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
Michael Jackson's Thriller (music video) and had a "great smile". Landis encouraged Jackson and Ray to improvise during their scenes, and urged Jackson to satisfy his female fans by acting "sexy" and showing "virility". According to Ray, the attraction between them was real and they became intimate on set. Jackson's transformation makeup was designed by artist Rick Baker, who had worked on "American Werewolf". Elmer Bernstein composed incidental music for the video. The director of photography was Robert Paynter, who had worked with Landis on "Trading Places." "Thriller" was filmed at the Palace Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, the zombie dance sequence at the junction