Hocus Pocus: Celebrating 25 years of the Sanderson Sisters
By Devin Shea
Hocus Pocus just turned 25, so let’s look back on the movie and see why it has such lasting power to its fans, young and old.
One of my earliest childhood memories is sitting in my living room with paper bags, scissors and tape. On the television was a VHS copy of Hocus Pocus.
As I sat and listened to the movie (even then I knew it by heart with how many times I had watched it), I cut out designs in the paper bags to recreate the costume of my most favorite Sanderson sister at the time, Sarah. With her long blonde hair, her dark lipstick and her gorgeous dress, she was what I aspired to be. She was dumb as a sack of hammers but I looked past it. This memory centered on a single movie…Hocus Pocus.
Hocus Pocus recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and it got me thinking as to what makes this movie so lasting and so special. While in my older age I’m less of a Sarah and much more of a Winifred (I believe I have said the same thing as she did when she opened her window to the morning) and a Mary some days, I can still sit down and watch this movie and not be bored 25 years later. I dressed as Winifred last Halloween. I watch it at LEAST once a year and I can do a one woman show of the ENTIRE movie. Literally, I know it all.
Image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
I mean, how could this movie not last? With Bette friggin’ Midler as Winifred, Kathy Najimy as Mary, Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah and Doug Jones as Billy Butcherson, the cast is outrageously talented.
Last year, Spirit Halloween released a brand new Hocus Pocus costume, clothing and home décor line which lit the fire under our cauldrons for the movie all over again. And THIS year, Funko just released a line of Sanderson sisters Funko Pop figures exclusive to Spirit Halloween.
Image courtesy of Funko
This movie has everything: musical numbers, snarky witches, costumed bitches, candles, embarrassed virgins, bratty sisters, talking cats, ICE, kind-hearted zombies with hair like Robert Smith, and everyone running amok amok amok amok! And somehow this movie is directed at children, I’ll never understand that. The jokes in this movie are blatantly sexual…and I dig it.
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Come all ye children…and adults and celebrate 25 years of Hocus Pocus, one of the most magical movies ever made. Here’s to another 25…and it’s not just a bunch of hocus pocus.