(EN) Damien Shields, EXCLUSIVE: Inside the King of Pop’s 1995 HBO special that never was; ‘Michael Jackson: One Night Only’, su damienshields.com.
«One of the other numbers that Jackson was working diligently on learning and rehearsing was Barry Lather’s brand new interpretation of “Thriller”. “For ‘Thriller’ I was thinking an industrial punk/rock vibe with a slight ‘spy’ undertone,” recalls Lather, who had previously worked with Jackson in 1986, as a dancer in Captain EO. “We had twenty dancers in trenchcoats, hats, and flashlight props. It was extremely specific, edgy and raw. I was trying to present ‘Thriller’ in a new way, which was a challenge.” “The staging for ‘Thriller, as I mentioned, was very edgy and raw, with an industrial warehouse feel. Stark black and white tones and approach. It wasn’t a colorful performance, but bold intense rock-like lighting.” “Michael totally learned all of the new ‘Thriller’ routine,” explains Lather. “He learned the choreography when no one else was in the room. I was amazed how Michael learned by watching and soaking the choreography up visually.” “He liked it alot, and was into mastering the new choreography,” Lather adds. “There was specific staging, and new moves. The dancers and I had rehearsed for close to twelve days and had it all ready for Michael when he first viewed the performance and decided to learn it. I talked him through the performance; where the activity was unfolding, and the moments for him. When we showed Michael the routine, I danced in his place so he understood where the staging moments and attention was directed. That was really exciting and I remember being so detailed about everything. I wanted it to be perfect, and for him to like the performance and choreography.” In fact, Jackson loved the new “Thriller” routine so much that he repurposed a number of Lather’s steps in his 1996 film Ghosts.»
