Why Aren’t There More Thanksgiving Horror Movies?

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As someone who grew up watching the classics like “Grindhouse” and its faux trailers, I can confidently say that Eli Roth’s adaptation of his passion project, “Thanksgiving“, was a long-awaited breath of fresh air in the horror genre. The film, released in 2023, not only offered a unique spin on a beloved holiday but also showcased some exceptional performances from its cast.

Back in 2007, when Grindhouse was initially released, those who attended the theater were treated to some satirical movie previews. One of these trailers, titled Machete, eventually transformed into a real film and even received a sequel, Machete Kills, known for being one of the most absurd movies to grace (and then depart from) cinemas. Similarly, following in Robert Rodriguez’s footsteps, Eli Roth brought his project, Thanksgiving, to life in 2023.

This horror movie garnered exceptional praise for its unique style, mood, and acting by the cast. It also performed financially well, but it sparked a question that the original teaser trailer posed: Why aren’t there more Thanksgiving-themed horror films? Since the 1970s, Christmas has seen numerous holiday-themed horror movies attempting to cash in on the festivities. For example, Black Christmas, Christmas Evil, Gremlins, the highly debated Silent Night, Deadly Night, Elves, Hardware, The Gingerdead Man, Santa’s Slay, Krampus, and two reinterpretations of Black Christmas.

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Only about half of all Christmas-themed scary movies are included in that list. It makes sense why horror films are popular around Halloween, given its spooky associations. However, it may seem surprising that many horror films are made during Christmas, a holiday known for love and family gatherings.

Thanksgiving essentially has the same purpose as Christmas, but with the added spin of, well, thankfulness. And, yet, up until Roth’s faux trailer, there was really just the little-seen Blood Rage (which isn’t easy to find but is worth checking out for slasher fans), a slew of direct-to-video movies that were acknowledged even less than Blood Rage, and 2005’s awful Boogeyman. That dearth of Thanksgiving-themed horror content didn’t really change in between 2007 and 2023, either.

During that 16-year period, only two films – “ThanksKilling” in 2009 and “Escape Room” in 2019 – were related to holidays, but it was a different story for Halloween and Christmas movie enthusiasts. In this span, fans of Halloween-themed horror movies were treated to multiple offerings such as Rob Zombie’s two Michael Myers films, David Gordon Green’s trilogy featuring Michael Myers, “Trick ‘r Treat,” an anthology film titled “All Hallows’ Eve” centered around Art the Clown, its sequel, two “Terrifier” movies, and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” For Christmas enthusiasts, there were films like “Wind Chill,” “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale,” a remake of “Silent Night, Deadly Night,” the popular “Krampus,” “Better Watch Out,” “Anna and the Apocalypse,” and the low-budget film “The Mean One.

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Essentially, Roth has crafted the one IP that actually directly incorporates Thanksgiving into both the plot and the scares. It’s impressive he could turn a brief faux trailer into a solid and successful feature film, but the question still exists why more studios, big or small, don’t try to capitalize on the beloved holiday. Thanksgiving has even been shorted when it comes to comedy, with the most notable example being Planes, Trains and Automobiles (which, for Steve Martin’s Neal Page, at least, does in and of itself function as a horror tale).

In the current era, the horror genre seems to be thriving more than ever before, outperforming even superhero films at the box office. So, why not enrich it with elements like gobbling turkeys and cranberry sauce? The fact is, traditional Christmas and Halloween symbols align better with the genre. Jack-o’-lanterns are terrifying, an elderly bearded man sneaking into your house in the middle of the night with a large bag – also scary. But a clumsy bird like a turkey doesn’t evoke fear. It takes a skilled horror maestro like Roth to make such themes work wonders, and it appears fans will have to look forward to his announced Thanksgiving sequel for more pilgrim-themed mayhem.

For fans of Thanksgiving-themed horror, there’s some comfort in knowing they haven’t been as overlooked as their counterparts who enjoy Easter-themed horror. While movies like Critters 2: The Main Course feature an Easter Bunny character being menaced by a toothy, furry alien creature, it’s important to note that the Critters series is more about science fiction comedy than genuine horror. At present, the most terrifying Easter movie available might be one where you have nightmares about choking on a plastic Easter egg.

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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2024-11-18 04:39