Kathrynn Theopolos

2/16/20

Scott Johnson

English 1201

Rhetorical Analysis of a Visual Text

Music videos capitalize on tying the not between your identity and the artist. They want

the viewer to assimilate with their creation. Michel does this by creating a superhuman type. The

original was set in an 1920’s Crime novel. Your identity is something you project in an effort to

single yourself out of a crowd. Some of us want to be wanted, where others want to belong.

We get the assumption that our antagonist, the noir antihero type. The kind who will beat

your ass and steal your girlfriend. Michael Jackson’s 1989 People’s Choice Award winner

“Smooth Criminal” is a nine minuet and twenty six secon short film directed by Colin Chilvers.

The 4 minute pop ballad was shot in The Godfather esque speakeasy, a Bright suited Michel

dances around killing people and crushing cue balls. Everyone dressed to impress, following MJ

in chrisp heel toe movements.

The original music video opens to a dark alley. The shadow of a 20’s era gangster

cascades across the building in view. His shadow stretches all the way up the building, like he is

larger than life. It gives the viewer a sense of inferiority. Michel tightens up his suit before he

runs up to a bar door. He swings the door swings open with a great light, followed by obnoxiouly

high winds. His silhouette stand in the doorway, commanding the spotlight. The tension is thick

as Michel enters the speakeasy. Standing on the other side of the dance floor, he flips open his

jacket in perfect Michel Jackson form, scaring the crowd. The onlookers are no stranger to

violence, and look prepared for anything. Michels quick coin grab caused everyone in the bar to
panic and reach for their weapons. Luckily for everyone in the bar, he only pulled out a coin.

Michel flips the coin across the bar and moves into the dance floor.

The entire intro to the song is almost a minute long, but it is necessary to set up our

character. They want you to respect and idolize this character. It almost makes you want to be

Michael. Let’s not forget he assumingly barged his way into a bar, changed their music, dance

around murdering people let’s not forget all the women he gets too. The mafia princess even

fell for him. While all of this is going on, some poor girl had something aweful happen to her in

her “apartment”. Michels character seems to be a pretty terrible person. The viewer cant be sure

if the smooth criminal he keeps singing about is Michels character, or someone else. If it is his

character, then we favor a murdering psychopath. He stacks countless bodies throughout the

nine minutes, and ends the song by shooting up a rooftop full of henchmen. The songs catchy

tune and crispy dance moves try to cover up the fact that the songs about getting away with

crime. Whether he’s doing Robin Hood shit or stabbing Annie. Poor Annie never stood a chance

against this smooth criminal. Funny enough the lyrics “Annie are you Ok?” Was inspired from a

CPR training class Michel was involved in. The doll was aptly named Rescue Anne.

Twelve years after the crazy success of Michels original pop ballad, Riverside

California’s Alien Ant Farm blasts onto the scene. The 2001 remake of “smooth criminal” was a

full helping of what made the turn of the century great. It even rode in the top 20 of the pop

charts for 10 weeks. Alien Ant Farm fashionably ditched all the zoot suits and choreography, for

a boxing ring and distortion peddles. The aggressive guitar riffs carry us through a thee and a

half minuet homage to the original. The setting is a house party that went from sunshine to night

time. We have women in bathing suits wearing chicken masks and Tattooed bikers doing the

thriller dance. A house party for the outcasts. In the early 2000’s it was not cool to be an

outcast, until these bands started getting some spotlight.

The beginning of the song starts with the bassist the song starts, the bassist throws a

quick Michel adlib. The next scene involves “kid Adderal” as i refer to him. He takes Michels
dancing, tosses in some of Alien Ant Farms energy, and what we have is gold. This scene

conveys my identity argument. We have this kid, who’s dressed nothing like MJ would dress,

dance like he has seen MJ dance before. So we can see the homage to the original in kid

Adderals dancing. Covers like this are made to bridge the gap between generations, and

separate them.

The original song is something for the shopping mall, where Alien Ant Farms version is a

little harder to make background music. Michels version is so smooth and stylish, where the

remake is much faster. Parents and kids could sit around the speaker box and listen to both

versions and find an appreciation for each others music. It can also separate by choosing the

one you prefer. In the 2000s Alien Ant Farms version was for the outcasts. Now it’s probably

more rebellious to like MJ’s.

Alien Ant Farm targets a much younger, or more immature audience. With their reckless

appearance, and rowdy crowds, the remake stands alone. That isn’t to say the “immature” types

dislikes the original, we just prefer the energy of the remake. We recognize that we aren’t

perfect, and imperfections are awesome. I am speaking completely biased, but I really wanted

to set myself apart from our fathers, and the remake does that.
 Work cited

Songfacts. “Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson - Songfacts.” Song Meanings at

Songfacts, www.songfacts.com/facts/michael-jackson/smooth-criminal.

Coppola, and Mario Puzo. The Godfather. Hollywood, CA: Paramount Home Video,

1972.

“Alien Ant Farm Smooth Criminal Chart History.” Billboard, www.billboard.com/music/alien-ant-

farm/chart-history/HRT/song/401618.

Wilson, MacKenzie. “Alien Ant Farm: Biography & History.” AllMusic,

www.allmusic.com/artist/alien-ant-farm-mn0000743709/biography.