Bill Vaughan’s Tasty Clips: ‘Michael Jackson’s Thriller’ gets an IMAX 3D revival

By Bill Vaughan, Entertainment Writer

The tremendous imprint of one of the entertainment industry’s biggest icons continues with this weekend’s release of “Michael Jackson’s Thriller,” digitally re-mastered and presented in IMAX 3D for the first time.

The short will be shown beginning Sept. 21 in front of the new fantasy film, “The House With A Clock In Its Walls,” starring Jack Black and two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett.

“Thriller” director John Landis, who supervised the transition in association with the Michael Jackson estate, says this rendering will have “spectacular visuals” and that viewers will see a shocking surprise.

Don’t put it off for too long, though. The exclusive engagement is only scheduled to run for one week.

CAUSE WORTHY: Taraji P. Henson, whose hit Fox series “Empire” returns Sept. 26, is supporting a cause close to her heart — mental health in the African-American community. With a $10 donation to the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, named after her father, you and a friend could be VIP guests at the premiere of her new movie, “What Men Want.”

That will include a spa day, red carpet treatment and a bundle of autographed goodies. She will even take over your Instagram story for the evening. If you give more, you’ll get extra chancesBoris Lawrence Henson Foundationto win, plus some cool rewards. For details, visit: http://www.prizeo.com/campaigns/taraji-p-henson/what-men-want.

ON DISPLAY: The landmark 15th season of ABC’s Shonda Rhimes drama “Grey’s Anatomy” is celebrated with a special weekend-long exhibit (Sept. 21-23) at 631 N. Robertson Blvd. in West Hollywood. RSVP to the presentation featuring original art, installations and artifacts inspired by some of the show’s most defining moments, at: http://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/ANATOMY-ICON-45238626 .

TASTY QUIP: “They’re going to let you do your special, Jerrod Carmichael, but nobody’s gonna watch it. They’re gonna let you be a star, Lil Rel, but you’re ugly and white people don’t believe in ugly stars. They believe that you have to be somebody women want to sleep with and men want to be, but because we’re black they say ‘oh you don’t even deserve that.’ So we get [them], Kevin Hart, Hannibal Burress, just dudes that no woman would talk to in Lenox Mall, but you’re making them superstars because you know ain’t nobody gonna sleep with them.” – KATT WILLIAMS on V-103’s Frank and Wanda In The Morning Show

CLIPPETTES: Eddie Murphy is attached to a remake of the Walter Matthau/Jack Lemmon comedy “Grumpy Old Men,” reports Deadline Hollywood. Tim Story (“Ride Along”) will direct with feelers out to Samuel L. Jackson to co-star …

The jazz men rule on Sept. 21 as the amazing Kenny G headlines at the Cerritos Center for Performing Arts; while Brian Culbertson plays at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach; and “The Late Show” musical director Jon Batiste performs at the Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University in advance of his solo disc “Hollywood Africans” …

Singer/Songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Raul Midón, who received a Grammy nomination for his last release “Bad Ass and Blind,” is back with new music. On his 10th album, “If You Really Want,” Midon teams with the famed Dutch ensemble, Metropole Orkest, under the direction of Vince Mendoza …

The Hollywood Blues Bash featuring Mavis Staples will be held at Ford Theatres on Sept. 22; which also finds the Isley Brothers at the Cerritos Center …

Universal’s “Night School,” with Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Romany Malco, Keith David, Loretta Devine and Fat Joe, has its world premiere on Sept. 24 at L.A. Live. Plan to be there between 5 and 6:30 p.m., to see the stars on the red carpet …

“Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco,” a documentary on one of the most influential fashion illustrators of that decade, is now running at the Laemmle Royal and Laemmle Playhouse. Counted among his discoveries-muses of the period were unusual beauties such as Grace Jones, Pat Cleveland, Tina Chow, Jessica Lange and Jerry Hall …

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of NGC’s “Star Talk,” is dropping science at the Wiltern Theatre on Sept. 25 …

Donald Glover’s Childish Gambino farewell tour stops at The Forum on Sept. 26 with special guests Rae Sremmurd and Vince Staples.

Tickets for the remount of Sarah Jones’ “Sell/Buy/Date” are on sale now with previews starting Sept. 27, opening night Oct. 14, and continuing into November at the Renberg Theatre in the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

TC ON TV: Sept. 21 – “Quincy” (Netflix): This documentary, co-directed by daughter Rashida Jones, profiles music and culture icon Quincy Jones, offering unprecedented access to his private life and stories from his unparalleled career. “Nappily Ever After” (Netflix): Sanaa Lathan, Ricky Whittle and Lynn Whitfield star in this Halle Berry produced adaptation of the best-selling novel by Trisha R. Thomas. “The Real” (Syn): Meghan Good and Jay Ellis, who will talk about his Lawrence character’s return on HBO’s “Insecure.”

Sept. 23 – “9-1-1” (Fox): The hottest day of the year is the backdrop of the two-night season premiere of the Angela Bassett-led, first-responder drama. “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (CNN): The final episodes filmed by the late host air beginning with tonight’s extended tour of Kenya with W. Kamau Bell of the network’s “United Shades of America.” “Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest” (DXD): The animated series returns with the two-part spinoff featuring the King of Wakanda and his popular sister, Shuri.

Sept. 24 – “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood” (VH1): “Ray J and Princess’ Labor of Love” is presented in this one-hour pregnancy special.

Sept. 25 – “Will Smith: The Jump” (YouTube): This live broadcast will follow the movie star as he celebrates his 50th birthday with a charity raising bungee jump from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon!

Sept. 26 – “Star” (Fox): Picks up three months later, as Star returns home from touring, and Alex and Simone’s fates are finally answered. “How To Get Away With Murder” (ABC): Annalise is back in the classroom after her big Supreme Court win as a startling flash forward introduces a new mystery. “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo): Naomi Campbell, Cuba Gooding Jr.

TASTY QUIP: “I don’t even believe in God, but I’m going to thank her tonight.” – THANDIE NEWTON while accepting an Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actress for “Westworld”

As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment newspaper columns on the West Coast, serving nearly one million weekly readers. To reach Bill Vaughan, send email to tastyclips@yahoo.com or via Twitter @tastyclips.

This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Wave.