Just like any other proper fan, I marathon horror movies throughout the month of October. But it's always so lonely, so self-contained. My wife goes to bed too early and my kids are too young. What's the point, I ask myself every year, if there's nobody to appreciate this glorious tradition with me? It's like Christmas alone by the fire.

Thank God (strike that, hail Satan) then that I finally discovered Hooptober; we're all in this together. And since I am a Hooptober virgin, I plan to make it all the way to the end.

If you too by chance are a Hooptober noob, you can find the challenge here: letterboxd.com/cinemonster/list/hooptober-neun-from-outer-space/

On to the requirements:

6 countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, South Korea, U.S.A.

8 decades: Every decade from the 1920's through the 2020's represented

2 insect centered films: The Giant Spider Invasion, Phenomena

1 horror film set in space or the future (relative to when it was released): Scanners

2 animated films: The Wolf House, Mad God

1 bloodthirsty old person/people film: Relic

2 1970s regional US films: Multiple Maniacs, The Giant Spider Invasion

The worst horror sequel from the 1990s that you haven't seen and can access: Species II

1 German Silent: Der Golem

5 Films from David Cronenberg, Ti West, Bill Rebane, Charles B. Pierce, William Grefe and/or Joy N. Houck Jr.: The Giant Spider Invasion, Shivers, Scanners, Dead Ringers, X

2 Christopher Lee films: Dracula, The Creeping Flesh

1 film with a musician or band in it (A real life musician or band): He Never Died

1 Stephen King adaptation that is not the first go around: Carrie

1 Lon Chaney film. (NOT JR): The Hunchback of Notre Dame

And 1 Tobe Hooper film: The Funhouse