The horror movie most explicitly and widely recognized as being based on Thanksgiving is ThanksKilling (2008). This low-budget slasher film centers around a demonic, wisecracking turkey named Turkie who goes on a murderous rampage against a group of college students returning home for the holiday.
While ThanksKilling is arguably the most direct and well-known example due to its title and overt theme, several other horror films utilize Thanksgiving as a central element or backdrop for their terrifying tales.
Prominent Thanksgiving-Themed Horror Films
Beyond ThanksKilling, other notable films directly incorporating the holiday include:
- ThanksKilling (2008): A campy, independent horror film about an evil turkey killing college students during Thanksgiving break.
- Runtime: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- ThanksKilling 3 (2012): The sequel to the 2008 cult hit, continuing the bizarre antics of Turkie.
- Runtime: 1 hour, 39 minutes
- Blood Rage (1987): Originally released as Nightmare at Shadow Woods, this slasher film takes place on Thanksgiving, where a deranged twin escapes an asylum and goes on a killing spree.
- Runtime: 1 hour, 22 minutes
- Home Sweet Home (1981): This slasher also unfolds during the Thanksgiving holiday, as an escaped mental patient terrorizes a family.
- Runtime: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Other Horror Films with Thanksgiving Connections
The genre of "Thanksgiving Horror" extends beyond films with explicit holiday titles to include those where the holiday serves as a significant setting or plot point. Here are a few more from the broader category:
| Movie Title | Year | Runtime | Brief Thanksgiving Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead | 2006 | 1 hour, 43 minutes | A horror-comedy with a strong poultry theme, fitting for Thanksgiving despite not being explicit. |
| Grindhouse | 2007 | 3 hours, 11 minutes | Features a fake trailer by Eli Roth titled "Thanksgiving," depicting a slasher based on the holiday. |
| Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County | 1998 | 1 hour, 33 minutes | A found-footage film that captures a family's horrifying encounter with aliens during a Thanksgiving getaway. |
| Kristy | 2014 | 1 hour, 26 minutes | A college student stays alone on campus during Thanksgiving break and becomes the target of a violent gang. |
This diverse collection demonstrates that while ThanksKilling stands out for its direct approach, the spirit of Thanksgiving has inspired various terrifying cinematic experiences.
