Hocus Pocus (1993)

In 17th century Salem, three witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) known as the Sanderson sisters are hung for witchcraft but not before Midler casts a spell that they will return when a virgin lights their black flame candle. 300 years later, a young teen boy (Omri Katz) relocated from L.A. to Salem does just that! This Disney family friendly film has a cult following and I can see forming a nostalgic affection for it if you first saw it when you were 10 years old. But it's a rather trite effort. It's just too wholesome for its subject matter. A movie about vengeful witches returning from the dead to suck the life out of children to restore their youth designed for the under 12 crowd? It might have played better if the film makers had played it straight up as a horror movie and gone for an R rating. The movie really only comes alive once, when Bette Midler (in her element) sings I Put A Spell On You with Parker and Najimy as her back up singers. Other than that, it could easily have been an episode from SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH right down to the talking black cat. Directed by choreographer turned director Kenny Ortega (NEWSIES). With Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, Stephanie Faracy, Kathleen Freeman and Garry Marshall and Penny Marshall who the witches mistake for Satan and his wife.