I love Halloween and horror movies so much that I often try to get a jump on the spooky season by making my own “challenge” when it comes to watching new movies and rewatching old movies in the horror genre. I often miss Hooptober simply due to the fact that the rules/regulations aren’t posted by the time my Halloween brain is itching for the scary movie challenge. 

But I am proud to announce that this year, in the challenge’s twelfth installment, in this—our year—of 2025, I can finally participate.

A big thank you to Cinemonster for putting together this year’s (and every other year’s) Hooptober. Check out their list for more information on The Twelfth of Hooptober.

31 Films
(not including the EXTRA WORK)

6 Countries
(other than Italy or US)
USA (22)

White Zombie (1932), The Wizard of Oz (1939), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Night of the Hunter (1955), Carnival of Souls (1962), Manos: Hands of Fate (1966), I Drink Your Blood (1971), Blacula (1972), Phantom of the Paradise (1974), Salem’s Lot (1979), Cujo (1983), From Beyond (1986), Trick or Treat (1986), Pet Sematary (1989), Jacob’s Ladder (1990), The Mist (2007), Zombieland (2009), Contagion (2011), The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Frankenstein (2025)

Canada (2)

The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)

Italy (2)

Torso (1974), The Beyond (1983)

Japan (2)

Kwaidan (1964), Perfect Blue (1999)

UK (2)

Night of the Eagle (1962), The Haunting (1963)

Austria (1)

The Hands of Orlac (1924)

France (1)

Diabolique (1955)

Georgia (1)

Let it Snow (2020)

Germany (1)

The German Chainsaw Massacre (1990)

South Korea (1)

Train to Busan (2016)

Spain (1)

The Skin I Live In (2011)

Sweden (1)

Häxan (1922)

Ukraine (1)

Let it Snow (2020)

United Arab Emirates (1)

Contagion (2011)

9 Decades
1920’s (2)

Häxan (1922),  The Hands of Orlac (1924)

1930’s (2)

White Zombie (1932), The Wizard of Oz (1939)

1940’s (1)

I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

1950’s (2)

The Night of the Hunter (1955), Diabolique (1955)

1960’s (5)

Carnival of Souls (1962), Night of the Eagle (1962), The Haunting (1963), Kwaidan (1964), Manos: Hands of Fate (1966)

1970’s (5)

I Drink Your Blood (1971), Blacula (1972), Phantom of the Paradise (1974), Torso (1974), Salem’s Lot (1979)

1980’s (5)

Cujo (1983), The Beyond (1983), From Beyond (1986), Trick or Treat (1986), Pet Sematary (1989)

1990’s (3)

Jacob’s Ladder (1990), The German Chainsaw Massacre, (1990) Perfect Blue (1999)

2000’s (2)

The Mist (2007), Zombieland (2009)

2010’s (4)

Contagion (2011), The Skin I Live In (2011), The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Train to Busan (2016)

2020’s (3)

Let it Snow (2020), Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023), Frankenstein (2025)

5 Zombie Films

White Zombie (1932), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Beyond (1981), Zombieland (2009), Train to Busan (2016)

3 Cult or Conspiracy Horror Films

Manos: Hands of Fate (1966), I Drink Your Blood (1971), Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

1 Film from a Black Director with a Black Lead

Blacula (1972)

1 Film from a Mexican or Central American  Director 

Frankenstein (2025)

1 Canadian Film

Cabin in the Woods (2011), Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023) 

1 Former Soviet State Film

Let it Snow (2020)

The Most Popular Film from the 1940’s That You Haven’t Seen and Can Access

I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

2 Post Apocalyptic Horror Films

The Mist (2007), Contagion (2011)

1 Film with Dreams or a Dream as Part of the Plot

The Haunting (1963)

1 “The animals are pissed at us” Film

Pet Sematary (1989)

1 Silent Film

Häxan (1922)

4 Films Based on Novels

Kwaidan (1964), Salem’s Lot (1979), Cujo (1983), Pet Sematary (1989)

Any Film from THIS List That You Haven’t Seen

The Haunting (1963)

1 Ernesto Gastaldi Written Film

Torso (1973)

1 Film from 1932

White Zombie (1932)

Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

1 Tobe Hooper Film

Salem’s Lot (1979)

**Extra Work**

Burn Witch Burn (1962), Trick or Treat (1986) German Chainsaw Massacre (1990), 

Viewing and reviewing begins at 12:01 am (CST) on Monday, September 15, 2025.

Let’s get all those black cats and goblins and broomsticks and ghosts. Let’s check in with the covens of witches with all of their hosts. You think they scare me, you’re probably right. Black cats and goblins on Halloween night.
Trick or Treat!