Hocus Pocus (1993) review

19. Hocus Pocus (1993)

Directed by: Kenny Ortega

Produced by: David Kirschner, Steven Haft

Screenplay by: Mick Garris, Neil Cuthbert

Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw

When I was in high school choir, I remember multiple occasions when our teacher (RIP Ms. Hartman <3) would put on a movie because we had nothing going on that day; several times, that movie was “Hocus Pocus,” the biggest example of a cult film from my generation. Directed by Kenny Ortega, this—along with his previous Disney effort “Newsies”—was not a critical or commercial success, but gained a passionate fanbase through TV airings and home video releases. Every October, it’s an event so many people look forward to watching; it’s scheduled to air on FreeForm 18 times this month alone. Personally, I never really got on the hype train for it, but I have come around to understanding the appeal; the comedic adventure of three villainous witch sisters who are resurrected on Halloween night is very campy and silly, but that’s part of the fun.

Taking place in Salem, Massachusetts, the opening—set in 1693—shows the Sanderson sisters—Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy)—using witchcraft to regain their youth by draining the lifeforce of young Emily Binx (Amanda Shepherd), whose older brother Thackery (Sean Murray) is unable to stop them; they turn him into a cat before they’re arrested and hanged, but Winifred casts a curse that will let them return on Halloween if a virgin lights the Black Flame Candle in their cottage. Cut to 300 years later, where the Sandersons are urban legends, and their cottage an abandoned museum. Los Angeles teenager Max (Omri Katz) takes his younger sister Dani (Thora Birch) trick-or-treating, eventually running into his classmate and crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw); they visit the museum, but the skeptical Max lights the candle and awakens the witches. Aided by Binx the talking cat (James Marsden), they swipe their spell book and flee through Salem, as the Sandersons try to retrieve it so they can drain the children’s lifeforce before the night is over and they turn to dust.

Okay, so what doesn’t work about this movie? Well first of all, I don’t like Max; I know he’s supposed to come in as this cocky California kid experiencing culture shock from the more grounded Massachusetts, but he just comes across as an obnoxious whiner. He’s surrounded by people who get very into the lore and season, and he acts like he’s better than them for no reason. Though to be fair, I’d probably be slightly bemused at times as well; the school scene where the class literally applauds just because Allison describes Halloween’s origins—which lacks a ton of context, btw—is really weird, is that honestly worth clapping for? Dani is also slightly annoying, but it’s forgivable, and there are a couple nice interactions between her and Max, although his and Allison’s chemistry is extremely lacking. But I think the acting in the intro between Thackery and his friend Elijah (Steve Voboril) is really hokey, and there are these two bullies named Ice (Larry Bagby) and Jay (Tobias Jelinek) that aren’t the least bit intimidating, yet Max acts like it’s so humiliating to be around them. In short, the present-day scenes that don’t include the Sandersons can be very dull.

But as soon as the witches come back on screen, the energy really picks up—with a small caveat. I say that because they really aren’t given good lines or smart situations to work with; most of their scenes are fish-out-of-water scenarios where they don’t know customs of the time period, so they’re confused by the costumes and technology. There’s one dialogue exchange where Winifred laments how the seasonal traditions have changed so much that has potential, but nothing really comes from it. However, it doesn’t matter, because the performances from Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are so entertaining. They’re all wacky and over-the-top, creating this unforgettable spirit and vibe; Midler leads a rendition of Jay Hawkins’s “I Put a Spell on You” that’s one of the biggest highlights of the film, while Parker’s theme of “Come Little Children” is quite haunting. Much of what they say isn’t that funny, but it’s still done in a funny way, so give them credit for basically going all out.

Speaking of going all out, I definitely appreciate the look of the film just in establishing the Halloween aesthetics. The costumes, decorations and settings really help get you into the Halloween mood, but in a more innocent way than something like “Trick ‘r Treat.” But it still makes for a fun climax in the cemetery, even though the way they utilize the zombie character Billy (Doug Jones) is pretty nonsensical when you think about it; Winifred makes him chase the kids, but then he immediately turns against her when he can speak again? Was he chasing them just for a way to get his mouth open? I’m also really mixed about the whole “virgin” aspect of the story. On the one hand, it’s kind of a funny subversion that the role typically taken by a young woman ends up going to Max, but it’s still a little weird that a ‘90s Disney film is bringing this up.

“Hocus Pocus” is a strange film, in which I find numerous things objectively wrong; lazy writing—there’s literally a scene where Dani refers to Max as her brother to THEIR MOM—pointless filler scenes and awkward performances—although I think Vinessa Shaw brings real charm to Allison. But for all the aspects that don’t work, a good chunk of them still are fun to watch, and the way they blend the practical and CGI effects still hold up well, though maybe less so on Binx’s talking animation. This movie came out just a few months before “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which I think we can agree is a more timeless story; but this also works as a time capsule that also has elements of being a guilty pleasure. Ortega would go on as a big Disney name with his helming of some of their most popular TV film franchises like “High School Musical” and “Descendants,” while the movie would eventually spawn a sequel in 2022. I can’t pretend I love it, but I have grown a soft spot for it; it feels like something the cast had a ton of fun making, and for how often it shines through, I’d recommend it as harmless fluff.

My rating: 6/10