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When many people think of Thanksgiving, they imagine warm, cozy images of family gatherings, platters of turkey and the sweet scent of pumpkin pie. However, for some movie lovers, the holiday season isn’t complete without a little bit of dread. Christmas and Halloween may get all the glory when it comes to holiday horror, but Thanksgiving has its own dark and twisted corner of the genre. Forget the parade and the football game — this year, carve into eight of the best Thanksgiving horror films.
8. Thanksgiving (2023)
What started as a cult-favorite fake trailer in the 2007 film “Grindhouse” finally became a full-fledged feature. Directed by Eli Roth, the film unleashes a mysterious killer, dressed as Pilgrim John Carver, on the residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The story transforms the holiday’s iconography, turning parade floats and festive dinner tables into scenes of elaborate, gruesome horror. It’s a modern slasher that delivers on a decade and a half of fan anticipation.
7. ThanksKilling (2008)
If you’re looking for an intentionally absurd film, add “ThanksKilling” to your list. It’s a low-budget horror-comedy about a demonic turkey brought back to life by a cursed totem. Voicing crude one-liners, the killer fowl, Turkie, hunts a group of college students on their way home for the holiday. It’s a film that leans into its own ridiculousness, offering a viewing experience that is more comical than scary.
6. Black Friday (2021)
Set during the chaotic peak of the holiday shopping season, this horror-comedy is set in a toy store on Black Friday night. A group of disgruntled employees must band together when a parasitic alien organism crashes to Earth, turning shoppers into monstrous creatures. This Black Friday horror movie blends sci-fi body horror with a sharp critique of Black Friday’s toxic consumerism, all while a reluctant hero, played by Bruce Campbell, tries to survive the night.
5. Pilgrim (2019)
“Pilgrim” explores what happens when historical reenactment goes too far. In an effort to teach her family about gratitude, a mother invites a group of actors who specialize in immersive Pilgrim-era experiences into her home for Thanksgiving. However, the actors’ commitment to their roles soon shifts from peculiar to menacing, trapping the family in a terrifying performance in which the lines between play and reality disappear.
4. Home Sweet Home (1981)
An early entry into the ’80s slasher genre, “Home Sweet Home” follows an escaped mental patient who goes on a killing spree. After stealing a station wagon, he finds his way to a remote ranch where a family and their friends have gathered for Thanksgiving dinner. The killer brutally terrorizes the group, making this film a raw example of the classic slasher formula.
3. Blood Rage (1987)
This 1987 slasher is infamous for its gory effects and twisted premise. The story centers on a pair of twins, Todd and Terry. As a child, Terry frames his brother for a brutal murder, and Todd is institutionalized. Years later, on Thanksgiving, Todd escapes, and the real killer, Terry, uses his brother’s return as a cover to begin a new killing spree.
2. Kristy (2014)
“Kristy” taps into the fear of being alone and hunted. A college student named Justine is one of the few people left on a sprawling, empty campus during Thanksgiving break. Her isolation is shattered when she becomes the next victim in a twisted, ritualistic game. The film is a tense cat-and-mouse chase that builds in suspense. You’re sure to get an adrenaline rush from watching the movie, but luckily, there are benefits to adrenaline rushes, like psychological fulfillment and personal growth.
1. Boogeyman (2005)
This film uses the Thanksgiving holiday as a backdrop for confronting childhood trauma. A young man, Tim, is forced to return to his family home for Thanksgiving, a place he has avoided for years. He is still haunted by the belief that the Boogeyman took his father when he was a child. Back in his childhood bedroom, he must finally face the supernatural entity that has terrified him his entire life.
How to Host a Friendsgiving Horror Movie Night
Hosting a Thanksgiving-themed horror movie marathon is the perfect way to de-stress from the holiday season and create a new, thrilling tradition with your friends. Here’s how to plan a killer party.
- Make it a potluck: Ask guests to bring a spooky, Thanksgiving-themed dish to share. You could provide the main course, a “slashed” turkey, and have friends bring sides, like “Bloody Cranberry Relish” or a classic “Pumpkin Gut Pie.” Remember to get plenty of plates and utensils for everyone.
- Make on-theme drinks: Create a large batch of “The Pilgrim’s Punch” with dark rum, cranberry juice, and a garnish of orange slices and star anise. For a non-alcoholic option, a cauldron of hot, spiced apple cider works well.
- Create the perfect atmosphere: Use candles to create the dim lighting of a movie theater, and drape cobwebs on furniture. If you live in a warmer climate, you can even host your movie night outdoors and make nature the backdrop.
- Curate the right pre-movie playlist: Create a playlist that mixes iconic horror movie scores, gothic rock classics and unsettling ambient tracks to create a subtle sense of dread before the movies even begin.
- Perfect your viewing order for a marathon: Consider starting with a campy film like “ThanksKilling” to get everyone laughing. Follow it with a classic slasher like “Blood Rage,” and then finish the night with a tense film like “Kristy” to send everyone home with a chill down their spine.
- Have guests vote on their favorite feature: You can create categories on ballots like “Best Kill,” “Cheesiest One-Liner” or “Film Most Likely to Cause Nightmares.” Award a small prize to the winner, like a cheap horror DVD or a turkey-shaped trophy.
Carving Up a New Holiday Tradition
From the delightfully campy to the genuinely unsettling, this list of Thanksgiving horror movies proves that the specter of fear can haunt any holiday. Whether you’re looking for a way to slice through the holiday stress or just want to swap out the football game for something with a bit more bite, there’s a Thanksgiving horror film waiting for you. So gather your friends, cook up some themed snacks and settle in for a scary movie night.
