The 20th Anniversary Of “Hocus Pocus”

Huffington Post
‘Hocus Pocus‘ Anniversary: 20 Years Later, 10 Things The Halloween Classic Gave Us
The Huffington Post | By Matthew Jacobs
Posted: 07/16/2013 10:45 am EDT

It has been 20 years since Halloween staple “Hocus Pocus” hit theaters, and we haven’t taken a second of it for granted. Here are 10 things this splendid cult classic brought us.

1. The Sanderson sisters

Portrayed with brilliant aplomb by Kathy Najimy (Mary), Bette Midler (Winnie) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah)

2. The Facebook group entitled “After watching Hocus Pocus when I was little I always made sure we had salt,” which sadly only has 118 members despite its #realtalk. (The movie also provided us with a new use for salt and a surefire way to handle a witch invasion.)

3. Reliable placement on ABC Family‘s annual 13 Nights of Halloween

4. The best rendition of “I Put A Spell On You” ever (obviously)

5. Garry Marshall as a costumed devil the sisters refer to as “master,” and his real-life sister, Penny Marshall, as his onscreen wife

Master’s Wife: Aren’t you broads a little old to be trick-or-treating?
Winifred Sanderson: We’ll be younger in the morning.
Master’s Wife: Yeah, sure, me too.

6. Sarah Jessica Parker singing “Come Little Children“

7. Conflicting ideas about what witches do with their time

Winifred Sanderson: Don’t get your knickers in a twist! We’re just three kindly old spinster ladies.
Mary Sanderson: Spending a quiet evening at home.
Sarah Sanderson: Sucking the lives out of little children!

8. Omri Katz in one of his final roles. He quit acting in 1996 following his exit from “The John Larroquette Show” and his role in the TV movie “Dallas: J.R. Returns.” He resurfaced for a NSFW short film that turned up on YouTube in 2006.

9. A new idea of what high school really is

Sarah Sanderson: What is this place?
Mary Sanderson: It reeks of children!
Winifred Sanderson: It is a prison for children.

10. Proof that negative critical reception doesn’t preclude cult-classic dominance