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Gradations of Thrills, Kicks and Moonwalks: A Textual and Cultural Analysis of the Effects of Michael Jacskon, the Legend and “Thriller”, the Legendary

Cullors, Kasey P.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305637508

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Popular Culture.
This research seeks to surface the social, cultural and political effects of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” As a whole, this body of work investigates the performative elements of “Thriller” as discourse. Using Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotic approach, Mikhail Bakhtin’s heteroglossia and theory of the carnivalesque, Karl Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism, Thorstein Veblen’s notion of conspicuous consumption and Homi Bhabha’s concept of mimicry, this study finds that Jackson is able to be filtered through rituals and traditions in order to produce an image that is not only larger than life, but extremely malleable and able to signify a variety of cultural conditions. Thinkers are challenged to see Michael Jackson, through the work of “Thriller” as a multifarious entity, worth more than mere entertainment value. The examination of “Thriller” establishes that although Jackson is a popular culture icon, his relevance and influence exceed the arena in which he primarily performed. Jackson, as a complex figure, is more than an entertainer; he is a performance. Inasmuch as others depict elements of “Thriller,” its very concept is rooted in the anticipated future reinterpretation and redistribution of other performances. Encompassing lyrical content, music, and moving images, Jackson’s brand is an inimitable and persuasive example of how a commodified aura is multifunctional. Ultimately, this research solidifies “Thriller” as an important cultural artifact that retains its value over twenty years after its inception.
Kristen Rudisill (Committee Chair)
Jeremy Wallach (Committee Member)
Angela Nelson (Committee Member)
Jeffery Brown (Advisor)
91 p.
African American Studies; African Americans; American Studies; Black Studies; Communication; Cultural Anthropology; Dance; Film Studies; Mass Communications; Performing Arts
Michael Jackson performance ThrillerJohn Landis Vincent Price cultural dance Quincy Jones

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Cullors, K. P. (2011). Gradations of Thrills, Kicks and Moonwalks: A Textual and Cultural Analysis of the Effects of Michael Jacskon, the Legend and “Thriller”, the Legendary [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305637508

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Cullors, Kasey. Gradations of Thrills, Kicks and Moonwalks: A Textual and Cultural Analysis of the Effects of Michael Jacskon, the Legend and “Thriller”, the Legendary. 2011. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305637508.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Cullors, Kasey. "Gradations of Thrills, Kicks and Moonwalks: A Textual and Cultural Analysis of the Effects of Michael Jacskon, the Legend and “Thriller”, the Legendary." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305637508

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1305637508
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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.