Aliens, zombies try to break 'Thriller' record

[September 08, 2009]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- It wasn't under the moonlight, and it wasn't quite the funk of 40,000 years. But 900 zombies, aliens and Star Wars Stormtroopers boogeying to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" might be a sight that almost stops your heart.

The masquerade of sci-fi faithful performed Michael Jackson's signature "Thriller" music video dance routine on Sunday. And if officials approve, they will have set a new Guinness World Record.

The crowd turned out in a downtown Atlanta hotel ballroom during Dragon Con, which is billed as the country's largest convention dedicated to science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics and more.

The iconic video played on a huge video screen as a Jackson lookalike channeled the pop star in red jeans, a red leather jacket, and white socks and black penny loafers.

The current record was set in May by a group of 242 College of William & Mary students who performed the routine in Williamsburg, Va., according to Guinness World Records.

Dragon Con special events director Mandy Collier expects a decision this week on whether a record was set.

More than 12,000 people claimed they broke the record in front of Mexico City's Monument of the Revolution on Aug. 29, which would have been Jackson's 51st birthday.

However, the record was not accepted by Guinness.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com/

[Associated Press]

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