This is going to be the most critical review I will ever do of Michael Jackson. "Number Ones" was Ok, but it could have been so much better.Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: A bit better than the video for "Rock With You" but not that great.
*
Rock With You: Basically just Michael singing in front of laser lights.
*
Billie Jean: This is a good one. Michael is being followed by a secret agent, who is trying to prove he slept with "Billie Jean". Whatever Michael touches lights up. Interesting.
****
Beat It: This is good too, like all the videos (rather, short films) from the album Thriller. Michael is lying on his bed, telling you about these 2 gangs who are out to get him. Then he goes out and unites the 2 gangs, they are all dancing together in the end.
*****
Thriller: This is the original, full-length Thriller. And it's great, even by today's standards. Excellent use of all-real special effects (no computers used). Thriller is basically a mock-horror film, lots of zombies and stuff.
*****
Bad: This is not the full-length Bad. I don't know why, but this DVD shortens/speeds up a lot of Michael's best short film, and it's really annoying. Well anyway, even though Bad is short, it's cool. Great choreography.
***
The Way You Make Me Feel: Ok, Michael basically is chasing a girl.
**
Man In The Mirror: Doesn't actually show Michael, instead it shows policticans, famine and war victims, Mother Theresa, you get the point. It has a nice message, but I don't think it was a good choice for this DVD, which was meant to be chowcasing Michael's talents.
*
Smooth Criminal: This is NOT the original Smooth Criminal. Instead of the original, they sped up all the dancing and added snippets from the movie "Moonwalker". Although I was disappointed about this, I still liked this one. It was kind of scary. But I don't know why they didn't use the full version. *****
Dirty Diana: Alright, but nothing to write home about. Michael is at a concert singing about "Dirty Diana", a groupie.
**
Black or White: Argh! They shortened Black or White! Damn it, damn it. It only shows the first half, ends after the girls turn into boys, before the panther bit. I'm annoyed, but it's still good.
****
You Are Not Alone: I have never seen the original for this, but there is apparently meant to be a bit where Michael has wings. This isn't on the DVD. You can see Lisa Marie Presley in this one. It's quite nice.
***
Earth Song: Probably my favourite on this DVD, it's so cool. Michael is sad because the forest was burnt, and it keeps flashing back-and-forth from him and other people who have had bad thing happening to them. At the end, you see this person who has been shot open his eyes. Then everything reversed and the world is good again.
*****
Blood On The Dance Floor: This is just one version of Blood on the Dance Floor. I can't say I really like the video, but it's a good song.
**
You Rock My World: This is nice. Erm, I don't know how to explain it, but it ends in a fire and features Chris Tucker, from Rush Hour Two.
****
Overall, I was disappointed with this. Don't get me wrong, I like the videos, but they left out so much. What they should have left out was: *Rock With You
*Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
-Both were just a bit dull, and Michael has so many better videos than these.
*The Way You Make Me Feel
*Dirty Diana
-Both get boring very quickly.
*Man in the Mirror
-Doesn't even show Michael.
Also, they should have had the full-length Bad, Smooth Criminal, Black or White (and You Are Not Alone?). Also, a different version of Blood on the Dance Floor.
To make this really good, I think they could have included some more stuff from HIStory (especially Scream and They Don't Care About Us) and Dangerous (In the Closet, Heal the World?), as most of his newer videos are better than the older stuff. They should definitely have had Ghosts, his best short film.
...but this is not Michael's best DVD. There are no behind the scenes, making of the video extras, and many of the videos have bee overly edited. Noticibly absent is the controversial "panther" part at the end of "Black or white" when Michael breaks car windows, grabs his croch (ALOT) and turns into a black panther. THIS IS THE BEST PART OF THE VIDEO! It showcases some of Michael's best footwork and dance moves. (you can see it on "Dangerous: The Short Films" and "HIStory on Film, Volume I."
Fortunately "Thriller" is the full version (how can you cut the greatest short film of all time?-- YOU CAN'T!)
"Smooth Criminal" video sucks! That's right it SUCKS! It's not the amazing dance sequence seen in "Moonwalker" where Michael dances, in my opioion, his best EVER in a short film. But it is a slow motion, weird, cut-up, sequence of shots from the entire 40 minute "Smooth Criminal" video seen in "Moonwalker." Trust me, I am Michael Jackson's biggest fan, and its no good.
Also, I wish they would have put the "Moonwalker" version of "Man in the Mirror." Instead they have the mainstream one, a collection of inspirational real-life footage; its good, but I like to see Michael perform with all the passion he does in the "Moonwalker" version.
The only videos I'd say are missing are "Jam," "They Don't Care About Us" and "Remember the Time." But all the other MAJOR videos are in there. (You can see these on Michael's other DVD's.)
I am so happy, they put "Dirty Diana" and "Rock My World" in this DVD, as you can't see them on any other Michael Jackson DVD. And they are SPECTACULAR videos. "Rock my world" features Chris Tucker and Marlon Brando and Michael does some realy cool dance moves. "Dirty Diana" is a powerful video replicating a live performance. Personally, I had only been able to see these videos a couple of times, when they came on MTV and VH1. Now I can watch again and again.
You will definitly LOVE this DVD as it has all (or most of) the Number One hit Videos.
I think "Dangerous the Short Films" and "HIStory Continues: Past Present Future, Volume II" are better collections of Michael's short films.
Michael Jackson is still the King of Pop, and so it gets 5 stars.
