Review of Hocus Pocus (1993) by Spencer S — 20 Oct 2011
As a kid I waited in squeamish anticipation for Hocus Pocus to show up on the Disney channel during their Halloween month. Most years I was not disappointed, but it's been a while, so this year I revisited this 90's kids' classic in order to brush nostalgia once more.
Most of it still holds up as a well written, creepy, wicked kids' film, using a threesome of strange witches to prey on children for their survival. As a child, it's extremely unsettling to think of your life depending on the desires of three immortal beings with long fingernails and a cauldron to cook their potions.
Even though it held many of the 90's Disney misgivings (comic foils who use slang such as "tubular" and "dude", a heavily quoted "virgin" male protagonist, and the plot device of moving to a new town.
) I watched it as a kid and loved the supernatural elements. Besides incorporating the true tales of the Salem witches with a generally ridiculous plot line, the art direction was cutesy, the effects believable, and everything rang creepy as a kid.
Today I see much of this as 90's cheese, right down to Gary and Penny Marshall playing a married couple (they're brother and sister), Bette Midler singing an old standard in a rock genre, and the bad animatronics on Thackery Binx, a boy transformed into a cat.
Besides that, there are so many questions and plot holes, especially concerning Thackery. It didn't ring as genius as it did back when I was a kid, but it was still a great example of a kid's film done right.
This review of Hocus Pocus (1993) was written by Spencer S on 20 Oct 2011.
Hocus Pocus has generally received positive reviews.
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