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Fred Astaire + Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (short Film)

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25 Alright Fred Astaire Bands Beat Billie Jean Caron Charisse Criminal Cyd Daddy Film Get Girls Happy Hunt It Jacksons Janet Jackson King Legs Leslie Long Michael Moonwalk Moonwalker My Of Pop Remix Rock Short Smooth Thrillers Wagon World You
AbejaMariposaJr
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  • Added: 21-Apr-08

FRED ASTAIRE in SMOOTH CRIMINAL
Starring Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron
Choreographed by Michael Kidd
'Smooth Criminal' by Michael Jackson
Video edited by CFJ

I love both Astaire and Michael Jackson. I want young people to know Astaire stuff, that is why I made this. The video features scenes from the Girl Hunt ballet in The Band Wagon (1953) starring Astaire and Cyd Charisse (those supreme legs!! The most perfect body a woman could have. So sensual, so elegant), to which MJ gave homage in his Smooth Criminal vid (also in a performance of Get Happy on the Jacksons show in the 70s as well as You Rock My World in 2001), and, as an intro, a sequence from Daddy Long Legs (1955) featuring Leslie Caron (in motion pictures, you mustn't put a coin into a jukebox in an ordinary way!).

My initial idea was using also Yolanda And The Thief (1945) where Astaire appeared with the same costume, a white suit, hat and a blue shirt, but I eventually omitted it.

Michael Kidd worked with Janet in the Alright vid in 1990, featuring Cyd Charisse (in the red dress!), the Nicholas Brothers and Cab Calloway.

If you want to see Astaire at the top of his game, watch his 30s and early 40s films (Ginger Rogers was not the best DANCE partner for him though. She was a great comedienne. The pair was more than just dance partners).


My other Astaire related videos:
Origins of the Moonwalk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxZcLWAmdco
Fred Astaire + Robert Palmer - Let's Face The Music And Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWCijZ-A54M

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Comments on

Fred Astaire + Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (short Film)

25 Comments | Add Comment
  • That was awesome! I ...

    That was awesome! I didn't know that Michael Jackson got the ideas from Smooth Criminal from this =)

    By andrewd01 [Affiliate User] 1214211027 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • This is awesome

    This is awesome

    By Acoral07 [Affiliate User] 1214167954 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Loved it!!!

    Loved it!!!

    By TheRealwendy2004 [Affiliate User] 1214070588 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • kick ass man. #4 ...

    kick ass man.

    #4 on the charts.
    -D.R.

    By DemonRecordS [Affiliate User] 1213881209 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I Love Fred Astaire ...

    I Love Fred Astaire, this video is really awesome, congratulations.

    By ChibiThensi [Affiliate User] 1213875362 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Michael Jackson ...

    Michael Jackson dedicated smooth criminal to Fred Astaire and Moonwalker his book. Also on the making of thriller (which is on youtube) Michaels speaks of how after motown 25 fred astaire called him.

    "Oh, God! That boy moves in a very exceptional way. That's the greatest dancer of the century". - Fred Astaire

    "I didn't want to leave this world without knowing who my descendant was. Thank you Michael!"- Fred Astaire (shortly before his death)

    By ccinnervisions [Affiliate User] 1213814674 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • oh no! did she pass ...

    oh no! did she pass away? This is heartbreaking news. I want to buy this on dvd. I love MJ so much and Fred Astaire too. Dancing is a passion of mine, i love to dance and watch people dance. MJ is my icon and Fred Astaire is the ultimate legend, Michaels idol!

    By ccinnervisions [Affiliate User] 1213814512 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Just heard the sad ...

    Just heard the sad news. Cyd passed away on June 17 (at age 86). She was one of the most elegant ladies I'd ever seen in the movies. She was just untouchable, and always will be. RIP.

    By AbejaMariposaJr [Affiliate User] 1213808278 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • its obvous he did ...

    its obvous he did get influenced and was intended to make a classical transition

    By Aur0rah [Affiliate User] 1213790783 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Cool! You know, it ...

    Cool! You know, it almost seems like MJ got some influence from Fred Astaire (the coin in the jukebox, Astaire's outfit, etc.) They both are cool!

    By michaeljacksonhoo32 [Affiliate User] 1213544468 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Totally fun, ...

    Totally fun, totally amazing, great job... thanks for this parts of happyness...

    By Angelripper999 [Affiliate User] 1213527974 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • lol o-k-a-y

    lol o-k-a-y

    By evolutionofwwe [Affiliate User] 1213509390 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • GREAT GREAT GREAT ...

    GREAT GREAT GREAT VIDEO !!!!!!
    Bravo AbejaMariposaJr !!!!!

    By laurentlaurent65 [Affiliate User] 1213500960 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • omg! this is ...

    omg! this is amazing!!!
    the best editing I ever saw...
    you have my five stars!

    By vannylee [Affiliate User] 1213487420 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

    A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

    By euridice26 [Affiliate User] 1213453178 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I love the effect ...

    I love the effect at the first. True Creativity will always show itself.....and people will be drawn to it! Great job!!

    By totallymime [Affiliate User] 1213275709 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Right. It was a ...

    Right. It was a pity that I had to omit Caron's dance sequence after putting a coin.

    By AbejaMariposaJr [Affiliate User] 1213272433 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • You should know ...

    You should know that Astaire and Jackson knew each other, they were neighbors. They really liked each other's dancing a lot.

    By LWVCMA [Affiliate User] 1213269939 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Great video!! You ...

    Great video!! You guys should also see the original movies."The Band Wagon" for the private eye scenes, and "Daddy Long Legs" for the girl in bar scene. Still awesome.

    By LWVCMA [Affiliate User] 1213269771 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • This is awesome! ...

    This is awesome! Amazing job.

    By atomickiwi [Affiliate User] 1213190814 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • They are both so ...

    They are both so smooth dancers! Absolutely amazing.

    By erotwist [Affiliate User] 1213144800 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • that is one sexy ...

    that is one sexy video!

    By hatgirl09 [Affiliate User] 1212991863 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Awesome!!! The ...

    Awesome!!!

    The film is 'The Band Wagon'

    By zzzackmb [Affiliate User] 1212930573 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • This is one of the ...

    This is one of the best videos i have ever seen on youtube. Dude this is awesome.

    What Fred Astaire films are being used in it?

    By SynxVII [Affiliate User] 1212907668 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Fred Astaire and MJ ...

    Fred Astaire and MJ both dance from their heart and soul, they're truely the greatest performers, thanx for sharing ^^

    By unseencolours [Affiliate User] 1212903591 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
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