Happy Birthday!

Today is the 60th birthday of John Landis, a legendary director who should be no stranger to fans of classic comedy and horror films, or Michael Jackson videos.  I can say without reservations that Landis is definitely my favorite comedy director, and seeing as how he’s responsible for five movies which would be included in my all-time top 10 – Animal House, Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Three Amigos, & Coming to America - there isn’t even a close second.  He is also considered a pioneer in the comedy-horror genre, which is a direct result of his 1981 cult-classic An American Werewolf in London.  Yet, the director’s most famous piece of work to date is still probably his collaboration with Michael Jackson on the music video for “Thriller.”  By combining his theatrical vision with the musical talents of the King of Pop, Landis created a 14-minute masterpiece that many consider to be the greatest video ever.  This opinion is backed up by the fact that it became the first music video to be inducted into the Library of Congress (as chosen by the National Film Registry) in 2009; plus, the choreography is still imitated and referenced in many modern TV shows, movies, and even a Filipino correctional institute.  Since I already featured pretty much every clip from my favorite Landis comedies in the “Comedy Throwback” posts, here is a look at some behind-the-scenes footage that was taken during the filming of “Thriller”:

According to Wiki, Landis is currently involved in two new film projects that are supposedly slated for a release in 2010.  The first is a remake of the 1971 British “black comedy” Burke and Hare, starring Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) and Andy Serkis (Sméagol/Gollum in The Lord of the Rings); the other is a crime thriller titled Some Guy Who Kills People, which revolves around a small-town loser-turned-serial killer.  In my opinion, it will be hard for him to top the success he has had in the past; but on the other hand, I still think both of them will be better than most of the shit that hits the silver screen these days.