Michael Jackson: Black or White

This is by far MJ's best music video. Regardless of how great Thriller is, Black or White is better. It contains many different forms of dance, comedy, and serious messages. I would specificly like to comment on his smashing of the car in the second half of the video. No one seems to understand why he does it and I am here to tell you why. In the real version the car windows (and the store windows) are covered in racial slurs and other offensive graffiti. He smashes a Nazi swastika, "KKK rules", "N----- go home" and other such hateful messages. No one seems to know this and they all think it is just violence for the sake of violence. He is trying to tear down hate, racism, and prejudice in all forms.

I recommend everyone see the real version of the video. If nothing else it has some of MJ's best dancing to date.

Black or White has to be one of the most exciting videos i've ever seen. The dancing, the singing, the morphing, it's all incredible. It starts of with the famous scene where Macaulay Culkin plugs his electric guitar into an over-sized amplifier, blasting his dad out of the room and into another place. Then we see Michael Jackson dancing in several scenes, finely enough. But then comes the controversial ending wich sparked outrage when this video first aired in November 1991. We see a panther morph into Michael Jackson and then vandalising property, including breaking a car window with a cro-bar. Even so, it is still a fun and exciting video.

P.S. I don't know what video George Litman was watching, but there is no scene where Michael Jackson "masturbates" on top of a car!!! If touching your crotch means masturbating, then all men masturbate whenever they visit the gents.

I can still remember when Michael Jackson videos were hyped more than the Olympics; seemed every half hour or so MTV would give you a minute-by-minute countdown as to when the next one would premiere.

But then came "Black or White" which, while still partially good, showed a darker side of the singer that even "Thriller" didn't touch.

It starts out innocently enough, with a "Dennis the Menace"-type scene where Culkin's dad (Wendt) shouts at him to turn down his stereo, to which the kid replies by dragging some humongous speakers downstairs, hooking up his guitar and blasting dad through the roof of the house. His mom (Peggy Lipton) is cool but stern ("Your father's going to be very upset when he comes down").

Then the real video begins, with Jackson singing and dancing with different races in different countries (Africa, Russia, India, etc.) about racial equality and prejudice. Then the music ends as different people are shown lip-synching to Jackson's music, each head morphing into the other to show equality between people. It's effective and the message makes it through.

BUT, then comes the end of the video, where a black panther is seen slinking out of the studio and into the dark city streets outside. The panther morphs into Jackson, sporting an arm cast(?), who proceeds to jump onto an abandoned vehicle, smash it up with a crowbar and masturbate(!) atop it. After this is done, he jumps down from the car roof, morphs back into the panther, slinks away and is gone.

Just what was THAT supposed to signify? I couldn't ponder a guess but it all but destroys the goodwill beforehand and muddies up the equality sung about earlier.

Later showings of the video excised the last part of "Black or White" after many angry calls and letters, nowadays, that's likely the only version of Michael's video you're likely to see.

It's just as well, with all the "press" Michael's gotten lately, he doesn't need anything else hanging over his head.

Five stars, for a mostly good video, courtesy of Michael's talents and John Landis' direction.

Face it, Michael - the "Thriller" is gone....

I like this music video because it is one of my favorite songs and the choreography is great. Michael Jackson is one of my favorite singers and he is the best. Hope Michael has cool music videos coming up because he is the coolest singer on earth and he is THE KING OF POP!

It is a big show, great in each detail. And, in essence, this is the most important thing. A perfect show , with a powerful message and few drops of controvrsies. But, impeccable crafted, it is more than seductive and energetic and expression of lovely imagination.