Hands down, Hocus Pocus is one of my guilty pleasure movies. It’s campy, it’s funny, and it’s an all-around good time. You can’t go wrong with the witchy trio of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. However, I didn’t look at much more than surface level every time I watch it. But recently Aaron Wallace, a friend I know from my days in the Disney community, recently wrote a book that further that puts it under the microscope, and really explores some subtext of it. That book is Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Disney’s Halloween Classic.

It’s clear from the get-go that Wallace is a big fan of the film, as the book is obviously a labor of love. Throughout 13 chapters, he looks at every angle of the film, such as whether the witches can be viewed as feminist, if it fits into the horror genre, and just why the hell they talk about being a virgin so much.  

While the film bombed upon its initial release, it is definitely one that is viewed with nostalgia now, as it plays on regular rotation every Halloween season. While you may not believe there is much to say about it, this book proves that theory wrong. In fact, I don’t think I will ever look at the movie in the same light again. After reading the book, I did watch the film, and quite frankly, it made it even more enjoyable.

Don’t worry, Wallace doesn’t get too hardcore in his analysis, and even though it is presented as an academic tome, the tone is quite light and airy. Wallace’s playfulness and love comes through in every chapter, making reading it a breeze, and a fun one at that.

While some of his theories seem to be flimsy, he will definitely win you over by the time you finish reading one of his pieces. He even dives deep, and compares the film to one of Midler’s other classics, Gypsy, drawing parallels between them. And all this from a simple reference made during the musical number of I Put A Spell On You. It’s pretty amazing.

Wallace’s research extends not o just to the behind the scenes aspects of the film, but to its talent as well. He definitely puts a film studies background to use here, and really puts it all in context. Hell, I’d take this as a film studies course, for sure, the way he presents it all.

Any fan of the film will definitely enjoy this book, as it will only widen their appreciation of it. I highly recommend this “boooOOoook!”