Monday, November 24th, 2025
Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness prepares a Thanksgiving feast with double helpings of horror at Hot Wax Coffee Shop in Ybor City. Indulge in our menu of macabre that will be sure to satiate the most ferocious of fan’s hunger.
First up, at 8PM, we head to Plymouth, Massachusetts for Eli Roth’s reimagining of his beloved 2007 grindhouse mock trailer THANKSGIVING 15 years after the segment’s initial release, wherein a masked assailant donning the visage of John Carver stalks the streets, slashing off victims one by one to avenge the Black Friday massacre one year prior. Learn who lurks behind the bloodshed in this hearty serving of holiday horror.
Crafted by famed horror director and screenwriter Eli Roth, Thanksgiving (2023) traverses a mine of untapped potential waiting to be reaped- with this particular holiday possessing a small quantity of films to pick from, with many contenders for Turkey Day either falling flat or emerging as so bad it’s good, if not an occasional decent flick that takes place on Thanksgiving but deviates as the focal point of the plot to reign as the holiday’s quintessential go-to movie. In contrast to its gruesome predecessor, this full length feature is less gritty than the faux flick, instead following a similar structure to the Scream franchise in its whodunnit aspect and overall execution, especially with the addition of Patrick Dempsey of Scream 3- nevertheless, the patterns diverge with exceedingly graphic kills in spirit of exploitation. Boasting picturesque cinematography, competent acting and an intriguing plot, Thanksgiving makes use of the rich autumnal ambience of New England. Roth forges the perfect blend of satire and scares, utilizing the inherent dramatic irony of the season of giving juxtaposed with a notorious night of greed in Black Friday, poking fun at the hypocrisy and harvesting the duality. Thanksgiving takes pieces of its inception while borrowing from other relatives of the holiday horror family tree- though still manages to bring some freshness to the table.
Then, at 10PM, we venture to Jacksonville, Florida (not far from home) to participate in Terry’s terrifying Thanksgiving gathering- wherein his rogue identical twin brother Todd has escaped from an asylum after a brief murder spree a decade earlier.. or did they catch the right twin, after all? Come out to solve the mystery and explore the carnage in BLOOD RAGE [1987] (and it’s not cranberry sauce).
John Grissmer’s low-budget slasher embodies the epitome of a good old-fashioned 1980’s schlockfest— and while in many ways, comes across low brow, makes up for any faults in the entertainment department, proving a worthwhile ride for genre fans. Mark Soper portrays both Todd and Terry, delivering a believable performance, distinguishing the brothers from one another where it doesn’t feel like the same person in a dual role- especially juxtaposed with some of the less than adequate acting.
Moreover, Louise Lasser embellishes the intrigue of the picture with the addition of her character, depicting the twin’s unstable mother, playing into the hagsploitation angle akin to Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962), adopting the Oedipal complex as it uncovers an unhealthy attachment style residing on either sides of the spectrum with her offspring. Blood Rage also exhibits grisly special effects by the legendary Ed French, whose influence extends beyond the genre, working on projects such as Terminator 2 and White Chicks, while maintaining his status in the realm of horror with his handiwork instrumental in cult hits like Sleepaway Camp (1983) and The Stuff (1985). Brace yourself for some holiday hijinks.
Make the pilgrimage out to Hot Wax to get stuffed with our seasonally themed slashers and pregame for Turkey Day.
FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar. Remember to try our themed drinks for this week’s Thanksgiving double feature.
(Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess).