Rhetorical Analysis

Knife 1
Danny Knife
English 1201
Dr. Cassel
3 October 2019
Smooth Criminal Rhetorical Analysis
Thirteen years after the 1988 release of Michael Jackson’s chart topping song “Smooth
Criminal”, a 2000’s era rock bank named Alien Ant Farm released a cover version of the song.
The new age rendition of the original hit, showcased popularly known antics, dance moves and
parts of Jacksons closely followed lifestyle that appeal to the emotions of a new generation of
viewers. In the late 1980’s when the original was released music videos were in their infancy,
and Jackson’s video for “Smooth Criminal” was a nine minute and twenty six second long
masterpiece, that was more like a short film than the normal 80’s music video. Both videos were
able to appeal to a new generation of viewers while also attracting an older audience in
completely different ways, one by creating a new category of music videos, and the other by
paying tribute to an icon.
The way that the original 1988 video told a complete story was new and innovative,
appealing to the emotions of a new age of young people and adults alike. Jackson himself was
the main character in the nine-minute-long film. We can see that pathos was used to appeal the
claim that Jackson was a smooth criminal. He was shown navigating his way through a dark and
dungy bar full of 1920’s gangster, as he narrowly but smoothly avoids being shot and stabbed in
the process. Jackson wore a white suit in bar full of men and women all dressed in mostly black,
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which made you keep your eyes on him the entire time. By the end of the video it was apparent
that Jackson was the “Smooth Criminal” in a bar full of thugs and gangsters. The mob and
gangster setting of the video along with the violence and groundbreaking dance moves made this
video emotionally appeal to the minds of the young and old. Kids liked it because it was
something new, and adults liked it because the story reminded them of when they were young. In
1988 music videos had only been around for a few years and Jackson quickly found a way to
create content that appealed to the masses in a different way.
In contrast to Jackson’s version, the 2001 cover of “Smooth Criminal” also used pathos
to appeal to the emotions a new generation but in a completely different way. The band Alien
Ant Farm, who recreated the music video, was an alternative rock bank which attracted a
completely different set of viewers than the original, by introducing the song to a different genre
of music. The main claim of the video was showing us a visual tribute to Jackson. This version
was released thirteen years after the original, and would appeal to a new generation that might
not have seen the Jackson version. The band attracts older viewers by paying tribute to Jackson
throughout the video. The video is filmed as a backyard party with a band singing in a boxing
ring and partygoers surrounding them all paying tribute to Jackson throughout the video. They
intelligently appeal to emotion by highlighting some of his famous dance moves, the famous lean
and moon walk along with having the sidewalk light up like the stage Jackson famously used.
The alternative band also showcased things like the horror masks used in Jacksons’s “Thriller”
and by using a baby chimp as a prop in the video, like the one Jackson notoriously took
everywhere with him. Alien Ant Farm took an iconic pop song, and created a rock video using
well know components of Jacksons life, fame and videography to pay tribute to the artist while
appealing to new age of listeners, while attracting the seasoned fans of Jackson’s music.
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The relationship between the two videos is how both artists use different methods to
appeal to the emotions of two generations. The recreated 2001 and the 1988 original version of
the music video “Smooth Criminal” both emotionally appealed to a new generation while using
something of the past to appeal to the older generation at the same time. Jackson did this by re-
inventing how music videos were made, using a 1920’s mobster style theme, and mature
situations to appeal to viewers from all age groups. Alien Ant Farm’s head banging version of
the video was successful in doing this by changing the genre of the song from pop to alternative
rock, and by paying tribute the songs famous creature all throughout the video. It is evident that
if an artist creates a new category like Jackson, or simply puts its own twist on an original like
Alien Ant Farm did, that both can be wildly successful and appeal to wide audience. Both videos
have a combined 440 million views on youtube.com, and Alien Ant Farms version of the song
went number 1 on the charts in 2001.

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Works Cited
Jackson, Michael. “Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (Official Video).”YouTube, YouTube,
19 Nov. 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4. Accessed 22 Sept
2019.
AlienAntFarmVEVO. “Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal.”YouTube, YouTube, 7 Oct. 2009,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE. Accessed 22 Sept 2019.

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Knife 1

Smooth Criminal Rhetorical Analysis

paying tribute to an icon.

create content that appealed to the masses in a different way.

went number 1 on the charts in 2001.

Jackson, Michael. “Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (Official Video).”YouTube, YouTube,

19 Nov. 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4. Accessed 22 Sept

AlienAntFarmVEVO. “Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal.”YouTube, YouTube, 7 Oct. 2009,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE. Accessed 22 Sept 2019.

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