Parents be warned! “Hocus Pocus” is not a family picture filled with fun and laughter. It is downright terrifying and not suitable for children of any age.
The graphic images of child brutality, murder, evil witches, a dead zombie and Satan aren’t funny. Most younger children already have difficulty discerning the difference between reality and fantasy.
Real life witches and Satan worshipers do exist and get plenty of coverage on TV talk shows. These groups are known to sacrifice babies, young children, adults and animils in demonic rituals. Parents needlessly frighten their children on Halloween with images of witches, goblins, ghouls, demons, skeletons, and the devil. “Hocus Pocus” sets the stage for childhood nightmares.
The little girls next to me were terrified during the movie. One asked her mother in a frightened voice, “Mommy! Why did you bring me. This is not funny.” Other young children hid their eyes against their mother’s bosoms and paced anxiously. Is this entertainment for children? Is this a family film, as advertised? Personally, I don’t think so.
Disney Film Productions has totally missed the mark with this film. The “Littlest Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” and many others are delightful family entertainment.
In “Hocus Pocus” the level of terrifying realism transcends imagination. The visions presented are horrific and frightening.
The beginning scenes of the witches force feeding a little girl a poisonous brew and then breathing in her life essence to make themselves younger is unforgettable. Her older brother while trying to save his sister is electrocuted by bolts of lightening coming from one witch’s hands. His punishment for failing to save her is an eternal life of guilt and existence as a black cat.
If “Hocus Pocus” is entertainment for the whole family, I wonder just what type of family they are referring to. The kids are rebellious, disrespectful of parental authority and undiscerning in the face of unbridled evil.
They discount the warnings of history and foolishly invite disaster by violating the wisdom of the ages. One stupid act of bravado catapults them into a catastrophe of gargantuan proportions. Tthey discover a whole new world of unexpected evil.
The witches are the characters most realistically portrayed. Bette Middler is amazingly convincing as the embodiment of evil. Her vengeful spirit toward the townspeople and vitriolic attitude toward children is very convincing. The attempt to make the witches humorous is misplaced and fails miserably. How funny can the murder and potential sacrifice of little children be?
It is sad that children today are constantly bombarded with visions of evil and violence on television and in movies. How much real and fictional death, murder, rape, brutality, and lawlessness is enough? Is not the inhumanity and cruelty of men and women toward children in real life sufficient?
The absence of any moral statement is a testament to the media’s attitude toward morality. There is none, no right or wrong, only what’s expedient. For those who take evil lightly and believe there is no God, knowledge and salt are your only hope. If you believe there is a God that judges good and evil, spare your children and yourself an excursion into the nightmare of darkness.