Before Smooth Criminal became one of Michael Jackson’s most iconic music videos, the King of Pop found inspiration for its most memorable dance sequence in an unlikely place: a 1953 murder mystery musical. Few fans know that this decades-old film helped shape the look, feel, and tension of one of the most memorable dance sequences in music video history.
Jackson was a huge film fan and admired the dance sequences of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including one performed by legendary hoofer Fred Astaire. In fact, Jackson was so inspired by the iconic performer that he drew from a routine in Astaire’s 1953 film The Band Wagon to shape the look, feel, and some of the most unforgettable moves in his iconic Smooth Criminal music video.
Turner Classic Movies highlighted The Band Wagon‘s most memorable routine via Instagram. Hamilton’s creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who cited the film as a favorite, said in a voice-over, “All of ‘Smooth Criminal’ was inspired by this murder ballad mystery that is the last third of the musical The Band Wagon.”
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Miranda continued, “Down to the white suit and the toughs he fights through dance. But it’s really this remarkable show off. How many great, different kinds of numbers can [director] Vincente Minnelli put in one movie?”
The segment duplicated by Jackson featured a dance between Astaire and Cyd Charisse, called “The Girl Hunt Ballet.” It was choreographed by Michael Kidd.
‘Smooth Criminal’ has reached 1B YouTube streams
In 1988, Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” was the seventh single released from his album Bad. By October 2024, the video reached one billion YouTube streams, according to Billboard.
Directed by Colin Chilvers, “Smooth Criminal” utilized the same nightclub setting seen in The Band Wagon. However, Jackson’s dance sequence included one segment not seen in Fred Astaire’s original version, the impossible feat of an anti-gravity lean.
The Telegraph revealed that the unforgettable dance move was created with unseen cables. Jackson would later create a shoe that allowed him to perform it live, as seen on TikTok.
@celebritybites2 How did Michael Jackson achieve his iconic 45° lean?#michaeljackson #celebrity
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Astaire was equally awed by Jackson’s dance talent. He told TIME Magazine in 1984, “My Lord, he is a wonderful mover. He makes these moves up himself, and it is just great to watch.”
He continued, “I think he just feels that way when he is singing those songs. I don’t know how much more dancing he will take up, because singing and dancing at the same time is very difficult. But Michael is a dedicated artist. He dreams, thinks of it all the time. You can see what the result is.”
Fred Astaire died at 88 on June 22, 1987. Michael Jackson died June 25, 2009, at the age of 50.
