Remember the Time (Short Film)

The video sets the new jack swing ballad in ancient Egypt, casting Michael as a magician summoned to amuse a bored pharaoh and his queen. Directed by John Singleton, fresh off Boyz n the Hood, it assembled a striking all-Black cast and treated the setting with grandeur rather than pastiche. The concept frames Michael as an entertainer who wins the queen's heart, wrapping the song's plea to remember a lost love inside a royal court drama complete with magic, romance, and a daring escape from the pharaoh's guards.

John Singleton directed the lavishly staged clip in 1992, with elaborate sets, costumes, and a cast that included Eddie Murphy as the pharaoh, supermodel Iman as the queen, and Magic Johnson among the court. The production leaned on scale and star power to match the album's ambition. Michael's entrance uses a dissolve effect, appearing from swirling sand, and his final vanishing act turns him into golden particles that scatter across the floor, a showcase of early-nineties visual tricks.

A restless pharaoh demands entertainment, and one performer after another fails to please him or his queen. Michael appears in a burst of magic and charms the court with dance and illusion. The queen is drawn to him, and the two share a forbidden moment. When the pharaoh discovers the affair, guards chase Michael through the palace. Cornered, he escapes the only way a magician can, dissolving into gold dust and slipping away.

The centerpiece is a sleek group routine performed before the throne, blending new jack swing's bounce with sharp, synchronized moves. Michael leads a crew of dancers in gliding, popping choreography suited to the song's rhythm. The number balances seductive control with showmanship, staged as a performance within the story for the watching royals.

The video was praised for centering Black beauty and talent in an epic historical setting rarely afforded such treatment. Its casting of major Black stars and its confident grandeur made it a landmark, and Singleton's involvement underscored how Michael's videos drew top film talent. The Egyptian imagery and its dance break remain fan favorites of the Dangerous era.