Bad 25

Spike Lee’s reflection on one of Michael Jackson’s most iconic and celebrated albums opens and ends with the singer speaking at an interview in Brooklyn. Those who know Spike realise he’s probably taken great pride in having excerpts from an interview that took place in the filmmaker’s adopted hometown, and one that just happens to be one of the more insightful interviews Michael did during the release of Bad.

Twenty-five years later, the documentary film aptly titled Bad 25 is a true celebration not just of the album but of Michael Jackson, the artiste whose visionary work has inspired and entertained millions above and beyond the majority of his short-lived life. Without delving too deeply into Jackson’s background, the documentary begins stating the burden of success that Thriller brought with it to Jackson and the industry. He had little left to prove yet worked day and night to create an album that would be a worthy successor to 1984’s Thriller, hoping to sell 100,000,000 copies.

Having grown from child star to teen idol, Michael Jackson tasted fame as a young black singer who achieved significant crossover success as a solo artiste paving the way for others through air-and-video play that was not based on marketing dollars but public demand. Thriller became a behemoth that could not be topped and kickstarted an era which saw the rise of two prominent artistes of colour who would transcend genres and boundaries and be discussed in one of Spike Lee’s own cult films – Michael Jackson and Prince.

As Lee’s film delves deep into the genesis of the Bad album, the playful nature in which a duet between Prince and Michael Jackson was suggested is touched on with much humour. The two stalwarts were destined for different paths of success yet their lives and careers constantly intertwined from the time of the heights of their fame to Michael’s final years. No collaboration resulted despite many attempts and the early story of how Bad was taken to Prince for a duet which would be a showdown between the two was dead in the water from the offset.

Journeying through each track on the album, Spike’s film intercuts never before seen footage with revelations of the detail Michael put into his work, painstakingly crafting songs that shine even to this day. From the way he harnessed and controlled his talent to handpicking directors he wanted to help translate his music onto celluloid, Michael was determined to perfect the experience of those consuming his output.

Bad 25 delights Jackson fans with information that has never been uncovered before and provides a unique insight into the creative mind of a visionary genius. It also provides anyone with a passing interest in the intricate process of artistic creation with an extremely enjoyable and informative view into the journey that begins with conception, nurturing and shaping an idea, leading it through to a fully formed song and music video.

The striking imagery, narrative and editing that impressed in Michael’s short films are given the respect and dissection that only another filmmaker could provide. Spike Lee treats each song on the Bad album and accompanying video with an inquisitive pursuit that traces through interviews with directors, cinematographers and choreographers discussing the vision that Michael Jackson had when wanting to present his concept to the world.

The genius of Leave Me Alone includes that it reflected a highly personal response to his media crucifixion with an avant-garde video complete with barking dogs in suits nailing him down to restrain his freedom of expression, while also keeping the viewers' foot tapping and voice humming with a hypnotic and thumping drum. The result is infectious and mesmerizing, which is one of the reasons it’s cited as many a fan’s favourite song and video, and thanks to Bad 25 we understand more why it is it has this effect on us. The same treatment is given to the album’s title track with Martin Scorsese watching footage from the original shoot and reminiscing about incidents on set. The Way You Make Me Feel and Smooth Criminal also deserve noteworthy mention due to the interesting stories associated with the background of these songs and short films (we even finally discover the identity of Annie and whether or not she’ll ever really be ok). The filming of the Liberian Girl video including Michael Jackson’s one take on-screen appearance as well as video footage that Michael himself took of a demo of Man in the Mirror are among other highlights of the documentary. Spike Lee is on the ball when presenting the Bad album 25 years later in a way that generates the same excitement that accompanied its arrival.

Michael’s tributes to dancers he grew up watching and passion for entertainment and performing as well as creating and crafting his own musical legacy is all presented with a respectful and thorough investigation.

The highlight of the documentary film is not a single moment but an array of complete experiences united by a man who refused to deliver anything less than his best. Many of the subjects interviewed will not have met each other, yet all contributed to an era that is celebrated today and united for one project.

Lee ensures that Bad 25 is more than an experience that enhances the vision Michael Jackson delivered to the world, it also celebrates his creativity and talent and provides a complete ‘making of’ that is unrivalled by any similar claim of music channels today. He also shows with sensitivity and wise judgment how Michael’s passing has affected each of the interviewees through capturing their responses to where they were when they heard the news that changed the entertainment world forever.

A fascinating watch from start to finish, Bad 25 celebrates the music industry’s most visionary icon and presents the genesis, revelation and exodus of an album that took the world by storm with a trans-media approach ahead of its time. Adding to his already accomplished narrative film work and documentary filmmaking which moved with ‘If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise’ and ‘When the Leeves Broke’, Spike Lee excels in capturing an era in a 123 minute film which leaves you smiling and remembering one of the entertainment industry’s greatest artistes and feeling that he really has gone too soon.

Spike Lee’s BAD 25 will be released on DVD and Bluray in February 2013. A heavily edited version screened on ABC on Thanksgiving and the full version on BBC 2 in the UK on December 1^st.