Keeping with what I may, or may not continue as a Michael Jackson trend, Our dear dear friend Dan sent this video over to me and I needed to share it with you as it is TOO EPIC.
Not too long ago, I posted a video of an adorable(?) baby rhino. A few days later, I found this:
On July 23rd, Zoo Basel welcomed a new Indian Rhino calf to sixth time mother Ellora. This species is vulnerable to extinction so every birth is special, but what made this birth particularly unique was the calf’s white leg, which in our official scientific opinion is strangely reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s iconic silver glove… We’ll fill you in immediately when and if baby “Henna” starts moonwalking.
And you thought I was crazy for calling baby rhino’s cute!
Since today is the 1-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, it’s time to spotlight his greatest music video (imo): Smooth Criminal.
Why Smooth Criminal?
As I explained to DAPS Editor-In-Chief, Carlo, yesterday as I kept him company during his seven hour wait for the new iPhone, if “Thriller” is where Jackson made his breakthrough in the art and perception of the music video, “Smooth Criminal” is where he perfected it.
Let’s check some of the video’s highlights, shall we?
- The Anti-Gravity lean. You know, the part of the video where everyone is like “Oh look, they’re using wires to allow their bodies to lead absurdly forward without falling down.” WRONG! Turns out it involved zero wires and instead involved very intricate peg that rise from the floor into special shoes that allow for a person to lean without losing their center of gravity. Take THAT, stupid gravity!
- A man with a knife comes up behind Jackson, about to stab him, when, without even turning around, MJ pulls out a gun and shoots him, causing the dude’s body to fly backwards into a brick wall and dissolve through it as if he had fucking acid blood.
- Michael Jackson moonwalks in place…several times. As if the moonwalk wasn’t already the coolest thing ever, MJ one-ups himself by doing it in place like some sort of living .gif.
- That weird moaning montage. If I HAD to nit-pic, this might be my only problem with the video. From exactly the 5 to 7 min mark there’s this weird breakdown where everything get quiet, the lights go out, and everyone starts moaning…for 2 whole fucking minutes! The only reason I let this slide is because 1) In the single (non-Moonwalker) version they completely cut this part out for time and 2) Because it actually DOES create a decent build-up. By the time they burst back into dancing, you get this energetic feeling of “OMGZYESTHISISAWESOME!”
Speaking of awesome, let’s get to it already and check out one of Michael Jackson’s best.
So DAPS editor Mighty Vin may have found the single most mesmerizing version of a Lady Gaga song in existence. This version of “Telephone” by indie cover geniuses pomplamoose (they have originals too) features some of the most intense percussion and xylophone that i’ve seen in a long LONG time. For what it’s worth Ryan Seacrest, Jessica Alba, and Perez Hilton have all been buzzing about their version.
Most episodes of Pop-Up Video play five music videos each, selected to include new, older, “classic”, and “campy” videos. The bubbles that pop up in each video generally appear about every 10–15 seconds; their content is divided between information about the recording artist featured, the production of the video, and random facts. One of the show’s staff writers is assigned to each video.[3] Production costs for each episode total about $30,000.[1]
Pop-Up Video! This show was seriously awesome and I think they should bring it back! For me, since I never got to watch it at the time it aired, I’d catch it when it played again later in the night. It was perfect for a functioning multitasking insomniac (like myself), you got the campy video you didn’t have to watch (and couldn’t help singing along to when no one was watching) and stupid facts with an alert to when you could have looked up at the screen from whatever else you were doing! One day, I’m going to need these helpful Info Nuggets.
*pop*
*pop*
*pop*
*pop*
I sorta kinda want to play the game now! But I don’t own it… *pop* <insert sad face> YET! Whos buyin‘ ??!!
What were your favorite pop-up videos?
Side Note: I’m totally using the phrase “info nugget” as often as possible today! hahaha