Thriller (Michael Jackson album) and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the film sold over 350,000 copies in its first few months. In a market then driven by singles, "Thriller" raised the significance of albums, yet its multiple hit singles changed perceived notions as to the number of successful singles that could be taken from an individual album. The era saw the arrival of novelties like the Michael Jackson doll, that appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12 (US$ in dollars). "Thriller" retains a position in American culture; biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli explains, "At some point, "Thriller" stopped selling like a
Thriller (viral video) motivation. The convicts marched and danced to several songs, including "In the Navy" and "Y.M.C.A." by the Village People. Garcia posted the prisoners' dance regimes onto the internet in April 2007. The most popular of the presentations was their "Thriller" performance. The video showed over 1,500 male inmates emulating Michael Jackson's dance moves from the original "Thriller" short film. Jackson fan Crisanto Nierre played the role of the pop star, with the openly gay former pizza chef Wenjiel Resane playing his girlfriend. The video became one of the most viewed on the internet, receiving 300,000 views per day at its