Director Spike Lee returns to Venice with his latest documentary, BAD25, which chronicles the making of Michael Jackson’s iconic, record-breaking Bad album and – following the album release — Michael’s first world tour as a solo artist. BAD25’s world premiere on August 31 2012 takes place exactly 25 years to the day after Badwas released on 31 August 1987, when it shot to the number one chart position worldwide, becoming the first album to ever produce five consecutive number one singles.
BAD25’s world premiere kicks off the 25th anniversary celebration of this milestone album, which will be highlighted with the worldwide release of the album, BAD25 (a collaboration of Epic Records, Legacy Recordings and the Estate of Michael Jackson) on September 18. The deluxe package contains remastered versions of the entire original album, a second disc which includes 13 rare and previously unreleased bonus tracks as well as the first ever DVD from the Bad World Tour – the July 16, 1988 sold-out show at Wembley stadium and the first ever Michael Jackson live CD from the same concert.
With BAD25, Spike Lee examines Michael Jackson’s creative vision for the album that ended up defining an era. Michael’s lasting artistic legacy comes to life thanks to rare and never before seen footage and the vivid recollections of Michael’s collaborators and confidants, such as Martin Scorsese who directed the 18-minute short film for the single Bad.
BAD25 joins an incredible body of Spike Lee documentaries including the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning, WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS, which had its international premiere In Venice in 2006. Other documentaries by Spike Lee include its follow up, IF GOD IS WILLING AND DA CREEK DON’T RISE, KOBE DOIN’ WORK and the Academy Award-nominated, 4 LITTLE GIRLS. Lee directed both short films for Michael Jackson’s They Don’t Care About Us from the 1996 HIStory album. Spike Lee comments, “I’m more than just a huge fan of Michael Jackson, and having had the chance to actually know him and work with him, I deeply care about his legacy. With BAD25, I was able to uncover just what made this such a huge, important coming of age in his career and unearth compelling stories surrounding the making of Bad, the long awaited follow-up to Thriller – the best selling album of all time – the short films and the tour that may have never seen the light of day.”
John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of The Estate of Michael Jackson and Executive Producers of the documentary comment, “Spike Lee’s genius as a storyteller combined with his passion and first-hand appreciation of Michael’s artistry makes him the logical filmmaker to tell the story of Bad. We are thrilled to be working with him on this unique project.”
Chairman of Epic Records and Co-Executive Producer of the documentary, Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid, comments, “It was an honor and a privilege to work closely with Spike Lee to create this documentary. Spike has such a great love of Michael that it was apparent that he was the only person who could make this film.”