Review of Hocus Pocus (1984) by Matthew D — 10 Sep 2018

A fun family film for every Halloween.

Each year around Fall, my family and I go through all our favorite Halloween movies. Hocus Pocus is certainly one we revisit each year. Though it is steeped with 1990's outfits, slang, and references, I still find it charming. Kenny Ortega directed Hocus Pocus with a neat eye for some cool shots and entertaining sequences. The music is very pretty, especially the "Come Little Children" alluring lullaby.

By far, my favorite aspect of Hocus Pocus is the setting. Salem looks the part for Fall. You really feel like it's Halloween night in the East Coast suburbs. The homes are filled with realistic decorations and furnishings. The outfits, while dated and silly, are period accurate yet feel like something kids wore at the time. You see plenty of cool locations, sets, and homes that make Hocus Pocus look quaint, while feeling cozy. This warm setting filled with background props culminate into a sweet distraction while you watch.

The acting is probably why audiences adore Hocus Pocus, while critics despise it by and large. I enjoy the 3 main witches: The Sanderson Sisters. Bette Midler is hilarious as the head witch Winifred Sanderson. While she overacts, she eats up the scenery with a wicked glee. Sarah Jessica Parker is stunning as the youngest sister in one of her few standout roles. Parker is also wonderful in Footloose and Ed Wood, but many will always remember her for Sarah Sanderson in Hocus Pocus. She's funny as the airhead flirtatious sister, who sings beautifully in all honesty. Then, Kathy Najimy is the stout sister witch Mary Sanderson. Her snarl and child sniffing nose are comedy gold. Overall, the sisters are the highlight performers due to their charisma in just going for it. They practically carry Hocus Pocus.

Of the main cast, Thora Birch gives the best performance in the whole film. She is genuine and sweet as the little sister Dani Dennison. I like her quick wit and innocent persona in Hocus Pocus. She's clearly having the most fun on set.

On the other hand, we come to Hocus Pocus' main problem. It's two leads are typical carefree '90's heroes. Too cool for everything, coming across as negligent with poor line delivery. Omri Katz is such a lame protagonist, everything is stacked against the kid, so he just doesn't hold up compared to the rest of the cast. Similarly, Vinessa Shaw as Allison, while charming, seems aloof and oddly above it all. I feel like these two were either miscast or just not given proper direction. They feel like they could have been replaced by anyone.

At least, Doug Jones makes an early career appearance as Billy the zombie. I enjoy his campy take on the undead. His makeup still looks creepy today. I also love the double cameo of Garry Marshall and his sister Penny Marshall. It's a cute cameo for the parents who are watching Hocus Pocus with their kids. Overall, the cast is hit or miss, but they all appear to try their best.

In short, Hocus Pocus is a blast to watch with the family. Kids will love it, while their parents should get a few laughs along the way. The movie plays it safe with goofy jokes that sometimes fall flat, but if you can appreciate some campy Disney style humor, Hocus Pocus is Halloween magic!