Early Buzz: 'Black Swan,' winter music, 'Dead' and more headlines
Cool stuff on DVD today: 'Parks,' Krofft, 'Space: 1999' and more

Today's Pop Five: starchild_83's fave zombie chase scenes

By Whitney Matheson, USA TODAY

The Pop Five is a series of Pop Candy readers' top five lists. Today's contribution comes from starchild_83:

As a longtime fan of the undead, I've seen so many different zombie stories thrown around in the movie world: Humorous zombies, zombie strippers, Nazi zombies, American zombies trying to live among the living … I think it's almost all been done. My favorite scenes in zombie movies are really great chase scenes. There's nothing like a well-executed chase scene that has me on the edge of my seat.

In honor of AMC's The Walking Dead, I give you my Pop Five Zombie Chase Scenes:

5. [REC] -- This Spanish film directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza is one of the best horror and foreign films I have seen in years. I chose this because I feel like the entire movie is a chase scene. The shaky camera work gives it a very authentic feel and the movie kept me terrified for days. There's a U.S. version of the film (Quarantine), but if you haven't seen the original, I highly suggest you do. It's a great ride!

4. Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead -- George Romero is the true founder of the zombie genre, but I believe Snyder really made his mark with this 2004 remake. This was an all-around great horror movie, but I really enjoyed one of the final chase scenes as the group flees for their lives while racing to a nearby pier. There's enough suspense to hold your attention even through the film's ending credits.

3. Shaun of the Dead -- Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's take on the zombie genre was a hilarious success. In the film, Shaun and his group are trying to seek shelter. They must pass a large group of zombies, so to blend in they do their best to portray the undead. The scene is just absolutely hilarious and one that will always be remembered.

2. Dead Alive -- Before Peter Jackson was well known for Lord of the Rings, he was also known for his horror comedies. Jackson's cult hit Dead Alive (also known as Braindead outside North America) is one of my all-time favorite horror movies. In it, the main character, Lionel, is fighting to survive among hordes of disgusting and oozing zombies. As he is finally surrounded, his only weapon to use is a lawnmower. This scene is so gory and grotesquely awesome that I really believe it helped pave the way for later directors.

1. 28 Weeks Later -- The 28 Days/Weeks films brought us a new kind of zombie: a faster and more aggressive zombie fueled by rage. I have always favored 28 Weeks Later, and much of that can be attributed to the first major chase scene in the movie. In this scene, a couple is forced to run for their lives in the countryside of England. They're put in a situation where one must choose to stay with the other who is surrounded by a swarm of zombies or run for his life. It's a question you must ask yourself: Do you choose love or life?

Do you have a list for the Pop Five? Send it to popcandy@usatoday.com, and look for it on the blog!
