The Screen Scribe

Some films take a while to find their audience, like spells that need time to simmer. Hocus Pocus was released in 1993 to lukewarm reviews and a box office that hardly screamed “classic.” Yet over the decades, it has risen like a broomstick at midnight to become a Halloween favourite, especially for families and nostalgic millennials who grew up watching it on TV every October. Today, it’s impossible to imagine the season without the Sanderson sisters cackling across the screen.

The setup is as playful as it is spooky. In Salem, Massachusetts, teenager Max Dennison accidentally resurrects three witches executed during the town’s infamous trials: Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson. The sisters, played with gleeful abandon by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, return to feast on the souls of children to regain their youth. Max, his sister Dani, and his crush Allison must stop them before sunrise, with a little help from a talking black cat named Binx.

What makes Hocus Pocus so enduring is its ability to balance genuine Halloween atmosphere with campy comedy. The Salem setting, complete with graveyards, candlelit rituals, and crisp autumn backdrops, gives it just enough spooky ambience to feel seasonal. But the heart of the film is pure mischief. The Sanderson sisters aren’t terrifying villains, they’re gleeful troublemakers, constantly bickering, scheming, and bursting into musical numbers. Their larger-than-life performances transform the film from a simple family adventure into a cult classic dripping with personality.

Bette Midler, in particular, devours every frame as Winifred. Her performance is all buck teeth, razor-sharp one-liners, and theatrical flourishes that walk the line between threatening and hilarious. Sarah Jessica Parker leans into ditzy seduction, while Kathy Najimy plays Mary with quirky warmth. Together, they form one of the most memorable trios in ‘90s cinema, embodying the kind of camp that makes a film endlessly rewatchable.

The supporting cast may not rival the witches for screen presence, but they ground the film in relatable charm. Thora Birch as Dani is delightful, equal parts stubborn kid sister and fearless adventurer, while Jason Marsden’s voice work as Binx gives the cursed cat surprising emotional weight. Their story provides the heart beneath all the camp, with themes of family, sacrifice, and loyalty running quietly beneath the cackles and chaos.

And then, of course, there’s the music. The scene where Winifred belts out “I Put a Spell on You” has become iconic, encapsulating the film’s perfect blend of spooky and silly. It’s not just a musical interlude, it’s the moment that cements the Sanderson sisters as more entertainers than terrors, and it’s hard not to grin every time it plays.

Ultimately, Hocus Pocus thrives because it embraces Halloween not as a season of horror, but as a celebration of fun. It’s less about scares and more about atmosphere, nostalgia, and mischievous energy. For kids, it’s a gateway into spooky cinema that won’t give them nightmares. For adults, it’s a nostalgic trip back to autumn evenings in front of the TV, candy in hand. To finish our Halloween Collection, Hocus Pocus earns its spot as the family-friendly pick, the film you can throw on with kids, friends, or even as background ambience while carving pumpkins. It’s silly, spooky, endlessly quotable, and just a little bit magical. In short, the perfect seasonal brew.

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