Looks like he did indeed get a lot of his look and dance moves from that. But the genius was, taking these moves from a film almost no-one has heard of, with a song that's pretty forgettable, and melding them, and morphing them with his music to create something that is recognizable the world over. The best things out there tend to be fusing of many already existing elements.

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxZcLWAmdco

Are you implying that his signature move was seducing little boys?

Isn't it a little soon for that?
...and who hasn't heard of "The Little Prince"?

Too soon? I don't know. Is it too soon to point out he also stole Bob Fosse's signature move of death by heart attack?

His "genouse" was the marketing mecheen and the money people cold make out of him. yes MJ had alot of talent but people have a disproportionate respect for is actual ability, that is colored by his fame and success of his work financially, rather than an objective view of what he had actually done.

Its very hard to specifically pin down what MJ actually did invented innovated with himself which is the case with many arts like film for example it hard to know what was the director or that group of people that actually got involved to make it. It is a fact that MJ was part of what many people found to be a grate product for them but at the same time it seems manny people when captivated by something lose an ability to objectively rationalize it. In some ways to be captivated by something u have to avoid rationalizing it, it would be like watching a magic trick and knowing all the answers right a way it would literally take the magic from the trick.


Coca cola is very popular and alot of people think it is the best drink ever made fact is there is no real scientific reasoin why cola should be more popular than say sprite or another brand of cola drink.

the popularity of specific type of cola can be put down to brand awareness that exists aside from the content itself.

I'm amazed.

Wow good find. Although, I submit that he probably got a lot more of his moves from James brown.

http://www.videosift.com/video/MJ-borrowed-moves-from-James-Brown

[edit]
I'm getting some flack for posting that but I stand by my assertion - watch em side by side http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD-4CDVcjCc&NR=1

What is endlessly more likely is that there's some style of dancing which bob fosse(?) adapted or used in this routine. Or his choreographer, or whatever.

More of a shared ancestor of both this and a lot of MJ's signature stuff, if you will.

^Danny, you obviously haven't got a clue who Bob Fosse was. The man was a legendary choreographer himself and as a dancer, he's up there with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

Someone overdub this with Smooth Criminal. It will be awesome.

Snake in the grass? Is that some metaphor for penis in pubes?

Bad form, MG. Bad form.

I watched this video with this playing in the background. Slight tempo difference, but not a bad match either.

Just because he was a dancer/choreographer/singer doesn't mean he's anywhere close to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

Original? Yeah, I'll give him that

>> ^EDD:
^Danny, you obviously haven't got a clue who Bob Fosse was. The man was a legendary choreographer himself and as a dancer, he's up there with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

WHAT!?! Bob Fosse influenced another dancer!?! Shocking!

So he got some of his moves from Bill Bailey, David Bowie, James Brown, and Bob Fosse.


I guess his only true invention is his perverted crouch grab while wearing a sequin covered glove.

>> ^deedub81:
Just because he was a dancer/choreographer/singer doesn't mean he's anywhere close to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.
Original? Yeah, I'll give him that


The 8 Tony awards he won and being the first person in the world to win an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy in the same year support your theory

NOT.

"I may have a ssssolution. You see, I have this special ehmmm.. sting. It's almost painless."
"Snake in the grass."
"One sting is quite enough to make you happy and free."
The scriptwriter/songwriter must have had the day of his life.

I'm irritated by people who think "Great dancing" equals "A string of 100% original moves that nobody has ever seen before" or "A series of acrobatic feats".

I assure you, THIS guy took his moves from somewhere too.

I never even saw anyone say "LOL MJ IS SUCH A FUCKING FRAUD STEALING OTHER PEOPLE'S SHIT!!!!"

So these guys doing a "LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE " moment are aiming it at no one.. All people have done is draw comparisons.

Stop over reacting. If anything people have complimented the way MJ put it together.

GOD i hate saying "MJ" and sounding like a fan-boy but it's so easy to type!

^LOL MJ IS SUCH A FUCKING FRAUD STEALING OTHER PEOPLE'S SHIT!!!!^

LOL , I'm Just trying to cause trouble.
You guys have said it all, Mj didnt "steal" his moves , he learned them and improved them. He did a very good job of magnifying Bobs movements into MJ signature moves.

But I am damn sure MJ stole his socks!!!

Nobody's saying that anybody's saying that. So YOU are the one fighting a straw man.

>> ^budzos:
Nobody's saying that anybody's saying that. So YOU are the one fighting a straw man.


What? Who is the everyone that is saying nothing? Me? Nobody says that anyone says? WTF
Are you denying that I think MJ stole Bob Fosse's socks? I assure, you I think he did.

You react like I said that MJ couldnt carry Bob's jockstrap! I wish I had said that, it is actually pretty good.

^ I was talking to danny, not you csnel3.

Here we go:



i thought i would have to sort through the clips so i was being lazy. it was right at a segment break though. enjoy.

http://www.videosift.com/video/Tracy-Morgan-Behind-Closed-Doors-Standup-RAW

Oh god, The Little Prince is one of my favorite books. And this... no, just no.

>> ^JiggaJonson:
Wow good find. Although, I submit that he probably got a lot more of his moves from James brown.
http://www.videosift.com/video/MJ-borrowed-moves-from-James-Brown
[edit]
I'm getting some flack for posting that but I stand by my assertion - watch em side by side http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD-4CDVcjCc&NR=1


I'm sorry but that he got "a lot more of his moves from James Brown" is an absolutely ludicrous assertion and I'm flabbergasted by it, especially with you comparing them to the very many MJ moves illustrated in this video.

That "side-by-side" you linked (which is actually just MJ next to himself) shows MJ doing some crazy legs action very similar to James Brown's, but that's just one single move and by far not one MJ is even known for. When anyone consider's MJ's moves, they don't picture his feet shuffling around.

Although he would be honored to be seen as like James Brown, seeing he openly idolizes James Brown and James Brown helped mentor Michael a lot through the early years.

I see MJ like dance moves, but I also see olde time tap dance done without the tap part.

I think what we are seeing is a mimic. When mj was young his father forced him to mimic James Brown. As he grew older he would mimic the people that he liked.
He is a mime, look at his white face. As an adult he began to mimic Bob Fosse.
He mimed Elvis also, and then married his daughter.
I know he was a great talent, but I truly think he was a very good mimic, that coveted things that he watched.

*promote

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 11:37pm PDT - promote requested by lavoll.

bob fosse is so awesome

Wow!

*length=06:11

The duration of this video has been updated from unknown to 6:11 - length declared by cricket.