Behold, The Bears!

One of my favorite online destinations over the past few months has been A Thriller A Day, a blog dedicated to reviewing each and every episode of the 60's anthology classic Thriller. I haven't been able to keep up with watching all the episodes but I have followed every blog entry and the accompanying comments, which are just as informative and entertaining as the main posts - thanks to the invaluable input of such knowledgeable types as Gary Gerani, Tom Weaver, and Tim Lucas and to the always genial tone of the discussion, even when it comes to disagreements over sacred cows like "Pigeons from Hell."

Masterminded by Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri, ATAD is something of an anomaly in the internet world - smart, free of snarkiness, and open to contrary opinions. I'd become so attached to ATAD, I was dreading its end - and not just because the end-run of Thrillers had a notorious reputation of being a poor conclusion to the series (a reputation that Enfantino and Scoleri happily found to be only semi-true).

But with all 67 episodes of Thriller now behind them, it's time for Enfantino and Scoleri to move on. The good news is they're moving on to another anthology classic. Beginning the first of next year, Enfantino and Scoleri will be taking on The Outer Limits. Enfantino and Scoleri will be taking a slightly less work heavy approach this time around, reviewing episodes five days a week rather than seven. They'll be joined in their exploration of OL's 49 episode run by David J. Schow, author of The Outer Limits Companion.

I'm really looking forward to this. The Outer Limits is more familiar ground to me than Thriller but I have yet to watch every single episode. Not long ago, I treated myself to the box set in anticipation of one day diving into the entire series. I haven't gotten around to it yet but We Are Controlling Transmission is the perfect incentive to do so. With less duds in its roster than Thriller, following The Outer Limits and its trademark "bears" - the monsters that the series was famous for - with Enfantino, Scoleri, Schow, and co. ought to be a great adventure, full of awe and mystery.

The Funk of 40,000 Years

It's been awhile since a celebrity death has left me feeling shell-shocked but the sudden passing of Michael Jackson at age 50 has certainly done it. While almost every article commemorating his death will be obliged to mention how his bizarre personal behavior had nearly eclipsed his talent, it's only because its true. Besides being a blazing, one-of-a-kind talent, he was also a blazing, one-of-a-kind oddity. Before sexual accusations permanently tainted his image, Jackson was just a wealthy flake ("Wacko-Jacko") with a passion for chimpanzees, plastic surgery and, allegedly, the Elephant Man's bones (strictly a tabloid rumor). But what horror fans will remember Jackson for, aside from penning the title ballad for the killer rat classic Ben (1972), is the John Landis-directed music video Thriller.

For many fans born in the early '80s, Thriller was their introduction to horror. And what was cool about Thriller was that it was something even a confirmed horror junkie could enjoy. After all, there was a Forry Ackerman cameo, Vincent Price's rap and closing cackle, and FX God Rick Baker delivered feature film-caliber goods with some of his most memorable creations. The were-cat that Michael turns into is simply awesome (I love it when he knocks a tree over with a swipe of his hand!) and while everyone remembers the dancing zombies, what I loved as a kid was the brief moment where Michael and Ola Ray are surrounded by the undead and Landis pans over to a zombie oozing blood out of its mouth. That, to me, made Thriller a real horror movie - that, and the title card that stated that Thriller didn't endorse Michael's belief in the occult. When you have to put something like that in front of a movie, well, it makes it seem like it's The Exorcist or something.

Call it a long form music video, call it a mini-film, Thriller deserves to be remembered as one of the most influential horror movies of the '80s. And best of all, it's one that will likely be immune to a remake.