As I’m sure you’ve already heard, Michael Jackson has died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 50. While he’s primarily remembered as the King Of Pop, his ocassional appearances on film shouldn’t be forgotten. In 1978 he appeared as the The Scarecrow in the movie version of the musical The Wiz, a primarily black update of The Wizard Of Oz, also starring Diana Ross.
He also appeared in his concert/fantasy film Moonwalker in 1988 and made a cameo in Men In Black II, after becoming a fan of the first film. His music meanwhile has appeared in movies as diverse as Free Willy, Rush Hour, 27 Dresses and Charlie’s Angels.
Jackson’s music videos such as Thriller and Bad also had an effect on cinema, changing the way Hollywood looked at the relationship between music and movies (and of course utilising major directors such as John Landis and Martin Scorsese).
Although his later life has been mired in controversy, not least his court cases, he sold over 650 million albums and had a profound effect on popular entertainment. There’s little doubt his untimely death has come as a major shock.