Hocus Pocus

Movie Title--  Hocus Pocus

Release Year--  1993

Running Time--  1 Hour and 36 Minutes

Director--  Kenny Ortega

Cast--  Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, Sean Murray, Jodie-Amy Rivera

After three centuries, three witch sisters are resurrected on Halloween Night in Salem, Massachusetts.  To survive the night they must drain all the children of Salem and two teenagers and a young girl with the help of an immortal cat are the only ones that can stop them.

In the year 1963 the children of Salem, Massachusetts are mysteriously disappearing.  When Thackery Binx (Sean Murray) wakes to find his sister Emily (Jodie-Amy Rivera) missing, he follows her through the woods to the Sanderson sister's house.  The Sanderson sisters, Winnie (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), try to pass themselves off as spinsters but they are really witches that have been sucking the life force out of the children to keep themselves young.  Thackery intterupt the sisters but doesn't succeed and they turn him into an immortal black cat and steal Emily's life force.  The town's people arrive to late to save Thackery and Emily but they do take the sisters and hang them for being witches although not before Winnie puts a spell on them, stating that on a Halloween night a virgin will light their black flame candle and bring them back to life.

Three hundred years to the day later, new kid in town, Max Dennison (Omri Katz) is hearing the tale of the Sanderson sisters and is an unbeliever.  He is having a hard time fitting in and believes that Halloween is for babies.  After school as he walks home his shoes are stolen from the two school bullies and upon arriving at home he learns he has to take his little sister Dani (Thora Birch) trick-or-treating.

While they are out they walk up to a large house and knock on the door.  When no one answers, they go inside and Max learns that it is the home of his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw).  Allison talks to the two of them about the Sanderson sisters and trying to impress her, Max asks her to take them to the house.  After she changes she leads Max and Dani out to the house where the three of them look at all the relics left from when the sisters were still alive.  Believing nothing was going to happen, Max lights the black flame candle.  

As the Sanderson sisters arrive, a black cat jumps out and tells them to leave.  As they are trying to escape, he tells Max to steal the spell book.  When they are alone, Winnie explains to her sisters that the spell was only for one night and they must steal the life force of all the children of Salem before the sun rises.  While this is going on, Max, Allison and Dani are lead to a graveyard by the black cat and Allison soon realizes that the cat is Thackery Binx.  The three children, with Binx's help must find a way to save the town from the Sanderson sisters.

So, to kick off the week, I decided on a Halloween childhood favorite of mine.  It has been a very long time since I have seen this film and watching it again I realize that it is a little bit ridiculous.  That was probably the reason I enjoyed it when I was young but a child doesn't realize how silly a film is, instead they know what makes them laugh and that is what makes this one memorable.  

I honestly think that if three witches worked the same way as these three did, they would never have succeed at what they were trying to accomplish.  Their actions were super over exaggerated and they kind of acted like they were a little low on the IQ scale, so I am not very sure how they were even functional human beings let alone powerful witches but perhaps that is one of the ways that makes this film so appealing to kids.  

I will say I did think it was a decent film.  I am not sure that now that I am an adult I would watch this film again like I did when I was a child but I think that everyone should see this at least once.  I think that children these days would probably laugh at the special effects but I think that it is worth at least one watch with your children.  This film isn't really for younger children but I would say 10 and up is probably ago.  Gather the family for this ridiculous but funny family favorite and Don't Forget the Popcorn!