Spring 2007 saw a movie event of rare style dropping into theaters through the double feature extravaganza known as Grindhouse. Alongside two main attractions from Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino came a handful of fake trailers that promised movies like Machete, Don’t, and Thanksgiving. With co-writer/director Eli Roth promising that last title in the line as a full feature for over a decade, the wait is finally over as this pipe dream is now an upcoming movie that horror fans can actually look forward to.
Pitting the ever McDreamy Patrick Dempsey against this long awaited stalker, there's some fresh meat included with some leftover concepts from the original pitch. That much was seen as Sony recently unveiled this bountiful feast for the eyes, and it’s definitely a lot cleaner than the original Grindhouse variant promised. But don’t be fooled, as it still looks quite brutal and bloody, with scenes like the infamous trampoline kill still being present.
What we know about Thanksgiving is that it’s a slasher flick set during the titular November holiday. That’s a simple enough pitch, and considering it’s themed after one of the lesser-celebrated holidays among big screen fare, it’s a novel enough idea. Roth started working on the idea around 2010, but as anyone invested in this saga will tell you, the road to becoming an actual movie was not so smooth.
There has clearly been a bit of an evolution between the original “fake” trailer for Thanksgiving, and the ultra-crisp and modern version we see here. With the Grindhouse variant, Roth went for more of a sleazy old-school slasher vibe that felt more comfortable in the ‘70s. Using the grimy and beaten down celluloid aesthetic of film it was attached to, Michael Biehn played the role of the town sheriff, looking quite tough as nails in the process.
To get a better look at what I’m talking about, take a look at the original 2007 version of Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving. Though please note, it’s very NSFW, and you should take caution with where and how you watch:
Obviously, updating Thanksgiving means that a more modern audience can partake. That’s probably the same impetus that saw TikTok star Addison Rae cast in what looked like a fun set to shoot on. Rae’s photos of karaoke and other antics are certainly a sharp contrast from what we’ve seen above; though now I want to know if the actor behind the killer’s mask got in on that singing action.
Kicking over to the more serious side of things, that’s also a huge difference in what we’ve got to look forward to in this harvest of horror. Thanksgiving is no longer a winking and nodding sendup of the holiday killer genre; it’s now playing as a legitimate upcoming horror movie. Which kind of explains the awesome casting Suits and Hostel vet Rick Hoffman as a loving dad, monologuing the true reasons for the season, as we see images of frightful murder appear on screen.
Though Thanksgiving is taking itself more seriously, Eli Roth's passion project still has that wild spark running underneath its more polished form. Comparing the vibes of the finished film and its more retro flavored origins is going to be all the more interesting to behold once this mysterious pilgrim finally carves up its unfortunate victims in theaters. You can take your place at the table starting November 17th, but make sure to leave room for dessert; which will probably be a jump scare sequel tease, to be honest.
