It’s Not Cranberry Sauce
If your idea of Thanksgiving involves awkward family dinners and emotional breakdowns, Blood Rage takes it to the next level—with twin brothers, a psychotic killer, and a whole lot of blood that definitely isn’t cranberry sauce.
Filmed in 1983 but not released until 1987, this slasher oddity was originally titled Slasher and later rebranded as Nightmare at Shadow Woods for certain markets. But the version fans love is Blood Rage—the uncut, unhinged, and unapologetically gory edition.
🩸 Production Mayhem & Gobbled-Up Trivia
- 🦃 Thanksgiving horror is rare: Blood Rage is one of the few slashers set during the holiday, making it a seasonal standout.
- 🎬 Ted Raimi’s film debut: He appears briefly as a condom-slinging bathroom attendant at the drive-in theater.
- 🎭 Louise Lasser’s performance is legendary: Her portrayal of the emotionally unraveling mother includes scenes of binge eating, phone monologues, and fridge-floor breakdowns.
- 🧠 Producer Marianne Kanter stepped in as Dr. Berman when the original actress didn’t show up.
- 🪓 Terry’s weapon of choice? A small hand axe—used with gleeful abandon.
- 🧥 Mark Soper plays both twins: Todd and Terry are visually identical but emotionally worlds apart. Soper’s dual performance is the film’s twisted backbone.
- 📼 Arrow Video’s Blu-ray release includes three versions: the theatrical cut, the uncut Blood Rage, and a composite edition combining all footage.
- 🧛 The tagline “It’s not cranberry sauce” became a cult catchphrase, repeated multiple times in the film with increasing menace.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Blood Rage is a slasher that feels like it escaped from a fever dream. It’s messy, mean, and weirdly hilarious. Whether you’re here for the gore, the twin drama, or the Thanksgiving chaos, this one delivers.
So pass the stuffing, hide the carving knives, and remember:
“That’s not cranberry sauce.”