What are your thoughts about the video for You Are Not Alone?

[MichaelD]

With director Wayne Isham.

^^ This one is from "Childhood".

 

[mj_frenzy]

I believe in 2017 that's called "cultural appropriation". You should be outraged

I never saw it as a cultural appropriation, but as an expression of MJ’s sincere fascination with the ancient Greek culture.

Also, this proves (for one more time) the great magnitude, appeal & endurance through the centuries of that culture.

Rather than being monolithic, artists should delve into different cultures & effectively assimilate the most appealing to them foreign cultural elements into their own art.

But, I would have been offended (or even outraged) if foreign artists adopted cultural elements from ancient Greece in order to make fun of them.

 

[LindavG]

I never saw it as a cultural appropriation, but as an expression of MJ’s sincere fascination with the ancient Greek culture.

Also, this proves (for one more time) the great magnitude, appeal & endurance through the centuries of that culture.

Rather than being monolithic, artists should delve into different cultures & effectively assimilate the most appealing to them foreign cultural elements into their own art.

But, I would have been offended (or even outraged) if foreign artists adopted cultural elements from ancient Greece in order to make fun of them.

I know ;D I was being tongue in cheek. When I made that post I just read an article in the NYT about how Asian salad was racist and appropriative because it wasn't culturally specific enough. I'm not dismissing the notion of cultural appropriation but I think people take it a bit too far sometimes and it only ever works one way. If a white artist created a music video around Egyptian mythology, there is no doubt in my mind there would be a backlash.

 

[Electro]

^^ This one is from "Childhood".

I first wondered about that too.
But wasn't Childhood directed by Nicholas Brandt? The person next to MJ in that photo is definitly Wayne Isham.
The blanket also fits more to him being naked for the YANA shoot.

 

[Snow White luvs Peter Pan]

MichaelD is right. You can see his Childhood outfit and the same red blanket on his lap.

I personally would have loved to see Michael's hairdo for both Childhood and YANA shorts like in the Smile photoshoot, his curly or wavy hair suited better the look than the straight one, IMO.

 

[KOPV]

I did not realize that people did not like YANA for the song itself.. I personally think it's beautiful!

 

[Electro]

MichaelD is right. You can see his Childhood outfit and the same red blanket on his lap.

Strange. Looks like no clothes under the blanket in the Wayne Isham photo. And why would Wayne Isham be on the set of Childhood?
Also in the Wayne Isham photo there seems to be some kind of water fountain going on in front of them, which would more fit to the YANA set.

Maybe these videos were shot parallel in the same studio area and on the same days or one after another, so he took that Blanket with him? The identical hair styling would be another hint to that.

Does anyone know the dates of when these videos were shot?

 

[valeryjackson]

I really love it, but i love all his ballads