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December 30th, 2009
03:20 PM ET

"Thriller" included in 2009 National Film Registry

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Ann Hornaday
Washington Post

The music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" made history again today when it was named as one of 25 motion pictures to be included in the Library of Congress's National Film Registry.

"Thriller," a 14-minute video promoting the song of the same name, represented a revolutionary moment in film and popular culture when it was first released on Dec. 2, 1983. Directed by the established Hollywood filmmaker John Landis ("The Blues Brothers," "Animal House"), the video merged such formal cinematic elements as a script, elaborate sets and cinematography with the relatively nascent medium of short-form music videos.

"Thriller" joins such esteemed films as "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Jezebel" in this year's National Film Registry roster. The Library of Congress established the registry in 1989 as part of the National Film Preservation Act, to spotlight films that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant and deserve to be preserved for all time, according to Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. As of this year, 525 films have been selected for the registry.

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Filed under: Michael Jackson • Pop Culture
soundoff (3 Responses)
  1. MichaelPureSoul

    It's the least he deserves, but still not enough, why now after his death, why not before when he was still here, talk about recognition, it should be when people can still breath and be able to enjoy and benefit from it.

    December 30, 2009 at 4:20 pm |
  2. Lea

    Michael Jackson pioneered sooo many things and he'll never ever be forgotten... no matter what other people say. HE'S THE KING!

    Thanks for giving us the music and the dance! Thank you Michael.

    December 30, 2009 at 4:02 pm |
  3. Mike in NYC

    Vincent Price's voice is what I'll remember the most from that clip. RIP.

    December 30, 2009 at 3:22 pm |

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