Review of Hocus Pocus (1993) by D S — 21 Oct 2011

I chalk liking Hocus Pocus so much to nostalgic value, but this cult classic is a fun Halloween treat and for good reason. Even after years of aging, it's funny, it's silly, and the three bumbling witches (Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker) gloriously ham it up to the enjoyment of the audience.

If you're looking for a family film that will get everyone in the Halloween spirit, look no further. It's colorful and even though it's purposely not scary, it has enough horror elements in it to feel seasonal.

.. the witch's spellbook is grotesque enough to appear in a real horror film, there's a subplot involving a zombie (Doug Jones) chasing the kids, and the film follows and exploits witch-lore. Of course it's not a perfect movie; there's a weird part involving a witch song and dance number at a Halloween party that you're supposed to take as a possession and you can chalk that to director Kenny Ortega, who would later go on to direct High School Musical.

Plus, the film takes place in Salem and real witches were executed, so it seems to justify their cause (and now I'm officially overanalyzing the family movie). But there's a lot to find funny about Hocus Pocus, including the only two characters to overact more than the witches: bullies Jay and Ice.

.. I don't know what universe these guys are in, but they are hilarious. It's easy to see why more and more people are watching Hocus Pocus as a yearly tradition; whether you really like it or like making fun of it (it works both ways).