Movie: Hocus Pocus
Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Kenny Ortega
Producers: David Kirschner, Mick Garris
Scriptwriters: Mick Garris, Neil Cuthbert
Main Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy.
Release Date: July 16, 1993
Running Time: 1hr 36min
Certificate: PG
Introduction
Hocus Pocus was one of my favourite films as a kid, and yes, some nostalgia is still there, but it pains me to admit that upon rewatching, it’s become apparent that this film isn’t as good as I remember it being. Yes, the performances of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are incredible, but there are just little things like cinematography, acting and special effects that just ruin the film for me: so, I suppose we should look at these in more depth.
Synopsis
After being executed during the Salem Witch trials, the Sanderson sisters are resurrected on Halloween 1993, when Max Denison, a teenager lights a magic candle. Following their accidental resurrection, the sisters have until sunrise to kill and drain the souls of as many children as possible, so they can stay alive forever. Will they succeed?
Analysis
Narrative
Okay, so in terms of narrative, Hocus Pocus has a strong story. Throughout the film, Max, along with his little sister, Dani, and his crush, Allison must work together to stop the Sanderson sisters from causing any harm to the children of Salem.
Now, that part of the story is straight forward and makes sense, but there are a few inconsistencies with minor details of the plot. For example, if Satan gave Winifred her spell book, why did she think a man dressed up as Satan was him? Surely, she would have recognised him- after all, if you were to meet the most famous demon in existence, surely, you’d remember what he looks like.
As well as this, there is the obvious stereotype of the parents not believing the kids when their lives are in danger. But Max and Dani had only just moved to Salem, and prior to moving, we assume they haven’t shown any signs of paranoia or anxiety. So, when they tell their parents about the Sanderson sisters, I don’t expect the parents to believe them, but I would have thought that their parents would have been a bit more concerned with the mental health of their children rather than abandoning them for the night to go to a Halloween party.
Acting
When we refer to Mise-en-Scene, we mean anything that can be seen on the screen such as actors, costumes, props and set.
In terms of the actors in this film, I can’t fault the casting at all. Midler, Parker, and Najimy all gave one hundred and ten percent in their performance- and their comedic chemistry as the Sanderson sisters were incredible.
However, some of the young actors lacked the skills required for their characters. For example, Thora Birch’s performance wasn’t entirely believable and at some points pulled me out of the movie as I just didn’t believe the character- for example, in the scene where the witches first capture Dani after their resurrection, Birch just comes across as too calm considering the situation that her character is in.
Costumes
The issue that I have with the costumes of the witches in this film, is that the dresses just look like three Halloween costumes.
Yes, they look like Witch costumes, but they look like someone going to a Halloween party rather than an evil sorceress trying to take the lives of children.
Although this does drag me out of the film from time to time, it could be intentional. As the film is set on Halloween, the fact that the dresses look like Halloween costumes allows them to fit into the atmosphere and hunt down Max, Alison and Dani without people being suspicious of them as everyone on the streets are wearing Halloween costumes too.
Special Effects and Cinematography
Yes, I am aware that this film was made in 1993, but the special effects in this film are just shocking- they are clearly fake and bad even for a film from the 1990s. The one scene in particular is when Winifred Sanderson shoots her powers at Max to electrocute him, and the green beams of magic are just completely unrealistic and don’t look remotely natural.
Hocus Pocus was filmed in four months, including principal photography. This explains why the cinematography isn’t incredible in this film. Okay, so the cinematography isn’t awful, but there are a lot of stationary shots, and some shots such as the scene in the graveyard with Billy just feels like there wasn’t much care or consideration for the cinematography and camera work.
“I Put a Spell on You”
Of course, I had to mention the big performance of the film. The Witches’ performance of “I Put a Spell on You” has become an iconic piece of film history.
Everything about this scene is amazing! The vocals, performance, dancing, and Midler’s overall charisma. It honestly just looks like so much fun.
I have to admit, I have watched this scene countless times on YouTube, and it still never gets old- this scene alone is why the film has such a high rating in this article.
Summary
To summarise, although I have found a lot of faults with the film Hocus Pocus, I still grew up with it, and it is a childhood classic. It must be taken into consideration that this film was made for children, so slip-ups in costume and cinematography can be forgiven as children might not pay attention to much of these details.
Although the ‘I Put a Spell on you’ performance scene has gained this film a lot of points, the problems in cinematography, mise-en-scene, special effects, and acting have lost the film a few points.
Nonetheless, this film will always be a timeless classic, and will always be one of my favourite childhood films.
Overall Rating: 6.5/10 – Okay
Recommendation: Yes
