Smooth Criminal leans on HIStory Tour 1997

[Galactus123]

The whole ZDF broadcast was upscaled. Its certainly edited, by Kingdom Entertainment... As broadcasted I believe its the version of the concert that would have been released back in the day.

I wonder if the quality would be better if they released it on Blu-Ray or would it be the same?

[Zakk]

I wonder if the quality would be better if they released it on Blu-Ray or would it be the same?

The quality would be out of this world, but with it being the HWT to me anyway it wouldn't add anything to the overall experience.

[analogue]

Here's a really minor thing I've always wondered.

Is the gold stripe on MJ's Billie Jean pants removable? Before I always thought that after Billie Jean he would go and change into a pair of regular black pants for Thriller and the rest of the concert, but I've seen amateur footage of Michael still on stage while the Werecat transformation clip is playing. I don't think he'd change clothes in front of everyone lol.

And on his regular black pants there's a black line going down the side of them were the gold stripe would have been.

[Michaels Lover]

Here's a really minor thing I've always wondered.

Is the gold stripe on MJ's Billie Jean pants removable? Before I always thought that after Billie Jean he would go and change into a pair of regular black pants for Thriller and the rest of the concert, but I've seen amateur footage of Michael still on stage while the Werecat transformation clip is playing. I don't think he'd change clothes in front of everyone lol.

And on his regular black pants there's a black line going down the side of them were the gold stripe would have been.

I've always wondered this myself!

[Rocketeer]

but I've seen amateur footage of Michael still on stage while the Werecat transformation clip is playing. I don't think he'd change clothes in front of everyone lol.

Which concert or concerts are you referring to?

[Galactus123]

Here's a really minor thing I've always wondered.

Is the gold stripe on MJ's Billie Jean pants removable? Before I always thought that after Billie Jean he would go and change into a pair of regular black pants for Thriller and the rest of the concert, but I've seen amateur footage of Michael still on stage while the Werecat transformation clip is playing. I don't think he'd change clothes in front of everyone lol.

And on his regular black pants there's a black line going down the side of them were the gold stripe would have been.

It probably was removable. I kind of wish he didn't removed it because I really liked that he used the Billie Jean pants for rest of the show on Bad Tour. The white stripe pants looked great for others songs to.

[MichaelD]

Just so my fail-photo isn't the only lean from HWT in here...
Here's a nice one:


(Don't know where this was. Google-find.)

It's most likely from Brunei. Adding some more angles, also from Brunei's lean:

[analogue]

At 3:47 you can see the nails that Michael uses to attach his shoes on to do The Lean still sticking out of the stage.

[mj_frenzy]

On some shows maybe there was some technical problems that stopped him from not leaning that far?

On certain HIStory shows in 1997 it was due to technical problems that did not allow him to lean properly.

Like, on this Amsterdam show (on June 10th, 1997) where he had to improvise by bending his left knee in order to lean forward:

[analogue]

It probably was removable. I kind of wish he didn't removed it because I really liked that he used the Billie Jean pants for rest of the show on Bad Tour. The white stripe pants looked great for others songs to.

I agree. The white stripe made him ''pop'' more on stage.