I remember seeing Hocus Pocus when it came out in 1993. I know I liked the movie but, until recently, I had not seen it since it was released. I have recently started noticing more and more Hocus Pocus themed products on Etsy and in stores. So, when I saw it for sale on a recent trip to Target, I decided to buy the movie to show my kids. I knew that the movie had reached “Halloween Classic” status and wanted to share it with my children. I thought it was interesting that I hadn’t seen the movie in 20 years and that I didn’t remember much about the story.
The kids and I watched the movie and we all enjoyed it as a Halloween movie. I was then given the opportunity to review a book, Hocus Pocus In Focus: The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Disney’s Halloween Classic by Aaron Wallace. It was perfect timing since we had just seen the movie. As the book description explains:
“Far from the forgotten relic it was destined to become, Hocus Pocus has taken its place alongside The Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, and Home Alone — a bona fide classic that’s sure to stay alive for generations to come. Now, in the first and only book ever written about the movie, Aaron Wallace takes readers deep into the world of Hocus Pocus to learn everything they never knew. He provides a lighthearted but scholarly look at the film in its all spooky-kooky glory.”
Hocus Pocus in Focus is clearly written by a Hocus Pocus fanatic. Aaron Wallace has a podcast, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod, a podcast dedicated entirely to Disney and writes “The Thinking Guides” to Disney Parks and books. He looks at each topic IN DEPTH! Here are a few of the topics covered about Hocus Pocus:
- How the movie became a cult classic
- Historical references made in the movie
- How Steven Speilberg affected the movie
- Stories behind the soundtrack and the songs in the movie – I found this section the most interesting!
- How this movie follows the patterns of a classic Christmas movie – very interesting!
- Movie trivia and fun facts
Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the details and thought given by Wallace on this movie. I learned a lot about the movie itself and the cultural phenomenon surrounding the story. I think the book is a great gift for any Hocus Pocus fan. Or, why not pair it with a copy of the movie for a great Halloween hostess gift? I think anyone who loves Halloween would like this book.
Happy Halloween!
Amy
We received complimentary copy of Hocus Pocus In Focus for an honest review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are our own and affiliate links have been provided of our own volition.
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