Hocus Pocus (1993)

A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century.

Director:

Kenny Ortega

Writers:

David Kirschner (story), Mick Garris (story)

Stars:

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy

2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bette Midler	...	Winifred
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Sarah
Kathy Najimy	...	Mary
Omri Katz	...	Max
Thora Birch	...	Dani
Vinessa Shaw	...	Allison
Amanda Shepherd	...	Emily
Larry Bagby	...	Ernie 'Ice' (as Larry Bagby III)
Tobias Jelinek	...	Jay
Stephanie Faracy	...	Jenny
Charles Rocket	...	Dave
Doug Jones	...	Billy Butcherson
Karyn Malchus	...	Headless Billy Butcherson
Sean Murray	...	Thackery
Steve Voboril	...	Elijah

Storyline

300 years have passed since the Sanderson sisters were executed for practicing dark witchcraft. Returning to life thanks to a combination of a spell spoken before their demise and the accidental actions of Max, the new-kid-in-town, the sisters have but one night to secure their continuing existence...

---

Plot Keywords:

halloween | spell | black cat | witch | magic | 

---

Taglines:

It's just a bunch of Hocus Pocus!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some scary sequences, and for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

16 July 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hocus Pocus

Filming Locations:

Plimouth Plantation - 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$39,514,713

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rhythm & Hues Studios, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brother and sister Garry Marshall and Penny Marshall play husband and wife. He's the one dressed as Satan.

---

Goofs

Why doesn't Binx talk to anyone in town who doesn't believe Max, Alison and Dani? That would easily corroborate their story and make the resurrection of the witches far more believable.

---

Quotes

[repeated line, usually when Max is about to do something bold but dumb]
Dani: [gasping] Max, no!

---

Crazy Credits

The Walt Disney logo at the start is tinted blue (the one at the end has the usual coloring).

---

Alternate Versions

When shown on The Disney Channel in the UK on Hallowe'en night 2005, most of the previous cuts were reinstated, with only a few scenes cut out. When the witches are hanged at the start we don't see their bodies or legs during the scene, we cut straight after Binx's father orders the hanging to shots of the crowd wincing at the sight of the hanging, and then to Binx's father ordering the cat away. The scene in which Billy gets his fingers cut off on the street is also cut out, as is the scene where he cuts his mouth open so he can speak with Max's knife. All other scenes remained intact, including the scenes where Billy loses his head twice. The last time it was shown, the headless scenes were removed and it prompted complaints from viewers who said the film was hard to understand with so many edits. They also complained that the headless scenes were done comically with no references to pain or blood and as the film was only a PG, and made by Disney themselves, so surely it wouldn't upset children who would find the funny side of it. All recent showing of the movie now have the headless scenes put back in.

---

Connections

Referenced in Tiny Toons' Night Ghoulery (1995)

---

Soundtracks

Witchcraft
Written by Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh
Performed by Joseph Malone (as Joe Malone)

User Reviews

Were the critics watching this with bags on their heads?

Hocus Pocus, a film that only comes around once a year...October. I wait all year long to watch this film, and have been doing so since I was very young. I have never purchased it because they play it nearly a dozen f!#%ing times during the month of October. At the same time, this film is great year round. I chose this as my first review because I just watched it and feel that the film in under-appreciated. This is a charming little film about three Salem witches resurrected from the dead by a teenage virgin whom lights a black flame candle. Max must stop these witched from stealing the souls of children. He does so with the help of his adorable little sister, Allison (whom he pines over at night), and a helpful talking (cursed) cat called Binx. The casting is absolutely perfect, right down to Omri Katz as Max. Bette Midler does a fantastic job as the evil, scheming, mastermind Winnie. Sarah Jessica Parker plays the flighty, dumb, and playfully flirty Sarah. She goes back and forth between a hypnotic "come hither" persona and then will burst into random chants and fits of joy over disturbing things such fresh dead man's toes. Kathy Najimy plays Mary, the chubby witch with sometimes wrongfully placed optimism. There are two musical numbers in the film, most notably Bette Midler's rendition of "I Put a Spell on You" which is both humorous and pleasing to the ear. When you watch this film, you cannot take it too seriously, in fact don't take it seriously at all. You will have a much better viewing experience this way. This film is absurd, and cliché, that's the beauty of it! It is also very comical with laughs for children and adults alike. There is a point in the film where Mary, Kathy Najimy's character, is flying on a vacuum cleaner. This is just one example that stands out because it has had me cracking up since I was six years - old. Ignore what others say about Hocus Pocus, the critics reviews are baloney. (I couldn't find something similar to the phrase "Hocus Pocus" that would be witty and fitting to describe their reviews. Sorry. Baloney it is.)This film is marvelous and entertaining for all ages, all year round. If you haven't seen it yet, go watch it. Then you too will consider it a quirky classic.

(8/10)