Hocus Pocus (1993)

Once again I enter this film with very limited knowledge. If you were to ask me what I know about Hocus Pocus I would be able to tell you there are three sisters, a black cat and a song. In terms of the plot I have no idea which is a given considering all the Halloween movies I am currently watching are because I've never seen them however I do feel as if I am able to predict what might happen. Firstly I have a feeling the sisters are summoned back with a spell almost as if they were dead but then resummoned by children who didn't really know that they are doing. Now I am not sure if this is genuinely information I have received from being alive on this planet and online when everyone is posting of how much they love Hocus Pocus or if it is the plot of a different movie I am projecting but that's the assumption I went in with.

Looking at the narrative and how I think the film is going to progress I feel it's going to be somewhat easy to predict. Given that it is a Disney film I doubt there is going to be any real murder which lessens the stakes significantly so I think instead the witches motive is going to be to take over the world. They are looking for power or possibly revenge and they are going to do that by going after the town first which I am assuming is where the notable song comes into play. However given it is a children's film there will inevitably be some kind of conclusion where the answer is to be friends and create their own community of outcasts. Resulting in the witches having some kind of agreement made where they are allowed to stay if only they behave and contribute to society. A true capitalist sentiment.

Despite my initial thoughts and predictions I wasn't able to predict everything that happened. I was right about the witches being resurrected though it was done in a semi intention way where main character Max did not believe it would really work. The power they were looking for was actually immortality not control though if they were looking at living forever I would say taking control of the world would have come with that so I am counting that as half a win. The only thing I seemed to get wrong was the ending where I assumed the witches would learn the error of their ways and be welcomed into a new community. Perhaps that was too 'disney-afied' and ending because they did end up dying. But in my defence I am also aware of the second movie and while that is also unwatched I at least know if it's existence. Therefore I was assuming they would be welcomed at the end of the movie and the second would be of them truly trying to live in this new world and trying to be good people which comes so difficultly to them.

Instead it appears that isn't the answer. I say that specifically in terms of the original curse the sisters left as clearly they appear in the second film. I instead mean that I was under the impression the cat would stay alive until the curse of the witches possibly returning was completely eradicated which is broken at the end here. Despite how creepy Binx may have come across towards Dani as he said goodbye, his ghost appeared and joined his sister proving his curse of living forever was broken which to me means that even if the black flame candle was lit by a virgin again the sisters would not return. Because of that I truly have no clue how the sisters return in the sequel as if the candle is to be lit again and bring them back surely Binx would have remained alive as a protector and deterrent. Still perhaps I should not have thought this film would end so harmoniously considering the number of not so family friendly moments that arose.

First, and most prominently, the specific use of a virgin lighting the candle was an element I didn't see becoming as critical as it was. The characterisation of a virgin representing innocence or being used as a key spell ingredient is very common in horror films so when it was first mentioned I was unfazed. It was only after the first initial scene that I truly began to wonder how often it would be brought up, in passing sure children aren't going to focus on that but this was something that was repeated. Max brought it up attempting to flirt with Allison, Binx says it like it's a slur as a way of getting back at Max and even Dani talks about it in annoyance and she is 8! They all talk about it throughout the movie that it's impossible to avoid which only makes me question what did the children who watched it think a virgin is. Just some kind of weak person? A mysterious science gene some people just have? The poor parents that must have had all their children questioning.

And that isn't even mentioning all the other oddly sexual moments like the bus driver thinking he's about to have a foursome with the three sisters because they want a child. It's classic miscommunication that I would imagine seeing in an Adam Sandler film not one from Disney. Then there are the teenage bullies wanting to watch babes undress, characters calling one another a tart and 8 year old Dani talking about how she doesn't have boobs yet but Allison does and Max likes them. I am aware a lot of these will go over a child's head and is more for the parents who watch it with them so they aren't completely bored with a kids film but even then I feel like it's been elevated. Perhaps it's just me I mean I haven't watched a proper Disney film in a good while so I could be out of the loop and just appearing like a pride what do I know. All I am saying is it took me by surprise.

(Ethan Nester looking ass)

Let's go back to the virgin element briefly as I did want to bring up the way it was presented in the movie. More specifically the way gender roles were swapped. When the film started and mentioned it would be a virgin to light the candle and bring back the sisters I was already thinking in my head it was going to be the girl because that is the usual element films produced. Following this when Allison left the school in her red coat and pulled up the hood I was reminded of the story little red riding hood, which is another story based around virginity and menstruation. So I was feeling rather confident she would be the culprit only it wasn't her but Max who went on to light the candle. It may seem like a small insignificant detail which in theory it is but I also enjoyed that for once the horror movie wasn't an innocent virgin girl playing the damsel but instead was Max. The virgin character finally being played by a teenage boy is something I thought was quite refreshing to see but that only progressed in the movie when Max kept proving himself as the less competent character.

Now I am not saying Max didn't try to defend himself, he did. But if you asked me to choose who fit the damsel in distress role the best I would have told you Max. On multiple occasions he got himself into a situation he couldn't get himself out of, for example when the witches were brought back and Max was electrocuted by Winifred it was his sister Dani who hit them away and dragged Max out of there. The same thing happened near the end of the film when Dani was taken by the witches and Max was shocked again and only truly protected when Allison stepped in and threw salt around to protect them. It seems to be a common occurrence that Max is the somewhat unprepared character who has to reply on other people to keep him alive. Similarly at the end battle Max was just throwing around a bat and didn't actually hit anyone while Allison was able to throw salt and keep away the sisters more successfully.

Even Dani is able to think in her feet and come up with plans to stop them such as holding the hoover cord while Mary is on it to prevent her moving. Though it isn't just Max who shows unreliable but so is Billy. Now Billy is a character that I personally enjoy because of course if you bring the ex back who cheated on you they're not gonna suddenly be under your control. So having him turn on Wini was something funny to include but even after going against the villains of the movie he isn't able to actually fight. I mean he instantly gets his head knocked off and is helped by Dani who got it back. Once again the male characters are having to rely on the two main female characters for help to resolve what they couldn't. It was a juxtaposition of the classic horror movies where the women are reduced into nothing but helpless objects for the men to protect and instead allow the women to not only be the strong villainous characters but the true heroes of the story.

Speaking of strong, iconic female characters I feel it is about time I talk about the start of the show: Dani Dennison. I was obsessed with Dani from the moment she walked on screen! She may be the youngest character in the movie but at every turn I found myself identifying the most with her. She gave us humour, she gave us leadership, she gave us bravery, she gave us heartfelt emotion. It seemed that her only downfall is that she cared too much. When captured by the witches at the start Dani thinks on her feet and lies saying she was the one to bring them back in an attempt to get them on her side. In the end the plan doesn't work however to be able to come up with that plan so quickly and one that isn't that bad of an idea in the first place is something to be commended. Then for the rest of the film it is Dani who offers moments of realism reminding us that while it is a movie they aren't acting too outlandishly. Not to mention that when it comes to her allies she loves then with all her heart, immediately becoming friends with Billy after learning he's in their side without hesitation as well as offering Binx a home forever by ensuring her children and their children's children all ensure he is safe because of his immortality. She never shows hesitance or distrust for them which could be equated to her young nature and yet works in her favour.

(Ethen Nester lookin ass）

It is also intriguing to see the relationship she has with her brother. Once again it is classic in Disney films for them to have an arc in which siblings start out hating one another but after an event changes things they realise they love one another and their differences. But that arc (if any) happens within the first twenty minutes of the movie. Max appears in distain of his sister who loves Halloween and shows far too much energy for his liking. Which in itself is a very sibling kind of conflict to have. Then when trick or treating although annoyed to go he stays with his sister and ensures she is okay when the bullies attempt to steal her candy, giving them his own instead. It's a conflict that causes minor tension as he believes his reputation will be ruined but after yelling and realising how he hurt his sister he immediately apologises. Overall the small friction they have with one another is the pinnacle of sibling relationships. As anyone with a sibling will tell you, they're the bane of my existence but I'd also kill anyone who dared hurt them. Because of that the bond they share has always been quite close and at the end of the movie Max himself even says he loves Dani.

It's another simple moment that I enjoy. Most films even after the siblings resolve their differences end with one sibling saying something along the lines of "you're still the worst" and the other replying "yeah, love you too". But having Max actually say the words shows his soft side. And having his constant care for his sister shown again paints him in this traditionally feminine light because his forbid a boy love their family members, oh no, only woman can care for others. Regardless it's a relationship I find good representation of siblings. The same way the Sanderson sisters have a constant underlying annoyance at one another, as if to say I wish I could be in a coven with any other witch but my sisters. Yet when they are sad they can come together and show that support, like when they form a relaxation circle or when they band together to give Winifred some optimism.

If I am to be honest this is a film I enjoyed more than Scream though perhaps that is because I entered this knowing much less than before. I also found the actual characterisations better as they appeared to be more thought out and developed rather than a person with a name doing things. And that's all in spite of Hocus Pocus being the shorter film and the singing scene not living up to expectations. The witches are three sisters and one of them was singing lead so why the backing vocals sounded like a choir I don't know. They are witches I suppose so that gives an answer to all plot holes. For that reason I am rating this movie higher than the last and am even more excited to watch Child's Play (1988) tomorrow. Once again I will leave any final bullet points below and subscribe to get notified of every blog post.

Nonsense Bullet Points

•Wait if the cat can talk why did he never talk to his family and say it was him

•Using random appliances to fly because the lost their old brooms means the power comes from them not the brooms so why did the children fly on the brooms? Are they descendants or do they enchant the brooms then that thing is always enchanted until further notice?

•Why were they not affected by the come children song when everyone else is and it's not ages because there were others older

•Billy more like Edward Scissorhands

•Why did Wini turn to stone before erupting into dust when the others went straight into dust is there more lore

•Why is zombie still a zombie and not instantly back to dead when the witches die

•Why was the Binx send off low-key romantic like he was in love with Dani and I stupid

•They mention multiple times about Allison being witchy if that isn't evolved more in the second it was a lost opportunity