There isn't much in terms of Thanksgiving themed horror and I know, cause I looked. One of the more well known (well, I guess) Thanksgiving horror films is 1972's Blood Freak, a "fowl" movie that I have never seen, but one I'm sure I would absolutely love. Dude is a total bawk-bawk-chicken-chicken-bawk-bawk-chicken head.One I had never heard of, but sounds like it would scare the "stuffing" out of me, is 1981's Thanksgiving set Slasher, Home Sweet Home. It's about a homicidal maniac that shows how thankful he is by "carving" a family during their Thanksgiving festivities. I couldn't find a trailer, but this clip and Body by fucking Jake says it all...
I also discovered the 2006 low-budget film, ThanXgiving: Dead Harvest. Movie looks pretty weak and the only thing going for it is Ari Lehman is one of the stars. He is the same jive ass turkey that played Jason Voorhees for 17 seconds and somehow has been able to make a career out of it.
Probably the best known out of all these movies is the one that isn't even a movie, but a faux trailer. Of course, I'm talking about Eli Roth's brilliant entry in the 2007 film Grindhouse, Thanksgiving. It's crazy how one trailer can get it so right, it looks like it was hand "plucked" out of the 80's Slasher/holiday craze. Make this movie, please!
Last, but certainly not least, we have 2009's ThanksKilling! An incredibly low-budget film that is a welcome addition to the very small Thanksgiving horror fold. I had recently heard of ThanksKilling and only a few days later, learned that it was available on NetFlix instant watch. It's barely over an hour, super cheap, but incredibly funny in a very on purpose way. Well worth your time this Thanksgiving...horror fans will be "gobbling" this one up!
Not a lot, but there is some Thanksgiving horror fun to be had. Now if only these films would air on cable...now that would be gravy.
I'm totally checking out that Instant Watch one come Thursday!
ReplyDeleteWow, so they do exist? Great list and thanks for this doing us readers, this solid.
They should totally make that Eli Roth one... if just for boobies.
You definitely should check out ThanksKilling, Ashlee! It's short and incredibly funny in a very tongue in check kind of way.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the budget of $3,500. they made a very entertaining film...better than I can say for most filmmakers!
Now, if we could only gather up a couple grand for Glutton...
Watching Thankskilling tonight! Definitely need more horror films of the turkey day variety. If I were to make one, I'd cast the dude from Silent Night, Deadly Night II and just have him walk door to door, entering people's houses and yell 'TURKEY DAAAAAY!' before capping them. It would be epic.
ReplyDeleteWow Matt. Now I don't have to do all that Thanksgiving themed horror research!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we will be seeing a lot of that Thankskilling trailer.
I posted the Roth Thanksgiving trailer last year...so classic.
I hope it was a help!
ReplyDeleteWith so little Thanksgiving horror, everyone is eating up ThanksKilling, but it is deserving of the love. There isn't much else to choose from, unfortunately.
Added ThanksKilling! to the queueueueue. Dylan is super excited about it. I think he may be putting it on now... seriously. He is.
ReplyDeleteI hope you guys love it...how can you not! You best come back and tell me what you two hoes thought about it!
ReplyDeleteIve been hearing really good things about Thankskilling, Johnny at FiS gives it two turkey legs up! Have BLOOD FREAK somewhere but still havent popped it in, thanks for the other heads upses, hadnt heard of any other TG films besides Roth's faux trailer
ReplyDeleteThanksKilling is a beak full of fun!
ReplyDeleteNo problem, Carl...Home Sweet Home looks pretty awesome too. I can't believe Body by Jack is in it! And Blood Freak is something else from what you see in the trailer...I think I always get that confused with Blood Feast.
I was lucky enough to catch Blood Freak as part of a double-feature [with Don't Go In the House] last spring at the Brattle. The trailer doesn't do the film any justice at all.
ReplyDeleteYou're just giving me all the more reason to watch Blood Freak! Must have been great on the big screen with an audience!
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