Hocus Pocus (1993)

Hocus Pocus (1993)

 

5/10

Starring

Bette Midler

Sarah Jessica Parker

Kathy Najimy

 

Directed by Kenny Ortega

 

Hocus Pocus was a 90s movie that almost everyone I know had seen. The three witches who want to be alive and young forever and need to consume the life force of a child to achieve this.

The Bette Midler Disney classic had Sarah Jessica Parker also on the payroll, she was little known then and the Sex and the City lady had not kidnapped the screen with her ladies, something she did in the late 90s. Here she plays the youngest of the witches whose power was a voice which can lure children and her character was silly, not smart and easily excited.

The fantasy comedic horror flic was not a box office sensation back then, but it became a stable view for we who had the Disney Channel. As a comedic movie, it did not have the most magnificent of graphics or costumes. I felt Disney chicken out of spending a lot of money on this production and it was wise. The plot was very simple and the whole production itself looked like something that would only pass as a children show.

Somehow though this movie managed to be a regular tonic for many of us growing up in the 90s.

The plot is about the three witches the Sanderson sisters who in the 1600 led a girl into the words and killed her by sucking her life force so that they can remain young. I did tell you this is a fantasy horror. Her brother Binx the girls brother tried to save his sister but failed and got turned into a cat. When the children were discovered missing the towns people traced the matter to the sisters and they were to be hanged for their crime. But before they were caught Winifred placed a curse that will resurrect them back on a full moon on All Hallows' Eve if a virgin lights the Black Flame Candle in their cottage.

So, jump forward to 1993, and Binx the cat had survived for so long that is like almost 400 years (leave that matter alone). As you can guess someone lit the candle and the witches are back. Now they have until midnight to find a life force to consume, or they will die.

The movie now focuses on another brother and sister with the witches wanting to drain the life force from the girl so that they can live.

In the end the characters that stole the show for me and many who has seen this are the witches who are the lead cast. The movie is not bad for viewing with the children if you do not mind the plot being about killing children.