Horror movies and holidays go together well, and numerous producers and filmmakers have tried to capitalize on the success of Halloween, Friday the 13th, and other holiday-themed fright flicks. Many fans have favorite movies inspired by Halloween and Christmas, but when it comes to Thanksgiving, there just are not many options. However, here are a couple of films for horror fans to watch this year after eating turkey and giving thanks.
Home Sweet Home (1981)
A slasher movie released toward the beginning of the slasher peak, this is the epitome of bad 80s horror cheese. Jake Steinfeld (of Body by Jake fame) plays a crazed killer who stumbles upon some friends who have gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving. The acting is exactly what you would expect here, and the lighting and dialogue are even worse.
The movie is also kind of fun at times, though. There is a mime who runs around playing a loud guitar, yelling things like “Rock and roll forever!” The characters apparently do not believe in car maintenance, for every vehicle available is either out of gas or has a substandard battery, which provides some unintentional humor. Finally, and most importantly, the body count is high enough to keep things entertaining.
This is not a film for the casual horror fan, but if you love early-80s slasher movies, then you have surely sat through worse.
ThanksKilling (2009)
If you’re looking for something a little different this holiday season, this might be the movie for you. I have watched many horror movies and can honestly say that this is the first film I’ve seen that features a possessed killer turkey. Furthermore, our turkey is quite the comedian, with one-liners that Freddy Krueger would appreciate. “That’s what I call fowl play” and “I always come back for seconds” are just a couple of the Thanksgiving-themed jokes used.
This movie uses the familiar “college kids on break” premise, and, once again, a disabled vehicle strands the protagonists and gets the story going. Soon enough, the turkey shows up, follows the kids home, and begins killing them and their parents.
This is obviously not a serious horror movie and it was made on a very low budget. Still, the jokes usually work and there are some inventive kills. My favorite scene is when the turkey, dressed as a man, has a conversation with a man who is wearing a turkey costume.
These two movies will not appeal to everyone, but horror fans may like them. This Thanksgiving, when you get tired of parades and football, watching these films could be a fun way to end your day.