Est. 1998
After the fan outcry following the controversial 4K release last July, the Michael Jackson Estate has quietly replaced the upscaled version of the “Black or White” short film on YouTube. The new upload appears to address the complaints leveled at the previous version.
The initial 4K AI upscale caused a significant uproar with MJ fans. While the resolution was boosted, the release used a censored version, where key moments of Michael’s “panther dance” sequence, specifically the more sexually charged choreography and the famous zipper scene, had been edited out. At the time, the Estate cited an “erroneously labeled” master tape as the culprit, but fans feared the censorship was a permanent revision of history.
Today’s re-upload puts those fears to rest. The new 4K version fully restores the panther sequence to its raw, unadulterated glory. Michael’s complete choreography, including the zipper is back, preserving the intense energy that made the 1991 premiere a global television event.
Perhaps most significantly, this version aligns with Michael’s original artistic intent regarding the violence in the film. The digitally added racist graffiti on the car windows and store fronts, which was superimposed in later broadcast versions to “justify” Michael’s destruction of property to nervous television networks, has been completely removed. This removes the “contextual apology” that was forced upon the video in the 90s, returning the focus to Michael’s pure, interpretative expression of frustration and power.
While the video remains an AI upscale rather than a native 35mm film scan, the correction of the content is a massive victory for preservationists. By removing the network-mandated censorship and the graffiti overlays, the Estate has finally given fans the version of “Black or White” that Michael Jackson intended the world to see.
