There is simply nothing like fall. The changing of the leaves, the crisp cool air blowing by, and the sudden uptick in sweatshirt prices are all indications that the best time of the year is upon us. However, the crowning achievement of the fall season comes in the form of Halloween where spooks come out of nowhere, candy is sprinkled about galore, and the movie nights have an endless stream of good picks.
The question, then, is raised: what is the best Halloween movie of all time?
Do you go with a classic horror flick, guaranteeing a scream? Do you pick the stop motion animation film, a sure way to laugh? Or do you randomly pick a new age film, which will probably end up being one of the worst movies you’ve ever seen?
Trick question: none of those answers are the right one. You pick the timeless classic. You pick the movie with a smashing musical number, a loveable main character, a weird talking cat, and one of the greatest trios of all time. You pick Hocus Pocus.
The cult classic was released in 1993 by Disney. Although it had a rocky take off, and actually lost the company money, its annual October reruns made it a prominent staple in the lives of millions.
The film follows the Sanderson sisters, witches Winifred, Mary, and Sarah, in Salem, Massachusetts. Before being hanged in the town square for killing two children, the three witches curse the town, and claim that they will return when a virgin lights the Black Flame Candle they left in their cottage.
Flash forward over 300 years, high school student Max Dennison and his younger sister Dani accidentally bring the sisters back to Salem on fateful Halloween night. Hilarity ensues, and the film is spent as Max and Dani try to banish the sisters once more.
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By no means is this a fantastic film. There are countless other higher rated Halloween movies one could put on, but there is nothing like the nostalgia that Hocus Pocus brings. It brings to life everything people love about Halloween–the spooks, the laughs, and the wonderful costumes.
The Sanderson sisters are the perfect villains. As you watch the film, you grow to love them, and even root for their success at some points. With Winifred’s sarcastic attitude, Sarah’s ditsy personality, and Mary’s humor, the Sanderson sisters are easily one of the greatest groups of all time.
So in the coming weeks, when the lights go out and you’re eating candy on a bleak and bleary night, make sure that you turn on Hocus Pocus, or the sisters might come find you on All Hallows’ Eve.
