Hocus Pocus is a classic Halloween comedy that has captured the hearts of audiences of all ages. Released in 1993, the film follows three teenage siblings who accidentally resurrect a trio of wicked witches who have been dormant for centuries. With its blend of humor, nostalgia, and spooky thrills, Hocus Pocus has become a beloved tradition for many families.
The film’s charming cast, led by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters, delivers memorable performances that have made them iconic figures in the world of pop culture. The movie’s special effects, while dated by today’s standards, were groundbreaking at the time and add to the film’s whimsical atmosphere.
Review by Ben Dover
Hocus Pocus: A Spellbinding Mess That Somehow Doesn’t Totally Suck
Well, well, well, what do we have here? A movie about witches that’s not complete hogwash? Color me surprised, and I don’t mean that cheap hair dye your grandkid uses. This movie, it’s got all the ingredients for a good old-fashioned family flick. You got your goofy kids, your spooky witches, and even a talking cat! But here’s the thing, it’s all just so… silly. These witches, they’re supposed to be scary, but they’re just a bunch of old hags with bad hair and even worse fashion sense. And the kids, they’re just a bunch of whiny little brats who don’t know how to appreciate a good, old-fashioned witch hunt. “Hocus Pocus” is like finding a piece of candy corn that doesn’t taste like sweetened candle wax – it ain’t a gourmet treat, but it’ll do in a pinch.
Let me tell you, when I first heard about this flick back in ’93, I thought Hollywood had finally lost its marbles. Bette Midler as a witch? I figured I’d seen scarier things in my morning mirror. But wouldn’t you know it, this campy concoction managed to brew up something that doesn’t make me want to hex the entire film industry. It’s got more cheese than a Wisconsin dairy farm and about as much subtlety as a Jack-o’-lantern in July, but damn it if it isn’t oddly watchable.
Now, don’t go thinking I’ve gone soft in my old age. This movie’s got more holes than my favorite moth-eaten sweater. The plot’s about as coherent as my neighbor after he’s had a few too many Halloween spirits. We’ve got these three witches from ye olde Salem who get resurrected by some numbskull teenager. Because of course they do. It’s like nobody in this town’s ever heard of “don’t light the black flame candle, you nincompoop.”
The kids in this movie? About as convincing as a dog in a cat costume. The boy looks like he’s trying to channel every teenage heartthrob from the ’90s and failing miserably. And don’t even get me started on that talking cat. I’ve had hairballs more entertaining than that furball.
But here’s the kicker – somehow, some way, this mess of a movie manages to be… fun? It’s like watching a train wreck, if the train was made of candy and the wreck was choreographed by a sugar-high toddler. Bette Midler chews more scenery than a termite in a lumber yard, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t enjoy every second of it. Her “I Put a Spell on You” number? It’s catchier than the flu at a kindergarten.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as her sidekicks? They’re hammier than a Christmas dinner, but in a good way. It’s like they know they’re in a ridiculous movie and decided to go all in. I respect that kind of commitment to stupidity.
Look, “Hocus Pocus” isn’t going to win any awards unless they start handing out trophies for “Most Likely to Be Watched While Drunk on Halloween.” But it’s got a certain charm, like that ugly dog that’s so ugly it circles back around to cute. It’s the kind of movie that makes you wonder if someone slipped something into your popcorn, because you’re enjoying it way more than you should.
In the end, “Hocus Pocus” is like a fun-size candy bar – it’s not gonna satisfy your hunger, but it’ll give you a quick sugar rush. It’s got just enough magic to keep you from changing the channel, and just enough corn to make you roll your eyes. But hey, in a world full of paint-by-numbers kids’ movies, at least this one’s got the guts to be weird.
So, grab your broomstick, lower your standards, and take a ride with “Hocus Pocus.” Just don’t blame me if you wake up the next morning wondering what the hell you just watched. It’s not a great movie, but it’s OK – and sometimes, that’s enough to cast a spell on ya. If you’re looking for a light, fluffy, and completely forgettable movie to watch with your kids, then maybe “Hocus Pocus” will do the trick.
Final Rating: 3 out of 5 Witches Silly Shenanigans
Plot of Hocus Pocus
“Hocus Pocus” is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film that follows the story of three witches known as the Sanderson Sisters—Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson—who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy named Max Dennison on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts.
The plot begins in 1693 when Thackery Binx, a young boy, tries to save his little sister Emily from the clutches of witches, leading to her tragic fate. As punishment for their wickedness, the Sanderson Sisters are executed but cast a spell that allows them to return under specific conditions. Fast forward to the present, Max and his sister Dani, along with their friend Alison, accidentally awaken the witches.
The witches, who aim to regain their youthful beauty by sucking the life out of children, create chaos in Salem. The trio must work together, with the help of Thackery Binx—who is now a talking black cat—and prevent the witches from completing their plan before sunrise, when they will return to their ashes.
Main Characters
- Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler): The eldest and most cunning of the Sanderson Sisters, Winifred is determined and ruthless.
- Sarah Sanderson (Sarah Jessica Parker): The flirtatious and somewhat ditzy sister with a penchant for enchantment through song.
- Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy): The kind-hearted but dim-witted sister who has a keen sense of smell to find children.
- Max Dennison (Omri Katz): A teenage boy who moves to Salem and unwittingly revives the witches.
- Dani Dennison (Thora Birch): Max’s younger sister who is brave and supportive of her brother in the face of danger.
- Alison (Vinessa Shaw): Max’s love interest who joins him and Dani in their quest to thwart the witches.
- Thackery Binx (voiced by Jason Marsden): A boy cursed to live as a black cat after failing to save his sister from the Sanderson Sisters.
The characters, are a mixed bag. You got your goofy kids, your spooky witches, and even a talking cat! But here’s the thing, it’s all just so… silly. These witches, they’re supposed to be scary, but they’re just a bunch of old hags with bad hair and even worse fashion sense. The only character I kinda liked was the cat, Thackery Binx. He was a little sassy, but he had some good lines.
Music:
Don’t even get me started on the music. It’s like they took all the worst songs from the 80s and put them in a blender. It’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out. I’m not sure what they were thinking, but it’s not exactly what you’d call “haunting”.
Notes:
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes
Gross worldwide: $50,800,637
Budget: $28,000,000 (estimated)
Body count: 6 (Emily, Binx, Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and Billy). If you count the Sanderson sisters dying twice, the body count is 9.
Sarah Jessica Parker plays a witch who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials. While researching her family history for the show Who Do You Think You Are? (2004), Parker was shocked to discover that her 10th great-grandmother, Esther Elwell, was arrested in Salem, MA in the late 1600s for committing “sundry acts of witchcraft” and choking a neighbor to death. Esther’s case never went to court, she escaped with her life and the accusation ended the Salem Witch Trials. Parker said, “It has changed everything about who I thought I was.”
Brother and sister Garry Marshall and Penny Marshall play husband and wife. He’s the one dressed as Satan.
On The Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018), Sarah Jessica Parker revealed that she actually ate the spider.
Quotes:
Billy Butcherson: Go to hell!
Winifred Sanderson: Oh! I’ve been there, thank you. I found it quite lovely.
Emily: Thackery Binx, what took thee so long?
Thackery Binx: I’m sorry, Emily. I had to wait three hundred years for a virgin to light a candle.
Winifred Sanderson: You know, I’ve always wanted a child. And now I think I’ll have one on toast!
Critics Consensus:
Critics 40% Audience 72% Rotten Tomatoes
Harmlessly hokey yet never much more than mediocre, Hocus Pocus is a muddled family-friendly effort that fails to live up to the talents of its impressive cast
Trailer: