User reviews

A traditional "Halloween Ghost Story" turns into a real life adventure for 3 kids who break the spell of the Sanderson Sisters. The story is an engaging one and will have even grown-ups pay close attention. The Sanderson Sisters (wonderfully played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy), convicted of witchcraft in Colonial Salem, Massachusetts and put to death some 300 years ago, are brought back to life when "a virgin lights the black candle". It's up to two teenagers and an 8 year old to stop the wicked witches from succeeding with their sinister plan: to lure the town's children to their witch house and "drink" their life-force away from them.

Bette Midler steals the show when the sisters crash a Halloween party, singing "I Put A Spell On You". There are many "time jokes" as well, having the 17th century sisters "confused" when they experience 20th century life: Blinded by a truck's head lights, they are convinced the sun is rising; they frantically avoid stepping on a blacktop driveway when they are told that it is "a black lake of death"; unable to find a broomstick, one of the sisters heads for the sky on a Hoover vacuum cleaner. The jokes are pretty good, and I was entertained throughout the film. I have watched "Hocus Pocus" several times already, and will watch it again and again. This is another example of a movie made for kids, but enjoyed by grown-ups as well. Recommended!

This movie is funny, scary, but warm and human all at once. It emphasizes the value of families working together to help each other and does not create confusing messages about good and evil. It's a fast-paced comedy that does not trivialize the characters. Bette Midler's rendition of "I've Put a Spell on You" shows the depth of her talent as a singer/stage performer. The divine Ms. Bette has great chemistry with both Kathy Naijimy (how does she get her mouth to do that?), and Sarah Jessica Parker (amok, amok, amok). While the scary factor with corpses and death may not be appropriate for very small children, the movie is lots of fun for the whole family.

Hocus Pocus is a decent movie. I agree that it is one of the lesser live-action Disney efforts, but it is a watchable and I think under-appreciated Halloween movie. I honestly thought My Favourite Martian was worse, despite it having the wonderful Christopher Lloyd in it. Back to Hocus Pocus, it does have its flaws, the script has its weak spots, the direction is at times lifeless and Omri Katz never quite convinces in the lead. On a positive note, everything else ranges from decent to very good. Bette Midler steals the show, while having the most screen time, she is evidently relishing her role. Her co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy equally delight, and all three women are suitably scary and hammy. The music is very nice, I loved the catchy Put a Spell on You and I thought the beginning of the movie was superb. The camera work was good, and the special effects were decent. What I loved most though was the original storyline, there are some funny and scary moments. Kids will definitely love it, adults not so much, though my dad did like it. Overall, patchy but enjoyable. 7/10 Bethany Cox

I prepared my self when I sat down to watch this movie, expecting a boring Disney film not for my generation. But this movie was hilarious! Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker were fantastic in their roles as the witches, especially Midler in her role as Winifred. Unfortunately there is no soundtrack to this film, which is a shame but not a tragedy. Overall a fantastic film that the whole family should enjoy.

I didn't see Hocus Pocus as a kid like many who treat it as a classic, but I can see how it is regarded as such. There's a fun charm to the film and it's a pretty enjoyable watch. The cast, and the witches in particular, seem like they're having a blast just goofing around. I enjoyed the spooky Halloween spirit it evokes and while it's pretty formulaic, you'll find a lot of enjoyment watching this above-average Halloween film.

Saw this during the Halloween season on the big screen it was the second time I have seen it and did not grow up watching it. I must say I enjoyed it even more on my second viewing.

Written by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, based on story by Garris and David Kirschner. It is the story of a young teen named Max (Omri Katz, who I always remember as the kid from EERIE, INDIANA) mistakenly wakes up the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy). Along with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and classmate Allison (Vinessa Shaw) try to stop the sisters from draining the lifeforce out of the children so that they could live forever.

While certainly not scary it does have nice atmosphere and some laughs to be had. I had a smile on my face through much of the film. One problem I did have though was with some of the effects. The effects with Thackery (Sean Murray) being turned into a cat and him running around the rest of the film as a cat just screams 1993 and is no longer effective, but I easily forgave the effects due to other things going on screen. Also starring Kathleen Freeman as the teacher Miss Olin and Garry and Penny Marshall in a funny scene. Supposedly a sequel is on its way.

While I've been enjoying this film for years, I only recently decided to read some reviews for it, and am shocked! The truth is, this film is a wonderfully comical and charming tale of three Salem witches that are resurrected by a teenage boy, who, with the help of his little sister and love interest, must try to stop them from stealing the souls of children. This movie really sparkles in the representations of the witches, who are all cast perfectly. Bette Midler provides for a hilarious and almost frightening Winifred (the leader), Sarah Jessica Parker shines as the sexy, dim-witted Sarah, and Kathy Najimy is marvelous as the funny, perky Mary. What makes the film even better is that there are two stunning musical numbers--Midler's delightful "I Put a Spell on You" and Parker's hypnotic "Come, Little Children." Ignore the critics, "Hocus Pocus" is perfect not only for Halloween, but for any time of the year!

If you grew up in the nineties, you've probably seen "Hocus Pocus" a few hundred times. I think most every generation gets their own kid-friendly horror-lite Halloween movie. "Gremlins" probably filled that role for a lot of eighties kids and hopefully "Coraline" is the pick for the modern 6-10 crowd. "Hocus Pocus" is nowhere near as good as either of those movies but I've seen it a bunch anyway. Probably more, since my Mom has long been a Bette Midler fan.

Of course, even goofy kid's flicks like this have new information to reveal. I had no idea that Mick Garris, veteran horror screenwriter, co-wrote this one. Nor did I know that Doug Jones, probably the most famous creature actor today, played the zombie in this. Was there any other new information waiting me? The movie actually holds up alright. The decent premise is classic horror stuff. Set in Salem, of course, the child-stealing Sarandon sisters were executed but not before doing a few things: Turning a local teen into an immortal black cat, draining his little sister's life force, and, more pressingly, placing a curse on the town. Should a virgin ever light the black candle, they will return. Of course, this happens. Recently relocated teen Max, dragging his little sister and high school crush with him, lights that candle, revives the witch sisters, and leads to a bunch of wacky antics.

The cast and characters make the film far more likable then it would have been otherwise. Bette Midler goes far over the top as lead witch Winnifred. Her make-up is cartoonish, including frizzy red hair, perpetually pursed lips, and comically exaggerated buckteeth. Midler's acting is on the same level. She hoots, hollers, squeals, and delivers every line with comic-stripe panache. Even her facial expressions and body language are calculated for goofiness. She plays off the other two sisters nicely. Sarah Jackson Parker, before everyone started calling her a horse, brings a manic energy to the part. She jumps around, repeats dialogue, and actually conveys a wacky sexiness. Kathy Najimi is similarly silly, acting like an overgrown dofus.

Much of the humor comes from typical "fish out of water" shenanigans. The witches are baffled and occasionally delighted by asphalt, a bus, TV, remotes, and the concept of Halloween. Some of this is more entertaining then others. The interaction with a horny bus driver or Garry Marshall dressed as the Devil get genuine laughs. The trio constantly being fooled by fire sprinklers or headlights proves less so. Some of the overly goofy gags prove better then others. The witches having their brooms snatched by young look-a-likes is amusing. Them jumping on mops and vacuums are the sorts of goofy, kid's movie jokes you'd hope the movie would avoid. Midler and crew deliver their frequently corny dialogue like pros, never loosing that ridiculous cartoon tone.

It's not uncommon for the kids in the kids' movies to be punch-worthy. "Hocus Pocus" mostly avoids that too. The movie's theme boils down to one of sibling love. Surprisingly, this is incorporated organically into the story. Binx, the talking cat, lost his sister and is driven by the hope of being reunited with her. Max comes to appreciate and love his sister over the course of the story. It fits in and isn't overdone. The improbably named Ormi Katz finds a decent balance between grouchy, angsty teenager and proactive protagonist. A tiny Thora Birch also comes close to annoying. Her emotional interactions with the brother and the talking cat make the character relatively real. Vanessa Shaw is lovely and shows some genuinely comedic skills as Max's love interest. Only the ridiculous bully characters overdo it.

The movie couldn't cast Bette Midler in the lead without getting her to sing. The whole movie's tone of improbable goofiness is best summed up when a three-hundred year-old witch walks on-stage and sings a choreographed song-and-dance number. Yet that's probably the most memorable moment in the film. The zombie antics, with his head and fingers getting knocked off, are nicely gruesome for a kid's flick. "Hocus Pocus" even has a moment of eerie beauty, when Parker lures the children of the town away with a siren song. The music is ethereal and the image of hundreds of kids, some still in their Halloween costumes, walking the streets at night sticks with you. The special effects don't hold up and the whole movie is a goofy trifle. As far as nineties nostalgia go? "Hocus Pocus" is one of the better examples from my childhood.

I don't what the critics were talking about, but I found Hocus Pocus to be extreme fun, from start to finish. The use of color and the sets is all magical, giving the movie a strange fairy-tale feel. I also found it to be very funny with great special-effects. The movie's just plain fun. The three witches, thankfully, aren't flat and dull. This movie is scary without being profane (ala Mighty Joe Young) or super duper frightening. A great film that's much better than most Disney live-action films today.

Though they are three witches they were not the Witches of Eastwick. "Hocus Pocus" is about as clean as you can get for a movie about witches sucking the souls out of children. I mean, at least it wasn't bloody, profane, or lewd. There wasn't even a kiss between the two lovebirds.

In 1693 three witches--Mary (Kathy Najmy), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Winifred (Bette Midler)-- were killed (don't worry, they don't show it). Before they met their demise at the hand of an angry mob, Winnie cast a spell which would bring them back to life should "a virgin light the blacklight candle on the full moon of Halloween." I know, very specific. Not many chances for that to occur.

Well, 300 years later that very thing happened when new kid on the block, Max (Omri Katz), lit the candle. He was thoroughly opposed by his little sister, Dani (Thora Birch), and cute classmate Allison (Vinessa Shaw). But if he never lit the candle, we'd have no movie.

They spent the rest of the movie trying to evade the female versions of Larry, Curly, and Moe. It's a kids' movie, no doubt. It was cute and fairly harmless. Even the witches themselves looked and behaved innocuously. I'll put it this way: the witch from "Wizard of Oz" was far scarier.

Hocus pocus is a timeless classic. The perfect Halloween movie, a combination of minor scares, great laughs, and some killer costumes. The most iconic three witches in all of Salem. I rewatch this multiple times every Halloween season, and it only gets better. A perfectly quotable masterpiece. Midler, Parker, and Najimy play their roles amazingly as three 17th century witches catapulted into the modern age. Some of the kids acting is marginal, but with so much going on you hardly notice. After all, it's just a bunch of hocus pocus.

I do like this film, though only moderately. In some places it's really funny and includes some adult humour as well as stuff for the kids, but a lot of it is predictable and has a pretty basic story line. I thought that Bette Midler's performance was brilliant (as usual) and that over all, I would watch this film again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.

In the years since its release in 1993, thanks to annual showings on television, Hocus Pocus has become something of a Halloween classic. I didn't grow up with the movie, and I don't think it is an especially well-crafted work, so I can't necessarily vouch for Hocus Pocus' "classic" status, but what I can vouch for is the movie's wholesome family spirit. This is a lovable little movie, the kind that renders any faults moot by the sheer charm of the production. I guess it's not a very good film, but its black magic worked on me.

I'll keep the summary short. Three witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts and they wreak havoc on Halloween night. A small band of kids try to stop them. That's really all the plot you need to know. What's important to consider is that the movie takes place on Halloween, and it makes the most of that setting. I've always had a soft spot for Halloween and Halloween-related accoutrement: Monsters, ghouls, jack-o-lanterns, and the like. So Hocus Pocus appeals to me on the basis of simply being about the holiday, and relishing in the spirit of Halloween. It is also one of the few Halloween movies to capture that specific "spooky, but not scary" feeling Halloween night had as a kid. For someone who has long outgrown trick-or-treating, it's an inviting bit of nostalgia.

Let's talk about the cast. Has there ever been a more likable bunch of actresses than the three witches here? Midler, Parker, and Najimy show no pretenses. They are just out there goofing around and having fun. Their performances aren't anything special, of course, but you can't tell me they didn't add more than their share of cute energy to the proceedings. Speaking of cute energy, I have to give a special shoutout to Thora Birch as the young sister, who gushes with charm. She's the heart of the movie, she's got screen presence, and she's a good little actress.

Not everyone will see Hocus Pocus the way I do. I have a pesky habit of rooting for movies because they are silly and innocent, rather than in spite of. Others find that sort of thing unbearable. In this case, Hocus Pocus has two things that distract me from its formulaic, kids- save-the-day plot: A lovable cast, and Halloween spirit. As dumb as it is, I still get the urge to revisit it every October. You could say I fell under its spell.

66/100

First of all, anyone watching this film has to remember that it is aimed towards children. You cannot have the expectations that there is some deep meaning connected with this film, or that it is going to be another Bette Midler comedy with R-rated humor. If that is what you are looking for, watch "Ruthless People". This film is funny and cute. That is all. If I was a 10 year old child, I would love this movie. It is a family film and nobody should expect anything more. Secondly, it has Bette Midler and a wonderfully funny Kathy Najimy and dim-witted Sarah Jessica Parker......so, ENJOY!

I was only 7 years old when Hocus Pocus was released and it instantly became one of my favourite films to watch on Halloween and any day of the year. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy & Sarah Jessica Parker delivered hilarious performances as a trio of witches brought back to life to cause mischief and mayhem on the scariest night of the year. Why anyone would give it a bad review is beyond me? This film is good for fans of all ages.

In 1693 the Sanderson sisters Winifred (Midler) Mary (Najimy) and Sarah (Parker) convicted of witchcraft and the death of Emily Binx (Rivera) were hanged by the townsfolk but before their death Winifred vowed they would return when a virgin would light a candle and the life force from all the children will be for them.

Approximately 300 years later in 1993 teenager Max Dennison (Katz) has moved with his family from Los Angeles to the town of Salem Massachusetts, where the legend of the Sanderson sisters is still popular he believes it to be nothing more than just a stupid Halloween story made up by a candy company. He ends up taking his 8 year old sister Dani (Birch) trick or treating while his parents attend a party at town hall. They stop at house where Allison (Shaw) the girl Max has a crush on and classmate from school is holding a party, she tells them her knowledge of the sisters and that the house they lived in is now a museum.

Wanting to impress his dream girl they all go to the old house where Winifred's spell book still is in a glass case. As soon as the black flame candle is lit trouble begins when the Sanderson sisters return from the grave. Aiding Max, Dani, & Allison in the battle to stop the witches from taking all the children's life force is Thackery Binx (Murray)a teenager from the 16th century who had a spell of immortality placed on him and was transformed into a black cat as punishment for trying to stop the the enemy and has lived with the guilt of not being able to save his sister for centuries.

I'm not going to spoil the ending for those who have yet to see the movie all I can say is that you have to see it to believe it.

This is the story of three nefarious practitioners of Darkly-aligned Magick and the mark they left on the town which sentenced them to death.

Disney is known to openly endorse and promote the use of the Old Ways. Whether a good Witch (Bedknobs and Broomsticks) or a bad Witch (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Disney loves Magick and those who use it.

These Witches, however, are the worst kind of rabble, and while we attempt to defeat them, character development occurs. This movie is quite entertaining, however it is too dark and scary for younger audiences, and may be considered too juvenile for adults, but the older children and tweens seem to love it.

It rates an 8.7/10 from...

the Fiend :.

Doesn't feel like Halloween without watching this movie.

WELL this is a fun movie, and Bette is just so talented, love her voice! Siblings and what they will do for each other to keep each other safe, about personal sacrifices and love. OK it sounds corny but its really got some FUNNY moments in it, and children 5 and above will love it. Some are kinda scary for little ones, but it has a happy ending.... OK well a happy as can be ending.

OMG this movie was like nails on a chalkboard to sit through. Of course the 3 witches were mildly entertaining bc the actresses that play them are top rate but the rest of it was so so so bad and cheesy. I can't believe the user reviews are so high on this movie. Phew 1.5 hours of my life I'll never get back.

This movie came out when i was 5 years old, I had seen the trailers for it and I couldn't wait for it to come out. Back then it was my favourite movie of all time. I would watch it every day, sometimes twice a day... (I know, sad, right?} Now i am 18 and it is still among the best movies EVER!!! I wish that they would do a sequel with the original cast! That would be so cool! Something like... They come back to get revenge on Danny and her new boyfriend or son or something. I don't think they will though! I would love to be in it! ! ! It is such an amazing mix of history, drama, comedy, supernatural and playfulness. I read that this was originally going to be a TV movie for the Disney channel and not have Sarah, Bette and Kathy in it at all. Boy are we lucky they were. I know that it sounds like I am babbling on a bit and not making much sense but they won't let me post this message if it is less than 10 lines! How ridiculous is that? It would be better if I could just write what I want to say and not have to fill the ten lines with nonsense just so I can post a comment!

Well, that was quite something. Hocus Pocus is, without a doubt, a fun Halloween film that will put you in the right mood for the holiday. Is it a good film though? Not really, no. But then again, a movie like this doesn't have to be particularly good to be entertaining.

Where Hocus Pocus really shines, is in providing every member of the family with something. There are a lot of jokes that will fly right over the kids watching, but there is also a lot of very exciting, and perhaps even scary stuff for them. As such, I don't really have trouble understanding why this film is a staple in many Halloween movie lists.

I have to admit that there wasn't much that I liked in this film. However, for some mysterious reason (perhaps magic), the sum of the parts became a rather fun 90 odd minutes. Will I be rewatching Hocus Pocus every Halloween? Probably not. But, I do think that if I ever again am in the mood for some fun Halloween cheer, this film will be one that I will consider watching.

This film, then, manages to do, rather perfectly may I add, what it intends to do. It is suitable for all ages, it is very Halloween and puts you right in that spooky mood, and it's a fun adventure that will keep you engaged for its entire runtime. It might not be a great movie, but it sure as hell is entertaining.

I have seen "Hocus Pocus" recommended as a "kids movie". Well, I would say that with big reservations. "For kids 8 and over" might be more a more accurate recommendation, if that.

The movie includes a living corpse character brought back to life from the dead: part of the humor is that his body parts keep falling off. There is a lot in this movie that might seriously freak out little children!

And then there's the running gag about the boy who is the hero being a virgin. Be prepared, if you watch this with your little kids, to be asked to explain what a "virgin" is. The local bus driver picks up the three witches, who are pretty freaky, and seems to be extremely attracted to them. When they tell him they desire children (another really frightening concept in this movie), he replies, "It could take a while, but I think I could do that for you." And witch Sarah Jessica Parker displays a lot of cleavage (who knew?!). And much more of the same type of innuendo occurs, which is more on the level of a teen movie than a kids movie. (And teenagers will say it's too "kiddish" for them.)

The movie veers back and forth between light-hearted comedy and gloomy, scary, violent scenes, in a way that turns out to be rather badly balanced. The expectation of a Disney movie doesn't prepare parents and kids for some of the contents of "Hocus Pocus". For instance, when the witches kidnap the hero's young sister from her bedroom, this is really a frightening thing for kids (and parents).

And then having to look at Bette Midler with her buck teeth, and Kathy Najimy, who appears to be continually on the verge of drooling--now that's disturbing!