Why not wear an Halloween costume with a bit of a difference? There are many videos and pieces of music associated
with Halloween, but probably one of the most popular videos is Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’.
Props n Frocks has Thriller Costumes on special offer (while stocks last!). Why not add some zombie skin to create a skin peeling look? Interest in Michael Jackson has been raised again with the start of his doctor’s trial at the end of last month. We anticipate that the Thriller costumes will continue to fly out.
The video, an extended version of the track on the album of the same name, was not actually released until December of 1983, but aficionados won’t let a little fact like that bother them. The piece has so much going for it aside from Jackson himself: Most of the attention centres on the central zombie dance sequence (in which it was said Paul and Linda McCartney played the parts of zombies, though which parts of what zombies no-one can say), but the whole larger concept sprang from Jackson’s enthusiasm for ‘An American Werewolf in London’. This film, released a couple of years earlier, had a couple of American tourists fall foul of a werewolf on the Yorkshire moors and featured some ground breaking transformation effects not seen before (well, perhaps once in a full moon). Jackson met with John Landis, the film director (who also brought us Ghostbusters), said he wanted to do something similar and a mini-epic was born.
The costume commonly associated with this video is the red and black leather jacket, which was actually designed by John Landis’ wife. Beyond this it’s down to either the ‘straight’ Jackson wet-look curly wig and either the zombie or werewolf incarnations (technically there is also a werecat, but who dares argue?). Of the two, the zombie is most likely to be favoured as it is easily achieved with make-up and latex (A word of warning – only use latex only on smooth, hairless skin or suffer the consequences!) Although there are werewolf make-up kits on the market, a proper wolf mask worn with the iconic red outfit (plus hairy hands) can create quite an impression.
