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Gore and gravy: Terrifying Thanksgiving horror films to stream now

Count your blessings you'll never run into these serial killers, Satanic turkeys and creepy ghosts. Many of these horror films are available to stream now.

Bonnie Burton
Journalist Bonnie Burton writes about movies, TV shows, comics, science and robots. She is the author of the books Live or Die: Survival Hacks, Wizarding World: Movie Magic Amazing Artifacts, The Star Wars Craft Book, Girls Against Girls, Draw Star Wars, Planets in Peril and more! E-mail Bonnie.
Bonnie Burton
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1 of 14 Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

Pilgrim (2019)

When a woman invites historical pilgrim re-enactors to stay with her family over Thanksgiving, things turn deadly. In Pilgrim, we learn there might be such a thing as too much gratitude. 

Available on Hulu.

Watch trailer

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2 of 14 Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

The Oath (2018)

The Oath is a Thanksgiving horror-comedy about a family that can't gather for a festive holiday meal without getting in a huge argument. The movie's plot revolves around the US government forcing every American to sign a loyalty oath by Black Friday. At Thanksgiving, the family finds one family member refuses to sign the oath. When two government agents show up at the house and question Chris about his resistance, things get both violent and comical. This movie is an entertaining reminder to not discuss politics at the dinner table.

Available on Hulu.

Watch the trailer. 

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Eli Roth's Thanksgiving (2007)

Director Eli Roth's Thanksgiving is the fourth fake trailer out of five that was included in the directors Quentin Tarantino's and Robert Rodriguez's 2007 double-feature, Grindhouse. The trailer focuses on the insane serial murderer known as The Pilgrim who goes on a killing spree on Thanksgiving to get his revenge on his family. Sadly, the trailer is for a movie that doesn't exist even though fans wish it did. The trailer is inspired by the classic horror films Halloween, April Fools' Day and My Bloody Valentine.

Watch the full trailer on YouTube. 

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4 of 14 Lionsgate

Séance (2006)

In Séance, five college students spend the Thanksgiving holiday in their dorm. They're bored so they decide to hold a seance, which, of course, leads to very bad things. 

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch the trailer.

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Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead isn't your typical Thanksgiving-themed horror film. Made by Troma Films -- best known for its indie creature feature film Toxic Avenger -- Poultrygeist mixes gore and comedy to tell a bizarre tale about zombie chickens on the loose. It takes place at a fictional New Jersey fast food restaurant that happens to be built on a sacred Native American burial ground. Deadly hijinks ensue. 

Available on Google Play.

Watch the trailer. 

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Boogeyman (2005)

In Boogeyman, a man named Tim Jensen is stalked during Thanksgiving by the eerie entity that haunted his childhood and killed his father. When he returns to the mental hospital where he was placed as a child, he discovers the same monster attacking patients. Everyone who gets close to Tim, including his girlfriend, is at risk. The movie did well enough to spawn two more sequels. 

Watch trailer.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

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7 of 14 Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

ThanksKilling (2009)

Before you carve that Thanksgiving turkey, just remember that your hunger could be punished by a rogue turkey fueled by a supernatural spell. In ThanksKilling, students are hunted by a demonic turkey during Thanksgiving break. This movie is very low-budget and has more shock value than horror. But there's something fun about watching a bloody puppet of an evil turkey chase down humans with a chainsaw.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch trailer.

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ThanksKilling 3 (2012)

There is no actual ThanksKilling 2, but this movie serves as a sequel. Not that we needed another film about a psychotic turkey that goes on a murder spree, it just wouldn't feel like Thanksgiving until we saw this foul fowl offend everyone in the movie. This film is even campier than the original ThanksKilling, with more gore and even more puppets.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch trailer.

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Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998)

No one likes uninvited guests to Thanksgiving dinner, especially when they happen to be extraterrestrial creatures planning on abducting various family members before you can enjoy dessert. In Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County an unsuspecting family celebrating Thanksgiving is terrorized by aliens. Even though the movie's production values are low, it still has plenty of eerie moments.

Available on YouTube.

Watch trailer.

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Blood Rage (1983/87)

Twins are already a creepy staple in the horror film genre. In Blood Rage, a psychopath goes on a homicidal rampage after his twin brother (whom he framed for murder years earlier) escapes from a mental institution on Thanksgiving day. This is the perfect movie to watch with any siblings who might take you for granted.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch trailer.

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Home Sweet Home (1981)

In Home Sweet Home, an escaped mental patient embarks on a killing spree over Thanksgiving weekend, focusing his murderous attentions on a family that lives on an isolated ranch. The movie is clearly a low-budget slasher movie with more than one bizarre death scene including fatally shocking a Kiss fan with his own guitar.

Watch trailer.

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Blood Freak (1972)

The classic horror film Blood Freak isn't exactly Thanksgiving-related, but the main character does eat a turkey dosed with experimental drugs and then becomes a drug-addicted killer with a craving for the blood of drug addicts. If that's not creepy enough for you, his head also turns into a papier-mache turkey head.

Watch trailer.

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Kristy (2014)

Spending Thanksgiving break by yourself can be a drag, especially when you're spending it alone on a college campus while a gang of sadistic killers decides to hunt you down. In Kristy, a college girl who can't afford to fly home stays on campus only to find out she's being targeted by a group of outsiders who murder girls then upload the videos to a website. But just when things seem to be at their worst, she fights back. Think of this like "Home Alone" but with a lot more blood.

Watch trailer.

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14 of 14 Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

ThanXgiving (2006)

When a couple getting ready to eat ThanXgiving dinner is interrupted by what seems to be a harmless young man, they invite him in only to discover he's in fact a sadistic serial killer. The movie ThanXgiving proves that being nice to strangers on a holiday doesn't always pay off karmically.

Read more on IMDB.

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