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Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch ... see more see more... , Vinessa Shaw , Sean Murray , Larry Bagby III , Tobias Jelinek , Stephanie Faracy , Charles Rocket , Vanna Bonta , Teda Bracci , Kathleen Freeman , Leigh Hamilton , Doug Jones , Joe Malone , Jason Marsden , Michael McGrady , Norbert Weisser , Don Yesso , Peggy Holmes , Ezra Sutton , Barbara Cohen , Mary Gail Artz , Amanda Shepherd

The people of Salem capture and execute three witches for practicing witchcraft. Before their deaths, they vow to return to Salem 300 years on Halloween to exact their revenge. Three hundred years lat... read more read more...er, a skeptical, newly transplanted Californian, Max, explores the ruins of the legendary witches house and dares the witches to manifest themselves. Disregarding the warnings of his sister and girlfriend, Max lights the Candle of Black Flame. With that, the witches reappear to wreak havoc on the town. The kids take off with the witches spellbook. The sorceresses, who will die by the morning light if they don't recite the incantation for immortality, have to get the books by whatever means they can.

Flixster Users

67% liked it

324,353 ratings

Critics

32% liked it

22 critics

PG, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Kenny Ortega

Release Date: July 16, 1993

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DVD Release Date: April 22, 2003

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Stats: 16,457 reviews

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Winifred Sanderson Hocus Pocus Hocus Pocus Billy Butcherson Magic Omri Katz
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Flixster Reviews (16,457)

  • fb100002359227440
    February 10, 2012
    fb100002359227440
    Nothing funny or really good. Surely is not for children.
  • movieguru12
    October 31, 2011
    movieguru12
    Adorable horror romance about obstacles that will stand in the way of you & your girl. Very classy Disney movie :) Have to watch it around Halloween every year (: Classic lines too. I love it! (:
  • StarCrossedVoyager
    October 31, 2011
    StarCrossedVoyager
    A film I loved as a child and still love it now. Its an easy and fun Halloween watch to get you in the mood. It is very Disney with very cheesy characters and the romance between the two kids is typically teen but I guess that's the type of film their target market wants to see. ... read moreThe cat is very well done and cute too.
  • FrizzDrop
    October 21, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    As a kid I waited in squeamish anticipation for Hocus Pocus to show up on the Disney channel during their Halloween month. Most years I was not disappointed, but it's been a while, so this year I revisited this 90's kids' classic in order to brush nostalgia once more. Most of it ... read morestill holds up as a well written, creepy, wicked kids' film, using a threesome of strange witches to prey on children for their survival. As a child, it's extremely unsettling to think of your life depending on the desires of three immortal beings with long fingernails and a cauldron to cook their potions. Even though it held many of the 90's Disney misgivings (comic foils who use slang such as "tubular" and "dude", a heavily quoted "virgin" male protagonist, and the plot device of moving to a new town.) I watched it as a kid and loved the supernatural elements. Besides incorporating the true tales of the Salem witches with a generally ridiculous plot line, the art direction was cutesy, the effects believable, and everything rang creepy as a kid. Today I see much of this as 90's cheese, right down to Gary and Penny Marshall playing a married couple (they're brother and sister), Bette Midler singing an old standard in a rock genre, and the bad animatronics on Thackery Binx, a boy transformed into a cat. Besides that, there are so many questions and plot holes, especially concerning Thackery. It didn't ring as genius as it did back when I was a kid, but it was still a great example of a kid's film done right.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    August 30, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Hocus Pocus is a film that definitely shows its age. The film was fun back when it was first released, but as the years go by, you realize how bad this film. I thought that the cast was terrible, and as a family film, Hocus Pocus is an irritating film that definitely looks dated ... read moreby today's standards. Since its release, there has been a plateau of better acted and original family oriented movies. This film wasn't really my cup of tea, and now, I find the film to have not aged nicely. Everything about the film seems out of place. Now over a decade later, Hocus Pocus is one of those "family" films that hasn't stood out above the rest. Like I previously stated, Hocus Pocus has been obscured by better family films since then, and this title has practically been obscured. Hocus Pocus has the misfortune of being a really good film to watch, only when you're a kid. The film doesn't hold up like so many other films you grew up with. Of all the films that I grew up with, Hocus Pocus remains one of the worst, most idiotic and above all forgettable films that I've seen when I was younger. I'm not hatin' on the fans, and it's cool if you've enjoyed this, but for me; this isn't a family film that stood out. I find the cast don't deliver anything great on screen, with most performances are quite frankly over the top. Unfortunately as a "witch" movie, I felt that Hocus Pocus didn't cut it. I'll stick with Andrew Fleming's The Craft, a far more superior witch film. Hocus Pocus is the type of film that has lost its vigor after all these years. This film was terrific back when it was first released, unfortunately, its not one of those films that has stood the test of time.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 17, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Really terrible kids movie, who would let their children watch this movie.
  • ajv2688
    May 18, 2011
    ajv2688
    I used to watch this Halloween movie on the Disney channel all the time as a kid, but when I saw it again later, I thought it was actually pretty stupid. It's not too bad, though, it's a fun kids movie for kids, and it has a good cast, so it's okay.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    October 30, 2010
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Great Disney movie, I have always liked it, just saw it again after a couple of years back of not seen it, I enjoyed it and relived my childhood for just 2 hours, it was great.

    n the year 1693, 3 sisters, Winifred, Mary and Sarah were executed for their unforgivable witchcraft. ... read moreOne fateful Halloween night, that unpleasant honor went to adorable little Emily Binx, sister of teenage Thackery, who immediately ran to his sibling's aid when he heard she'd been lured by Sarah Sanderson to the witches' home in the woods. This was not a well thought out plan though, and the cost was not only the life of his sister Emily, but his own humanity as well. Emily's lifeforce was drained from her body by the three Sanderson witches, and big brother Thackery Binx was transformed into an immortal black cat, cursed to live forever with the guilt of his failure to save his sister! Luckily for the rest of the children of Salem, the Sanderson sisters were captured that night and hung for their crimes, but not before their living book of spells revealed to them a curse to bring the three back from the dead on All Hallow's Eve when a virgin lights the black flame candle. 300 years later, teenager Max Dennison is a newcomer to Salem, struggling to adjust after growing up in a California lifestyle. It isn't going well for Max. Bullies are stealing his sneakers right off his feet, the girl of his dreams snubs him due to his lack of interest in Halloween, and his little sister, Dani, is ever the pest. Now, he must spend the evening escorting her door to door for trick or treating while their parents enjoy the town Halloween dance. Things are about to go from bad to worse for Max, however. Just when he believes things are looking up after he and Dani convince dream-girl Allison to take them to the old Sanderson house, Max's efforts to impress the girl lead him to light the black-flame candle himself, bringing Sarah, Mary, and Winifred Sanderson back from the dead! From there on out, it's a non-stop, fun-filled chase as the witches pursue the children, determined to make sassy-mouthed Dani the subject of their next youth spell, which must be performed before dawn or else the witches will be gone forever! With the immortal, talking black cat Binx guiding them along, Max, Dani, and Allison work together to outrun, outwit, and outlast the evil trio and their magical arsenal, with the fate of all the children of Salem hanging in the balance!
  • cosmo313
    August 19, 2010
    cosmo313
    A little campy and corny, but harmless and enjoyable fun. Midler, Parker, and Najimy are fun to watch, and I like the atmosphere they're going for. It's a pretty decent looking film with some nice gothic touches. It's also fun to see Thora Brich before she became hot and really t... read morealented.
  • bbcfloridabound
    February 12, 2010
    bbcfloridabound
    I put off watching this movie for so long, I figured how good could it be/ Well what I found out was that it was a great movie and Bette Midler played an excellent part as one of the three witches. This is a Disney production. And its both for Children and adults. Can't Say nothi... read moreng Bad about this movie. Its not a 5 star movie but surely a 4 star.

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Critic Reviews

Maria Llull
January 2, 2011
Maria Llull, Common Sense Media

Rollicking Halloween fun for tweens and up. Full Review

Dustin Putman
October 24, 2008
Dustin Putman, DustinPutman.com

For an 11-year-old boy (in 1993) already in love with horror movies, Halloween and Thora Birch, Hocus Pocus was my dream movie sprung to life. Full Review

Steve Crum
June 8, 2006
Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Goofy witches and things that bump all over the place, incliuding Midler...fair family fun.

Fred Topel
August 13, 2003
Fred Topel, About.com

Terrible family movie with bad music and lame overacting.

Nell Minow
August 11, 2002
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Dismayingly grisly for a movie aimed at kids.

Chris Hicks
January 1, 2000
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Unfortunately, all their hammy mugging makes the Three Stooges seem downright subtle. Full Review

David N. Butterworth
January 1, 2000
David N. Butterworth, rec.arts.movies.reviews

Strictly for kids. Full Review

Brian Lowry
April 1, 2009
Brian Lowry, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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    • Sarah Sanderson: A muck, a muck, a muck!
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Hocus Pocus Trivia

  • Sarah Jessica Parker stars along side Bette Midler in The First Wives Club, what other movie do they star together?   Answer »
  • in hocus pocus What are the names of the Sanderson sisters?  Answer »
  • Who sang I put a Spell On you in the movie Hocus Pocus?  Answer »
  • In the movie Hocus Pocus who has to light the candle in order for Sanderson sisters to appear?  Answer »
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