 1993). "Jackson Being Treated Abroad For Addiction, Lawyer Says". The New York Times.
S, M. "How Hocus Pocus writer Mick Garris went from 'Thriller' extra to Michael Jackson collaborator". EW. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
"GHOSTS".
"Festival de Cannes: Ghosts". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
"Longest music video". Guinness World Records. November 21, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^ Halstead, Craig (2007). Michael Jackson: For the Record. Authors OnLine. pp. 243–244. ISBN 978-0-7552-0267-6.
^ Rabin, Nathan (October 27, 2010). "Spooktastic Case File #174: Michael Jackson's Ghosts". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Blood on the Dance Floor". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 978-1-78840-057-2.
"Amazon.com: Get On The Bus: Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture". Amazon.com. 1996. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
"Song info on Amazon.com". Amazon.com. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
^ "Michael Jackson - Limited Edition Minimax CD (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1997. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
^ "Get on the Bus (1996) - Soundtracks". IMDb.com. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
"australian-charts.com - Michael Jackson - On The Line". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 1, 2010.

External links

Michael Jackson's Ghosts at IMDb

Michael Jackson

Studio albums

Got to Be There
Ben
Music & Me
Forever, Michael
Off the Wall
Thriller
Bad
Dangerous
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Invincible

Posthumous albums

Michael
Xscape

Anniversary reissues

Remix albums

Soundtracks

Compilations

Box sets

Concert tours

Specials

Video albums

Films

Television

Video games

Books

Moonwalk
Dancing the Dream

Documentaries

Biographical films

Theatrical films	Michael
Television films	The Jacksons: An American Dream (miniseries) Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story Searching for Neverland

Stage shows

Personal life

Health and appearance Personal relationships Jackson family Paris Jackson Lisa Marie Presley Debbie Rowe
Abuse allegations	1993 allegations 2005 trial Posthumous allegations FBI files
Death	Memorial service Conrad Murray trial

Influence

Category

v t e Michael Jackson songs
Singles Songs Unreleased songs
1970s	"Got to Be There" "Ain't No Sunshine" "I Wanna Be Where You Are" "Rockin' Robin" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "You've Got a Friend" "Ben" "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" "My Girl" "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" "We've Got a Good Thing Going" "With a Child's Heart" "Morning Glow" "All the Things You Are" "Happy" "Too Young" "Music and Me" "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "You Can't Win" "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" "Rock with You" "Working Day and Night" "It's the Falling in Love"
1980s	"Off the Wall" "Girlfriend" "She's Out of My Life" "One Day in Your Life" "The Girl Is Mine" "Billie Jean" "Beat It" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" "Thriller" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" "Lonely Teardrops" "That's What Love Is Made Of" "Farewell My Summer Love" "Girl You're So Together" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" "Bad" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Speed Demon" "Liberian Girl" "Just Good Friends" "Another Part of Me" "Man in the Mirror" "Dirty Diana" "Smooth Criminal" "Leave Me Alone" "Twenty-Five Miles"
1990s	"Black or White" "Jam" "In the Closet" "Remember the Time" "Heal the World" "Who Is It" "Give In to Me" "Will You Be There" "Gone Too Soon" "Dangerous" "Come Together" "Scream" "Childhood" "They Don't Care About Us" "Stranger in Moscow" "This Time Around" "Earth Song" "D.S." "You Are Not Alone" "Tabloid Junkie" "HIStory" "Smile" "Mind Is the Magic" "Blood on the Dance Floor" "Ghosts" "Is It Scary" "On the Line"
2000s	"Speechless" "You Rock My World" "Heaven Can Wait" "Butterflies" "Cry" "One More Chance" "Cheater" "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" "Fall Again" "This Is It"
2010s	"Hold My Hand" "Hollywood Tonight" "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" "Behind the Mask" "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" "I'm So Blue" "Price of Fame" "Love Never Felt So Good" "Chicago" "Loving You" "A Place with No Name" "Slave to the Rhythm" "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" "Blue Gangsta"
2020s	"She's Trouble"
Other	"We Are the World" "What More Can I Give" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Blood on the Dance Floor x Dangerous" "Diamonds Are Invincible"
Featured	"A Brand New Day" "Ease on Down the Road" "Who's Right, Who's Wrong" "Night Time Lover" "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" "State of Independence" "Muscles" "Say Say Say" "Somebody's Watching Me" "Don't Stand Another Chance" "Centipede" "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" "Eaten Alive" "Get It" "2300 Jackson Street" "Do the Bartman" "Whatzupwitu" "Why" "I Need You" "We Be Ballin'" "Girls, Girls, Girls" "All in Your Name" "There Must Be More to Life Than This" "Low" "Don't Matter to Me"
Category

v t e Stan Winston
Films directed	Pumpkinhead (1988) A Gnome Named Gnorm (1990) T2-3D: Battle Across Time (1996) Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1996)
Related	Matt Winston (son) Digital Domain

Stephen King

Novels

Carrie (1974)
'Salem's Lot (1975)
The Shining (1977)
The Stand (1978)
The Dead Zone (1979)
Firestarter (1980)
Cujo (1981)
Christine (1983)
Pet Sematary (1983)
Cycle of the Werewolf (1983)
The Talisman (1984)
It (1986)
The Eyes of the Dragon (1987)
Misery (1987)
The Tommyknockers (1987)
The Dark Half (1989)
Needful Things (1991)
Gerald's Game (1992)
Dolores Claiborne (1992)
Insomnia (1994)
Rose Madder (1995)
The Green Mile (1996)
Desperation (1996)
Bag of Bones (1998)
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999)
The Plant (2000; unfinished)
Dreamcatcher (2001)
Black House (2001)
From a Buick 8 (2002)
The Colorado Kid (2005)
Cell (2006)
Lisey's Story (2006)
Duma Key (2008)
Under the Dome (2009)
11/22/63 (2011)
Joyland (2013)
Doctor Sleep (2013)
Mr. Mercedes (2014)
Revival (2014)
Finders Keepers (2015)
End of Watch (2016)
Gwendy's Button Box (2017)
Sleeping Beauties (2017)
The Outsider (2018)
Elevation (2018)
The Institute (2019)
Later (2021)
Billy Summers (2021)
Gwendy's Final Task (2022)
Fairy Tale (2022)
Holly (2023)
Never Flinch (2025)

The Dark Tower series	The Gunslinger (1982) The Drawing of the Three (1987) The Waste Lands (1991) Wizard and Glass (1997) Wolves of the Calla (2003) Song of Susannah (2004) The Dark Tower (2004) The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012)
Richard Bachman novels	Rage (1977) The Long Walk (1979) Roadwork (1981) The Running Man (1982) Thinner (1984) The Bachman Books (1985) The Regulators (1996) Blaze (2007)