Thanksgiving
Warning : This article contains SPOILERS for Thanksgiving(2023 ) .
Summary
While Eli Roth’sThanksgivingmight be based on a fake trailer , the slasher movie is filled with references to real horror classics and a few of the music genre ’s guilty pleasures . Director Eli Roth’sThanksgivingbegan as a fake trailer sandwich between Quentin Tarantino’sDeathProofand Robert Rodriguez’sPlanetTerrorin theGrindhousedouble flyer . An ambitious flop , Grindhouseaimed to recreate the exploitation movie esthetic of the ‘ LXX right down to the fathead trailersthat played between movies . To this end , Roth directed an anarchic trailer for a false slasher movie centered on Thanksgiving .
Although there are manydifferences between Roth ’s originalThanksgivingtrailerand the finished movie , the 2023 repugnance did keep a pile of the film director ’s musical theme intact . There is still a reference who ends up cooked like a Thanksgiving turkey , an unfortunate parade performer still gets behead while wearing a turkey costume , and the movie ’s sea wolf still dresses like a pilgrim . However , Thanksgiving ’s revulsion reference are not trammel to its manyGrindhousenods . Thanksgivingalso features sneaky references to a George A Romero classic , a famous John Carpenter slasher , a ‘ XC repulsion smasher , and even a relatively recent slasher remake .
11Halloween (1978)
Thanksgiving Starts With A John Carpenter Nod
The first repulsion movie citation inThanksgivingcomes as betimes as the movie ’s opening shot , which is a blatant nod to John Carpenter ’s 1978Halloween . A POV dig underscored by labored breathing , Thanksgiving ’s first shot is lifted fromHalloween ’s iconic opening episode . Ironically , Thanksgiving ’s first slasher court give away its killer , as the character convey the place of Michael Myers in this scene turn out to be the grampus . Patrick Dempsey ’s Sheriff Newlon seems harmless for most of the movie , but it is surd to trust him afterThanksgiving ’s openingHalloweenreference .
10Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Eli Roth References George A. Romero’s Zombie Classic Next
As if referencing one of the corking slasher movies ever inThanksgiving ’s porta shot is n’t challenging enough , Roth ’s movie doubles down with a nod to one of conductor George A Romero ’s iconic zombie movie . When Mitch arrives at work at the local superstore , he is horror-struck to divulge a huge gang of braying shopper prove to get inside . The crowd shortly becomes a stampede as the craze shoppers attempt to break down the glass doors to get at the discounted merchandise . The shot that testify the gang pressed against the glassrecreates an iconic vista fromDawn of the Deadwherein zombies finally fall apart into the promenade .
9Maniac (1980)
An Early Thanksgiving Kill Recreates An Obscure ’80s Slasher
WhileThanksgiving ’s killer revealproves that the murderer is a calculate , methodical planner , his first kill owe something to one of cinema ’s more crazy slasher scoundrel . Thanksgiving ’s slasher kills a security guard by wrapping piano telegram around his neck and tugging , cleanly decapitating the support case in the process . The kill hollo to bear in mind an early scene in director William Lustig ’s infamousManiac , a much messy , more naturalistic murder sequence with limited effects by the legendary Tom Savini .
8Cutting Class (1989)
Thanksgiving’s Trampoline Killing Has An ’80s Inspiration
1989’sCutting Classis not a particularly famous slasher and most motion-picture show buffs only experience this satiric revulsion as one of Brad Pitt ’s earliest cover roles . However , theunderrated horror movie also inspired one ofThanksgiving ’s most brutal deaths : the trampoline killing . In a sanitised take on the nastiest death featured inRoth ’s originalThanksgivingtrailer , the killer stabs a cheerleader through a trampoline as she performs a athletic routine . Cutting Classsaw the same destiny befall a male dupe eld earlier .
7I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
This Classic ’90s Slasher Influenced Thanksgiving’s Parade Scene
In a nod toI eff What You Did Last Summer ’s most intense rigid small-arm , the heroes ofThanksgivingare squeeze to take part in a town parade while they are stalked by the masked murderer . The panorama where Jessica and Scuba hunt for the killer among the townspeople is particularly reminiscent of this classic ‘ 90s slasher , even though the sequence ends very differently inThanksgiving . what is more , the fact that the radical of friends is targeted by a mystical killer because of their involvement in a tragedy a twelvemonth earlier also owes a debt toI Know What You Did Last Summer .
6The Car (1977)
Roth Brings Back A Forgotten B-Movie
1977’sThe Caris an obscure horror about a seemingly haunted gondola wreaking havoc on a small townsfolk . As such , it is reasonably surprising thatThanksgivingincludes a nod to this lesser - known genre outing . However , thecar automobile horn try during the parade scene is a all in ringer for the eponymous car ’s recognizable tune .
5Rec (2007)
This Found Footage Zombie Movie Is Referenced In Kathleen’s Escape
AlthoughThanksgivingkeeps an unfortunate 2023 slasher trend aliveby kill off just a few of its master characters , the cast members that do croak get some undeniably memorable deaths . Arguably the worst of these is Karen Cliche ’s Kathleen , who is trussed up like a turkey while unconscious as the killer gear up to roast her live . Kathleen almost escapes his lair , running out the front threshold before the killer drags her back inside ina frivol away that echoes the brutally bleak close of 2007 ’s establish footage horrorRec .
4The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
An Art Horror Influenced Thanksgiving’s Most Shocking Death
Director Peter Greenaway’sThe Cook , the Thief , His Wife & Her Loveris a touch more highbrow than many of the moviesThanksgivingreferences , but it still qualifies as a repulsion thanks to its oppressively sinister tone and shameful finale . It is that infamous finale that is cite inThanksgiving ’s closing scenes . Kathleen ’s prepare corpse is wheel out in front of her family unit at a dinner table , mirror the last shot ofThe Cook , the Thief , His Wife & Her Lover ’s grim revenge story .
3Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
The Killer’s Table Was Set By This ’80s Horror
While Roth ’s movie might already be one ofthe scariestThanksgivinghorror movies ever , it is far from the only holiday slasher . There ’s the aforementionedHalloween , Black Christmas , and evenHappy Birthday to Me . This 1981 slasher is an obvious influence for the director ofThanksgiving , judging by the picture show ’s big reveal , which features dead theatrical role arranged around a dinner party table much like the ghastly tableau vivant fromHappy Birthday to Me ’s closing minute .
2My Bloody Valentine (1981)/My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)
A Classic Slasher And Its Remake Inspired Thanksgiving’s Ending
2009 ’s underratedMy Bloody Valentine 3Dis a depressed , tight slasher remake that arguably owes its existence to Roth helping repopularize R - rat horror in the mid-2000s . As such , it is match thatThanksgiving ’s ending referencesMy Bloody Valentine 3Dwith one twist . The revelation that the movie ’s copper character is get an liaison is rise from the remake , while the reveal that a jilted , crazed ex - buff is the killer is borrowed from the original 1981 slasher .
