Halloween Movie #1: Hocus Pocus

To keep up with all my Halloween movies, check the right sidebar for a checked-off list of what I've watched this month!

Man, this blog is getting swamped today with posts!  I don't know if I've ever written 4 in one day.  But I had to write this one today, because I watched my first Halloween Movie Extravaganza movie today: Hocus Pocus!

Hocus Pocus tells the story of Max, a kid from Los Angeles who moves to Salem, Mass. the week before Halloween.  Salem, historically famous for its witch trials, doesn't impress Max.  He's upset he's had to move away from his friends and the life he knew.  To make matters worse, the week of Halloween, all he hears about in school is the story of the Sanderson Sisters, famous witch sisters whose story has been told in Salem for years.  A girl in Max's class, Allison, catches his eye but doesn't seem in to be interested back.  On Halloween night, Max is forced to take his little sister, Dani, trick-or-treating.  While wandering from house to house, Max and Dani come upon Allison's home.  In an attempt to impress Allison, Max suggests the trio go to the old Sanderson house, which is now a museum featuring all things Sanderson, and also owned by Allison's mom.  They sneak in, and while they are checking out everything in the museum, Max lights the Black Flame Candle.  If a virgin lights the candle while there's a full moon, the witches (who were hanged) can come back to earth for one night.  It just so happens that this full moon is on Halloween night.  After Max lights the candle, against Allison's and Dani's wishes, the witches appear and start wreaking havoc right away.  The trio gets away, followed by a talking black cat, Thackery Binx - a long-ago victim of the Sisters.  The rest of the movie is spent watching the foursome try to thwart the Sisters until sunrise, when they turn to dust never to return.  And of course, lots of crazy antics and a musical number are included.

This is by far my favorite Halloween movie.  It's not scary, it's mostly a comedy.  This movie came out in 1993, when I was 7.  And ever since, you can guarantee that the Disney channel, among others, will play this on TV every Halloween.  For the last 19 years, I have watched this movie and loved it.  I finally bought it on DVD while I was in college and now watch it myself every year around Halloween.  Sometimes more than once. :)

For me, this is a Halloween staple, much like how some people need to see the movie Halloween or Friday the 13th every year.  It's just one of those things that really brings the whole season home for me.  It's not really the Halloween season until I've watched Hocus Pocus.  It gets me in the spirit and makes me laugh - can't ask for much more than that!