There are several movies from my past that I love with a passion and have continued to watch over and over again each year. One of my favorite times of the year is the fall, because it makes way for some of the best movies ever - Halloween movies! Whether they be some of the best horror movies or some fun Halloween movies, I love watching them this time of year as the leaves begin to change. And a personal favorite of mine, for many years, has been Hocus Pocus.
But, as I’ve gotten older and rewatched the movie countless times, there are several thoughts that have continuously popped up into my head about this movie that I just had to share. And with Hocus Pocus 2 around the corner, I knew I had to write these down - maybe you’ll even find one you agree with. Let’s get into it.
And, obviously, big spoilers for Hocus Pocus down below!
Thackery And Emily Are A Little Too Close As Siblings For My Liking
Look, I have an older brother and, uh…this relationship ain’t it, fam.
I understand that siblings can be close, obviously, but in Hocus Pocus, it feels a little less like a sibling relationship and more like something that I shall not name – that often reminds me of a certain family in Game of Thrones. However, that could just be my dirty mind thinking that, but something just feels off with these two. I’m not sure why.
Like, when Thackery died, why was it that he was only reunited with his sister in the afterlife? Surely his whole family is gone now. Where the heck were they? I just don’t know, man.
I Don’t Know Whether To Respect Max’s Confidence Or Feel Creeped Out By It
Can we all be truthful right here and say that Max - while confident - is also kinda creepy?
I’m all for a good coming of age story and Max, at first, certainly fits the bill. Outcast kid, moving to a new town and trying to just fit in. But it’s his actions afterwards that turn me right the heck off. I can respect his confidence in giving Allison his number right after she called him out, but in front of the whole class and the teacher? That just doesn't happen.
And, if it did, he’d probably get laughed at. I'm only being honest; kids can be cruel.
Even so, afterwards he’s still kinda creepy in certain ways. I don’t even want to talk about that pillow scene, but it’s the fact that he heavily hits on Allison a good amount throughout the film. I just know that if I were Allison, I would most certainly not want to be around him – there’s just something off. He’s done so many annoying things.
Dani Is A Menace And I Love Her
His sister, however, is another story and I adore her.
Thora Birch had already appeared in a variety of films before Hocus Pocus, but I always remember her the most from this (and the American Beauty cast). She was just so sweet and such a menace to Max, and was the perfect little sister.
While I do think Max is a little iffy in the “romantic” sense, he certainly loves his sister, and the relationship that he and Dani have is one that any siblings can aspire to have. It’s painted perfectly, and as someone who grew up with a big brother (with about the same age difference), I love it to death. It’s a nice counterpart to Thackery and Emily (and a lot less creepy).
Bette Midler Acts Her Butt Off In Hocus Pocus And I Am Here For Every Second Of It
Bette Midler. That’s it. That’s the paragraph.
On a real note, I’ve always loved Bette Midler. She’s such a great character actress and has been iconic in so many movies, like The Rose, Ruthless People, and so many others. But man, her in Hocus Pocus is just on a whole different level. The acting skills it takes for her to become Winnie in Hocus Pocus are something else – and let’s remember that she does this all while wearing those obnoxious fake teeth. Now that takes talent.
The whole Hocus Pocus cast is great, but Bette Midler is truly the star, and I can’t wait to see her return as Winnie in Hocus Pocus 2.
I Will Always Wish That Thackery Was My Own Black Cat
This is just a silly thing, but Thackery as a cat is so sweet. Like, he is the perfect version of what I would imagine a black cat to be like on Halloween. He’s so cute and cuddly and ugh, I was so sad when he died at the end of the film.
But, I have my own black cat at home named Boo, so I’m not losing out on too much. However, I’m now starting to think I should have named him Thackery. Missed opportunity.
How Is This Movie Only PG?
Seriously. How is this film only PG???
There are so many moments in Hocus Pocus that should have it earn a PG-13 rating, almost too many to count. I’ll state a few – using the word “virgin” several times, a literal hanging of the witches shown on screen, several sexual innuendos (especially that pillow scene and the bus driver), and a whole head getting knocked off of Billy Butcherson.
Let me tell you, Hocus Pocus came out in 1993, and I know that some people will be like “oh, it was the ‘90s, it was a different time,” but there were several other films released in the ‘90s that had appropriate PG ratings. Toy Story, for example. Home Alone was another popular one that I think deserves the PG rating. Jumanji, starring Robin Williams, is PG. All of these I believe deserve their rating.
But Hocus Pocus? Nah, that should be PG-13 and I will stand by it. There’s a reason why I waited so long to see this film (until I was probably 11 – maybe 12, if I can remember correctly) and that’s because of certain scenes in this film that my parents knew would probably not sit well with me until I was older.
This could just be my internal instincts trying to look out for any kid who might stumble across the film one of the several times it’ll pop up on TV during the Halloween season, but it’s just something I think about.
What is your favorite part about Hocus Pocus? As fall begins to come in slowly and we are all preparing to carve our pumpkins and greet trick-or-treaters, I think we should sit down and revisit this Halloween classic. We ride tonight, sisters!
