MovieChat Forums > The Band Wagon (1953) Discussion > Girl Hunt sequence, precursor to Michael...

Girl Hunt sequence, precursor to Michael Jackson's 'Smooth Criminal'?

posted 19 years ago by atomicstuffing
3 replies | jump to latest

Has any mention been made at the striking similarities between the two?

Jazzy smoky den. Bad guys in dark suits. Hero in shining white (Fred Astaire's suit)
I know Jackson loved all sorts of movies, and seeing that the music video "Bad" took a lot from West Side Story, I bet he might've seen The Band Wagon and used that idea for Smooth Criminal (although I'm unclear whether it's truly the 1920s or 1930s we're talking about here.)

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] novastar_6 18 years ago

You know, they showed this movie a couple months back on Turner Classic Movies...I came across it by accident, at first during the Triplets scene...then I saw the part that you're talking about, and I kinda did a double take, a 'hey, HEY! That looks like Smooth Criminal!'

But yeah, he said that The Bandwagon and Hot Summer Night and stuff like that, were inspirations for that video he did. Good taste in movies, good music videos also...let's face it, if somebody in the music business today had a fraction of that imagination and inspiration...there would be something to be said for music videos today.

[–] ellie-58 18 years ago

Yes, Michael Jackson has talked about this movie being a big inspiration. He also used to do a lot of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly numbers on the Jacksons Variety TV show in the late 70s.