How did Hocus Pocus go from a big screen flop to a universally known Halloween classic? “But who Lit the Pop-Culture Candle?” explores the phenomenon that occurred in the decade following the film’s disappointing release and why it has cast a spell over so many viewers. Two sections explore the music, one for the score and another all about “I Put a Spell on You,” its significance to Disney beyond this film, and how it foreshadowed Bette Midler’s turn as Rose in Gypsy later in 1993.
Hocus focus reviews license#
There is also a bonus section (yes, this book has bonus features) that covers some of the more fascinating and lesser-known facts about the film’s production that didn’t fit into the guide’s narrative.Īs a fan of Bette Midler, I was overjoyed that a whole chapter is titled “The Divine Miss Sanderson,” which explores the way the film’s three leads were given artistic license to create their characters and explores the choices they made. A chapter called “Spielberg’s Second Best Halloween Movie” aught to peak the interest of a majority of readers, as Wallace explores the acclaimed director’s involvement in the project early on and how it ended up having many Spielbergian qualities to it. The story of how Hocus Pocus made its slow journey to the big screen is a fascinating one. Say, what’s with all this talk of virgins anyway? He’ll not only tell you with a look back at the Hays Code, but also reveal a highly plausible theory that you probably didn’t think about (or want to think about). Bringing a film studies background to the project, he thoroughly examines the themes and dialogue putting it all in the context of a film studies course. Wallace has done a tremendous amount of research, not only on the behind-the-scenes aspects of the film, but also the talent behind it. Learning the roots of the Sanderson Sisters helps enhance your appreciation for this bewitching motion picture. From The House of the Seven Gables and A Christmas Carol to Flora, Fauna and Merriweather from Sleeping Beauty, the origins of this witchy story can be traced across several classic stories and some real history. Throughout several of the chapters, Wallace provides fascinating history behind the inspirations for the film. This fall, prepare to take a closer look at the Sanderson Sisters and one of the greatest Halloween movies ever made in a new book by Aaron Wallace, Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fans Guide to Disney’s Halloween Classic.įans who purchase this “ungodly book” will find a treasure trove of insight into a film they likely know line-by-line, but have never thought too deeply about. But it also means that it’s seasonally appropriate to watch Hocus Pocus (although I am known to sometimes watch it in the summer because I can’t wait that long). She sings one song, which, along with everything else in the movie, happens so quickly and out of sequence that you begin to wonder if you fell asleep for a moment.It is officially fall, which means you can stop feeling guilty for consuming pumpkin spice everything when it’s still technically summer. During the other 92 minutes, you are subjected to a screaming feast of stupid lines, off-color remarks, and an incoherent plot.ĭisney is selling this film on Bette Midler, who, Disney is quick to point out, is a big hit in the rental shops.
Hocus focus reviews movie#
The only thing that saves this movie from being a flat D (or worse) is one or two funny moments. The virgin comes, in the form of a teenage boy, and along with help from the cat and the boy’s girlfriend, the rest of the movie is focused on getting the hags back in the ground.
The witches, however, are lying in wait, as they cast a spell that allows them to return if a virgin lights a particular candle on Halloween. Now it’s 1993, and the cat is still around. Along the way, they made a person into an immortal cat. A Walt Disney film about three witches that were hung in witch happy Salem, Mass.
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