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Thriller 40

Thriller 40

Documentary · Music · 2023

Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.

Movie details

Thriller 40

“The album that changed it all.”

2023 Documentary · Music 1h 29m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

8.7 / 10

Community rating

Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Thriller 40?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Nelson George

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Self (archive footage)

Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones

Self (archive footage)

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Self (archive footage)

Usher

Usher

Self

Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige

Self

Mark Ronson

Mark Ronson

Self

Ed Eckstine

Ed Eckstine

Self

Court is in session

Put Thriller 40 on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.