Let's Fry This Turkey
This blog is going to be tricky to write. I have had 2 people ask me how Thanksgiving was but, it’s so tricky answer this question. For someone with my tastes, the answer is one thing. For the general moviegoer, the answer is another. Perhaps writing my thoughts down on Thanksgiving will help me to decide how I want to answer that question. Anyway, you know I’m on board to at least try a holiday-themed slasher movie. Shout out to my boi R5-D4 – I know you would have tagged along without question. Instead, though, I took my wife on a date night. I’m still not sure why she married me much less stayed with me for as long as she has. Let’s get the grease ready and fry this turkey!
Thanksgiving Was a Balancing Act
Anyone who watches slasher movies knows that there is always an element of ridiculousness with this genre. Someone always trips, the killer never runs and never dies, and people hide in toolsheds – we’ve all made and heard the jokes. No one seriously goes to see a slasher movie for a documentary. Now, factor in that the movie is holiday-themed, and you have a new level of potential for goofiness and stupidity. Eli Roth must work for Barnum and Bailey because the man can juggle. Not bowling pins or balls but silliness and seriousness – Thanksgiving balanced both very well!
The other Thanksgiving slasher movie that comes to mind is Thankskilling. You can read a blog I wrote on this one here. Thankskilling is way more a comedy than a horror movie intentionally. Thanksgiving was in no way trying to be a comedy but, comedy was peppered in and done so perfectly. There were crafty jokes made around holiday sayings. For instance, “half off” was made following a woman being cut in half. Also, the killer, who wore a pilgrim mask, made the comment that this Thanksgiving there would “Be No Leftovers.” Some more from the pepper shaker was a young lady being stabbed in the ears with corn on the cob holders. You know that would screw your equilibrium up.
Thanksgiving Pays Homage to Another Great Horror Series
Shake off the vertigo and let’s get serious. A slasher movie, at least early on, that I consider to have some realism to it was Halloween. I get it, Michael Myers would have died the first time Loomis shot him 6 times but, there really wasn’t any comedy intended in Halloween. Thanksgiving pays homage to this classic in a couple of ways. First, the iconic clothing line scene was recreated in Thanksgiving. I think it was Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers where everyone was dressed as Michael. Secondly, in Thanksgiving, this takes place too. The killer wears a pilgrim mask themed after the person who founded the town. Because it takes place around the holiday, everyone in town is wearing this mask. Of course, this makes it tricky at times for law enforcement to decide who’s the bad guy.
The scene where we see the most of this is the downtown parade. One of my favorite parts of the movie was this scene because it took me back in time. Growing up in the small town of Belton, SC, we had holiday parades for Christmas. Local schools, dance studios, and churches would have floats and drive down main street as the townspeople watched and collected candy tossed at them. I remember watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television at my grandmother’s house. The giant balloons were impressive to me. Thanksgiving has a downtown parade complete with some large balloons. In the crowd, people are wearing the pilgrim mask. No Thanksgiving Day parade would be complete without someone in a turkey costume. Thanksgiving has one in their parade. The poor turkey is decapitated adding to some more of that silliness peppered in the movie.
Gore of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was complete with goofy semirealistic gore. When our turkey gets decapitated in the town square, it’s like they had a hose pipe spraying blood or running blood I should say. It wasn’t like the blood spray dance scene in Hobo With a Shotgun but, more of a running water-type effect. At another point, a lady’s face is stuck against a freezer door and then pulled off the door. Yes, just like in A Christmas Story except it’s her hand and cheek with no teacher to help. There is an axe though. Have you ever seen anyone get scalped by a shopping cart, or as we say in South Carolina, a buggy? Watch Thanksgiving and you will.
Thanksgiving & 2 Sides of Society
Thanksgiving was a little unique in that it throws you right in and you don’t even see the title come up until maybe 10 minutes into the movie. During that opening 10 minutes, you see 2 different and very real sides of society. One side owns a local store and is affected by Black Friday sales by their bank account growing. The other side of society works for the first family. The representative of side two must leave his family gathering to work at the store. Right Mart, or whatever it’s called, is representative of Walmart and is overrun by Black Friday shoppers. I’ve never participated in this experience before but, Thanksgiving shows it as I imagine it. Doors are broken, people are fighting, people are trampled, and some are even killed. The sales are over as the title “Thanksgiving” appears. Now, we’re into this holiday slasher movie officially.
Thanksgiving's Trampoline Scene
Of all the horror I’ve seen, I don’t recall any involving a trampoline. Thanksgiving took this backyard entertainment to a whole new world of danger. Once, my daughter scorpioned off ours and it went to the dump that weekend. I watched it happen too so, I still don’t like to think about it. Of course, if I would have had the safety net on, it would have helped. No safety net in the world helps when you’re landing in splits, etc. to impress your boyfriend, and a knife blade is presented through the mat. You bounce, bounce, bounce on that knife blade – wow, that was creative! This scene itself comes with history though. I’m ashamed of myself that I had no idea that this was another teaser trailer made movie from Grindhouse. According to what I read the trampoline scene was featured in the teaser with some differences from Thanksgiving.
Wash the Dishes - There Will Be No Leftovers This Year
Was Thanksgiving scary? Yes, but in a jump-scare way and not a Smile way. There were quite a few decent jump-scares too. I enjoyed watching Thanksgiving with my wife because the scares got her which made the experience more fun. Was Thanksgiving well written and directed, yes. The plot was great to be what it was. Often these holiday-themed movies have terrible plots but, not in the case of Thanksgiving. Throughout the film, you think you have the killer spotted or at least narrowed down to one or two people. For me at least, when you find out who it really is, it catches you off guard. This wasn’t the only way in which Thanksgiving caught me off-guard though.
In all honesty, the closing credits of Thanksgiving were one of my favorite parts. Not in any way because I was glad the movie was over but, because of how uniquely they were done. Scenes from the movie were recreated as 3 color vector drawings. These cycled through while “Where Eagles Dare” by The Misfits played. I’m sure there are more fans out there of this movie. What are your thoughts? What did you like or dislike? Did the trampoline scene surprise anyone else? I’d love to talk about this movie in the comments. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I would be thankful if you would check out my artwork and photography here. You can read more of my blogs here and follow me on all social media here. All likes, shares, subs, and follows are appreciated.