Hocus Pocus Sequel!
By Leslie Urena ('24)
On October 31, 1663, sisters and witches, Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) Sanderson, prepare a potion that will keep them young and beautiful by using the soul of a local child they lured into their cottage in Salem, Massachusetts. They’re halted in their wicked scheme when the child, Emily's brother, Thackery Binx (Sean Murray), comes crashing through to save her. Unfortunately, he appears too late and they curse him to live as an immortal cat, endlessly guilt ridden by not being able to save his sister. All things evil are put to an end, however, when the witches are put on trial and hanged by the townsfolk for the murder of the children. The witches strike again with one last scheme: a curse that will bring them back so long as a virgin lights the Black Flame Candle in their cottage during a full moon on All Hallows' Eve.
Following their trial, the witches seldom make an appearance until 300 years later, when teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) lights the Black Flame Candle after sneaking into the abandoned Sanderson cottage-turned-museum to impress his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw). Disregarding the curse-turned-local folktale as “just a bunch of hocus pocus,” he lights it despite the warnings of his little sister Dani (Thora Birch). Hocus Pocus (1993) proceeds to follow the story of the witches adjusting to the modern environment in which they are to fulfill their evil duties to stay forever young. Meanwhile, Max, Dani, Allison, and Binx the cat attempt to banish them from Salem and keep them from eating children forever.
Photo courtesy of Disney Movies
The movie, released in the summer of 1993, July 13, had been a box office failure, earning only $45.4 million with a budget of $28 million. Directed by Kenny Ortega, with music composed by John Debney, the movie won a Saturn Award for Best Costume Design by Mary E. Vogot. Despite being an initial flop, it came to grow a cult following and became a fall classic, airing every October on the Disney channel where generations would come to love it. It’s now one of those movies; the kind you turn on once the leaves begin to brown and bags of candy begin to pile up along plastic skeletons and pumpkins at the grocery store.
Despite growing up on Halloween classics during Disney Channel’s annual Monstober, Hocus Pocus had never been a movie to cross my radar. I only showed interest in it once I heard a sequel was coming out. In this age where almost every new trailer is for a reboot, sequel, or prequel cashing in 90s-00s nostalgia, I was just as wary as long-time fans. I’d had my own experience with reboots of my favorite films and shows from then being revived for a quick buck and was ready for Hocus Pocus 2 to be a let down.
I sat down, finally watched Hocus Pocus 2, and adored it! I loved the campiness of it all. The costumes, the humor, the quirkiness, and 90's feel of it all. My absolute favorite part was the song and dance number to I Put A Spell On You! However, I can see why it flopped; it’s not exactly a summer-time movie. I believe a fall production would have been better.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
I did not expect the sequel to live up to the original at all. Hocus Pocus 2's official release date on Disney+ was September 30, 2022. The film also opens with an introduction to the witches’ origins in Salem, but does so 40 years earlier in 1653, when the sisters are exiled by Reverend Traske. This comes after a young Winifred (Taylor Henderson) refuses a marriage to another boy and admits to a premarital kiss shared with a young Billy Butcherson (Austin J. Ryan). After young Winnie, Mary (Nina Kitchen), and Sarah (Juju Brener) find solace in the forbidden wood, they run into Mother Witch (Hannah Waddingham) who gifts them her spellbook and leaves them to train as witches.
Photo courtesy of Variety
30 years after their initial return, the witches are brought back to Salem yet again by two teenagers. Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) perform a birthday ritual in the middle of the woods and unknowingly light a reconstructed Black Flame Candle handiwork of Gilbert (Sam Richardson) with the help of the sister’s original spellbook. The movie goes on with Becca and Izzy’s attempts to banish the witches from Salem. Gilbert and Billy Butcherson (who had really been awake all those years), collect ingredients for a potion to aid the witches in casting Magicae Maxima: a spell that will make them all-powerful. In their hunt for Salem’s new mayor, they get tangled up in many messy, modern shenanigans!
⚠ WARNING ⚠ If you believe in original supremacy and hate the sequel, stop reading NOW!
I loved the sequel! I shan’t apologize! I personally believe that this is one of those rare instances where a late, nostalgia-fueled cash-grab of a sequel may be worthy of perhaps not adoration, but at least some respect.
It’s apparent those involved in the film worked hard to make it an ode to its predecessor. There were enough references to the original film that please original audiences without relying on it solely. My favorites happen to be the origin of the sisters' calming circles, the sniffing-for-children bit, and a glimpse of a couple watching the original Hocus Pocus in their home! The same goes for the reprisal of the original characters of the sisters and zombie Billy Butcherson. While many are disappointed that Katz, Birch, and Shaw were not asked to reprise their original roles of the main trio, I don’t believe they were entirely necessary. Even if they did come back as the parents of one of the members of the new trio, that would add little to no significance. Relying on the same characters to complete the same task again, or aiding the new ones with vague advice, would simply feel too empty. However, I much prefer the original trio to the new one.
Photo courtesy of TVLine
While the movie doesn’t rely on all its humor to come from the witches not understanding the modern day world, the scenes are still enjoyable. Them shopping in Walgreens for soul-infused potions is a hilarious scene, as well as Mary’s Roombas being used as substitutes for broomsticks.
One of my favorite new additions was the development of the sister’s relationship. We got to see how much they truly did love, care, and depend on each other; despite being evil and cold-hearted. In my opinion however, the undeniably best part of this movie was the dance number! While I was anticipating a reprise of I Put A Spell On You, One Way or Another got the job done! The witches’ original number during their resurrection was also highly enjoyable.
There was one thing I did not enjoy about the movie, and that was Mayor Traske. I love the concept of having a modern-day enemy being the descendant of an old foe, but he just wasn’t that. Even if the original Reverend Traske wasn’t all that intimidating, they could’ve at least tried to have his successor be a little rough around the edges as well. Instead, he had two personality traits: wheezing and apples. I honestly found myself rooting for the witches at some point.
Photo courtesy of Mashable
Whenever a film like Hocus Pocus 2 comes out, people always say that the original will always be better, and to a certain extent, I agree. Nothing could replicate the 90's charm of the original movie, with its less than advanced CGI and outdated camera quality. But Hocus Pocus 2 is not just a continuation for the characters–but for the audience as well. It has grown up with you and presented itself to a newer, broader audience, without leaving its old one behind. That is why Hocus Pocus 2 does live up to the original!
Cover photo courtesy of IMDb
Banner photo courtesy of House Beautiful