Allreaders.com

Hocus Pocus Movie Review Summary

Actors: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Hocus Pocus


In the early 18th century, three witches were hanged and placed under the floorboards. Now in the 20th century, a new arrival and his sister and his love interest release the witches.
Click here to see the rest of this review...

The review of this Movie prepared by Simon Webb




The movie opens in Salem, MA around the time if the Salem witch trials. Tackery Binx wakes up to find his sister gone and decides to go looking for her where the witches are. Meanwhile, Winnifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson are boiling a potion to make themselves younger and more beautiful. They need the life of a child to do this.

Cut to: 1993--Max and his 8 year old sister Dani move to Salem, MA witht their parents, reluctantly, from a big city. Max immediately falls for Alison, a pretty girl in his class. The people of Salem are obsessed with Halloween and the Sanderson Sisters, but Max thinks'the whole thing is stupid. It turns out that Alison's mother owns the Sanderson Museum, and they go there and Max, being the virgin (sigh...) that he is, lights the black flame candle and the sisters come back to life. They spend the entire rest of the movie trying to keep the sisters from killing any children.
The review of this Movie prepared by Jake




The movie starts off in old Salem. A girl is taken by a witch, and her brother tries to save her. The townspeople go to the witch's cottage in the woods, and find them. They hang the witches, but not before the boy is turned into a cat, and the witches have placed a spell, saying that they will return. The spell takes place 300 years later when a virgin lights the "black flame candle." The witches come back, and the rest of the movie is about the witches struggling with the boy and his followers to find children to suck the life out of before sunrise.
The review of this Movie prepared by Liz




This comedy at first is set in old salem and sees a young girl being lured by three witches(Midler and Parker). Her brother sets of in hot pursuit to their home in the woods. Zackery Binks is unable to save his sister from having her life drained. The witches turn him into a cat for saying that all the lives in the world wouldn't make Midler beautiful. He is let to spend all eternity apart from his sister. The witches are hung but manage to create a curse that will bring them back. Zackery's family never knew what happened to him.

This story is told by a teacher in Salem as a legend. Her we met the main character a boy (Eerie Indiana) just moved from L.A. and is finding it hard to adjust. He doesn't believe in the tale but his love interest does and tricks him by giving his phone number back.

While his parents go to a Halloween party he is let to take his sister(Thora Birch) Trick or treating. On their way they come across his crush's house. Bored with her parent's party she agrees to take them to the old witches' house which is now a museum. He lights a candle and brings the witches back. Zackery the cat saves them and they escape with their spell book.

Meanwhile the witches are getting used to being in modern times and are desperate to live forever. They have to suck the lives out of children in order to survive the dawn which is their deadline.

As the witches' come after the gang and trance the parents to dancing forever they sing a siren song (Parker) to 'pied-piper' children to them. Zackery and his teenage friends have to stop the witches' from killing any more children before they become more powerful. And they learn from loss how much they love their siblings.

A great family film with catchy songs and humourous scenes by all to keep any fidgety child amused. The three witches show great teamwork and performance but the effects of Zackery the cat steal the show- a great character.
The review of this Movie prepared by H Louise



Script Analysis of Hocus Pocus

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Comedy, primarily    -   Yes Time/era of movie:    -   1980's-1999 Comedy or Parody about    -   horror movies

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   student Age:    -   a teen Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White American

Setting

United States    -   Yes Small town?    -   Yes Small town people:    -   nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Misc setting    -   school

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   explicit references to deaths Any profanity?    -   None    -   Occasional swearing If lots of song/dance...    -   lot of singing If this is a kid's movie...    -   Ages 10-15

Movies with storylines, themes & endings like Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus Message Board (click here)
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian