When I started looking for Thanksgiving movies, I was surprised at how few there actually were compared to how many I thought there would be. I had already seen the likes of Thankskilling and Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving and wanted something new. Then I saw Blood Rage from 1987. All I knew of the movie was it’s infamous “That’s not cranberry sauce” line. Now it was time to see just how 80s holiday this could get.
A boy kills a man and accuses his twin brother of the murder, and the innocent brother ends up institutionalized, while his psychotic twin goes free. 10 years later, the innocent twin escapes, which triggers his brother into killing again.
Blood Rage, IMDB
First let me say that YouTube really came through with the “streaming.” I was surprised I couldn’t find it anywhere else (for free, at least), but found someone had uploaded it a few years ago. That said, I’m not sure how cut up it was from how it would be on an actual streaming app — remember this for later.
In true 80s fashion, Blood Rage ups the camp, downs the plot, and ups the blood even more. The story was way unbelievable and characters acted in ways I was confused by. But honestly, I didn’t care — that’s not why you watch Blood Rage. From Terry/Todd’s (played by Mark Soper) demented dual demeanor to Maddy’s (Louise Lasser) over the top acting and even the side characters’ stories, Blood Rage felt like a fever dream. The blood was surely enough, always coming after a kill with some kind of sharp tool; whether a machete or carving fork, someone’s getting their neck gouged out or a limb chopped off.
I was surprised by how fast the murders started to happen. But there were a few moments that felt disconnected, almost like scenes were getting chopped off and edited in weird ways. I’m not sure if there were small parts missing from this upload or not, nothing too outrageous, just a few seconds here and there. I would think that wouldn’t matter much for a YouTube censoring kind of thing considering the bloody parts were mostly intact. Either way, be weary if you watch this bootleg copy.
I’d like to point out two things: the setting and the link to Thanksgiving. Blood Rage (with the exception of the beginning drive-in movie segment) was filmed on location in Jacksonville, Florida, and boy did it feel every bit of Florida it could be! Sandy ground, palms, and Spanish moss covering the trees, I could feel the humidity emanating from the screen. There are obviously other movies based in Florida, but this one really felt like it.
Now on the Thanksgiving aspect — it was barely there. Honestly they could have made the “big dinner” literally any other time of the year. The only time Thanksgiving is mentioned is during that scene and of course, and the “cranberry sauce” lines. Blood Rage has probably the loosest connection to a holiday horror film yet.
As a holiday movie, Blood Rage is subpar. As a slasher, Blood Rage does well. As with a lot of these older slashers, I think this would be a great choice seen in a group, but I enjoyed it just as well all by myself. That said, the Florida setting and lack of turkey talk makes this more of a summer slasher rather than a Thanksgiving one.
What did you think of Blood Rage? Is that cranberry sauce? Let us know in the comments!
