Beat It

9.5
  • Genre: CrimeMusic
  • Run time: 9 min
  • Premiere: 1983. March 31.

The news of a fight circulating at a diner. This scene repeats itself at a pool hall, where gang members arrive via foot, forklift, and out of sewers, while the video's titular song begins to play. The camera cuts to a scene of Jackson lying on a bed, revealing he's the one singing contemplating the senseless violence. The singer notices rival gangs and leaves. Michael Jackson dons a red leather J. Parks brand jacket, and dances his way towards the fight through the diner and pool hall. A knife fight is taking place between the two gang leaders in a warehouse. They dance battle for an interlude of music until MJ arrives; the singer breaks up the fight and launches into a dance routine. The video ends with the gang members joining him in the dance, agreeing that violence is not the solution to their problems.

Discover

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Bill Bray

Barman (uncredited)

Michael DeLorenzo

Michael DeLorenzo (uncredited)

Tony Fields

Tony Fields (uncredited)

Tracii Guns

Tracii Guns (uncredited)

Stoney Jackson

Stoney Jackson (uncredited)

Dane 'Robot' Parker

Gang Member (uncredited)

Vincent Paterson

Vincent Paterson (uncredited)

Michael Peters

Michael Peters (uncredited)

David Preston

David Preston (uncredited)

Otis Sallid

Gang Member (uncredited)

Cheryl Song

Cheryl Song (uncredited)

Rick Stone

Rick Stone (uncredited)

Peter Tramm

Peter Tramm (uncredited)

Crew

Dan Quinn

Cinematography

Michael Jackson

Choreographer

Directing

Bob Giraldi

Director

Editing

Dick Stone

Editor

Production

Ralph Cohen

Producer's Assistant

Mary M. Ensign

Producer

Quincy Jones

Producer

Antony Payne

Executive Producer

Phil Suarez

Executive Producer

Writing

Bob Giraldi

Writer