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Thriller Of A Night
Zombies roamed Battery Park City one night last month, and the police paid no attention. Some even smiled. Luckily, the undead were not looking for human flesh, but instead, a good time.
Besides the screening itself, held in the North Cove, the most popular event of the night were the contestants from Bravo’s television series “Stand Up and Dance,” who were “zombified” by members of the group NYC Zombie Crawl. In costume, the performers re-created the famous dancing from the video. One of the zombie crawl makeup artists, Autumn Eget, a 20-year old with a squirt bottle of blood and a homemade “I Heart Zombies” t-shirt, traveled from Philadelphia for the event. With a realistic scar on her neck, sickly green skin and dark sunken eyes, she offered passersby a squirt of blood.
She had no takers on the blood though. “All our blood is edible,” she explained, holding up the red maple syrup-flavored concoction. “Zombies love blood.” The dancers were introduced by “Step Up and Dance” judge and original “Thriller” zombie Vince Patterson. The crowd roared as that famous beat pounded the outdoor theater and the dancers lurched and jerked to the music. Patterson led the crew through a couple of steps, explaining each move so the crowd could follow along. The audience also got into the act with free face painting and make-your-own glittery gloves.
Their mother, Nicole, said of course she knew the “king of pop.” “It was my generation,” she said. “I dragged them here. They’re having a great time.” Sporting a freshly glittered cotton glove, Chicagoan Patti Scheibel and her friend Leah Morgan, a Tribeca resident, posed for a picture with Scheibel’s iPhone. “As soon as we found out [about the screening] we came down,” Scheibel said. “I love the drive-in,” Morgan agreed. Also mugging for the cameras were two Michael Jackson impersonators who travel (separately) to events celebrating the singer. Jose Martinez wore a white hat and white suit reminiscent of the clothes Jackson wore in the “Smooth Criminal” video. It was a 2001 performance that convinced Martinez to impersonate the singer. “After that show, that was it,” he explained. He learned to dress and dance like the singer. What dance move was the hardest to learn? “I’d say definitely the moonwalk,” Martinez said. A few feet away, Pete Carter, from New Jersey, said he has met Jackson six times. “He’s one of the nicest, most generous guys ever,” Carter said.
“I’ve been doing this since I was 8 years old,” he explained. “It takes a lot of time and dedication.” Once the sun set, people started filling the seats, ready for “Thriller.” Landis, with his signature beard and glasses, was on hand to introduce the films. What is it like for him seeing his work after 25 years? “Showing the making of “Thriller” is like my Dorian Gray,” he said, alluding to the fictional character whose painting ages as the character it depicts stays young. Just then, a younger, thinner, darker headed man with the same smile and explosive energy appeared on the screen, and Landis, one of the masters of horror, managed to spook himself. “It’s creepy,” he said.
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