Genre Analysis Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgvXaXfAQAw

Genre Analysis
Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” Video

Michael Jackson video “Beat It” (1983) was directed by Bob Giraldi who also directed the two Pepsi commercials Jackson was featured in, one of them being the infamous commercial where Jackson’s hair caught on fire. The “Beat It” video was Choreographed by the legendary Michael Peters who also choreographed Jackson’s “Thriller,” and has Broadway credits to his name such as popular musicals Dreamgirls, and Rent. Jackson’s “Beat It” was one of the three top hit singles from his record breaking album “Thrilller” and the song and video allowed Jackson to crossover and attract tons of new fans all over the world, ultimately contributing to his monster success of becoming “The King of Pop”

In Michael Jackson's video "Beat it," we see Michael Jackson of course who is the main protagonist, and also two separate groups or perhaps gangs in opposition toward one another. Each group has somewhat of a different style and persona going, and each group appears to be attempting to be more "bad ass" than the other. This perhaps sets the tone in the opening scene when the guy who appears to be one of the leaders of one these "bad ass" gangs objectively kisses a young woman and run's off with his fellow gang members. This perhaps creates, or perhaps reinforces the notion that the Bad guy always gets the girl, and women are an accessory to compliment the bad guy image. This reinforces that the bad guys always look cool, and we want to be like him. Our culture projects this image so much so that many of us may think that in order to be recognized or to fit in we have to take on these sort "bad ass" persona's when it is not truly the case. But when we are seeing these images constantly on television, music videos and movies we tend to want to conform to it, when in fact it is actually rather superficial. This says a lot about American Pop culture, and perhaps what Michael Jackson was trying to convey in the video.

In the section where the two gangs simulate an altercation with knives, a scene based on the musical movie “Westside Story,” perhaps Michael was demonstrating to us what fools we look like. Perhaps maybe he was trying to show us how stupid it is to try to be the Macho man and get someone killed in a fight that in the end measures up to absolutely nothing. Perhaps in his attempt to break up the fight he was trying to convey to us that it is alright to walk away, its alright to surrender. Perhaps by acting as peacemaker, and taking a stand he was trying to put a new idea in our minds. Possibly that just because you chose to walk away does not make you less cool, or a coward. That walking away and turning the other cheek actually makes you the bigger man, and it is alright to express that.

In Popular culture we are always trying to out do someone, we are always trying to see who dresses the best, who looks the best, who's the coolest, and who's the toughest. When it is not worth it at all. Maybe if we get these superficial ideologies out of our heads the world would be a better a place, and so much more harmonious.