When I apologised for missing last month's book to movie in last Wednesday's blog hop post, I said I would try to make it up with something movie- and prose fiction-related. Well, prose fiction includes the authors who make it, so I wanted to tell you about a Stephen King short film that’s been lost to the masses’ memories almost since it released in the mid 1990s. And of all things Stephen King, this move was a musical that starred Michael Jackson! Don’t believe me? Read on and maybe you will. 

In the 1990s, Stephen King came out with a short musical film that he wrote and that starred Michael Jackson. King is definitely not known for making musicals whereas Michael Jackson’s been nearly synonymous with them (music videos).  However, according to Screen Rant, Jackson had a story idea for the film and asked King to write the story in which he did. The movie was eventually titled “Ghosts” and released in 1996. However, almost since then, it’s been lost to society’s pop cultural collective conscience. Maybe that's because so many have wanted to forget about Michael Jackson and the child molestation accusations he was charged with around that time, especially since the movie has been seen by many as reflecting them, as Screen Rant indicates.    

“Ghosts” is about a magician-necromancer named Maestro (Michael Jackson) whom the town’s kids are fascinated with. However, their parents think he’s a bad influence and so form a mob to drive him out. After they march to the magician’s secluded mansion dragging their kids along with them and barge in, Maestro conjures up the ghosts that occupy it with him and they dance a number for the parents. In doing this they show the adults how much fun being scared can be! 

"Ghosts" has a very simple plot and emphasises the music, dancing and special visual effects more than anything. However, it's an appropriate movie for younger audiences provided that their parents are not bothered by Jackson's accusations of that time. For adults? It's simply mesmerising. The haunted house setting, though typical, is convincing and the choreography is great. The music? That's a little hard for me to say because I could never get into Jackson’s music post-"Thriller", in which the 1983 music video the dancing dead in “Ghosts” are very reminiscent of. (I'm more a fan of Jackson’s '70s and early '80s stuff.) “Ghosts” is also reminiscent of and pays tribute to 1930s and ‘40s Universal Frankenstein films especially in the black-and-white beginning segment with the torch-bearing mob of parents.

The late Stan Winston’s makeup jobs are super! They’re not only good on the ghosts but they’re so excellent on another, much older, human character Jackson plays that you think it’s played by a totally different actor! Who is this character? You can find out by watching the movie on YouTube! 

“Ghosts” is a film that shows how fearful and hostile people can be toward those who are different. The difference can be anywhere from eccentricity to the colour of one’s skin. Yet the movie ends with a message of how diversity makes our world more interesting if we're willing to take the time to get to know the other person or people. 

Next week is the fourth Monday of the month and so there will be a Book-To-Movie review then. I won't be skipping out it this month, that’s for sure! Have you ever seen or knew about Stephen King's short film, "Ghosts", starring Michael Jackson? 

Until next time . . .