Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan's Guide to Disney's Halloween Classic

by Aaron Wallace, Thora Birch (Foreword)

The Hocus Pocus "BoooOOOoooK" Fans Have Been Waiting For... In the first and only book ever written about the beloved 1993 Halloween 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. You'll * Mind-blowing theories about the plot, the characters, and more * The fascinating history behind "Come, Little Children (Sarah's Song)" and "I Put a Spell on You" * How Steven Spielberg shaped the movie * Why there's all that talk about yabbos and virgins * How Hocus Pocus got away with being the edgiest Disney movie ever made * What happened to the movie's deleted scenes * Whether a sequel is really going to happen * And much, much more Featuring a foreword by Golden Globe nominee Thora Birch (Hocus Pocus's Dani), afterword by Mick Garris (the film's writer and producer), and the largest collection of Hocus Pocus fun facts and trivia ever assembled, this is the ultimate unofficial fan guide for Halloween and movie lovers everywhere. Finally, Hocus Pocus is celebrated as the classic it's become. You'll love the movie more than you ever knew you could.

Genres: Nonfiction, Halloween, Film, Pop Culture

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2016

About the author

Aaron Wallace is a writer, podcaster, and attorney who studies movies, music, television, theatre, theme parks, the 1980s and ’90s, and why we love them. He is the author of three bestselling books about Disney, travel, and entertainment, available now at Amazon.com and in bookstores around the world:

• The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom
• The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Walt Disney World: Epcot
• Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Disney’s Halloween Classic

Disney fans know Aaron as the host of On Main Street with Aaron Wallace, the web’s longest-running Disney fan podcast. The show is one of the most-downloaded podcasts about Disney and has repeatedly been recognized by Apple as a “Featured Travel Podcast,” a fixture on the iTunes Travel Top 10. He also reviews live theatre and entertainment and conducts celebrity interviews as a Contributing Editor at BroadwayWorld.com, the web’s #1 source for live entertainment coverage. His more than two hundred movie, music, and television reviews have reached an audience of millions across multiple outlets, including the popular DVDizzy.com.

He has been featured in The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, Buzzfeed, Attractions Magazine, and The Orlando Sentinel, among other publications, and is a frequent guest on podcasts such as The Mad Chatters and Dizney Coast to Coast.

Aaron’s passion for Disney dates back to childhood, when he developed an early love for Disney’s movies, theme parks, and everything in between. He first started thinking critically about the company’s artistic output during his time at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Communication Studies (concentrating in Film, Television, and Media Studies) and English. While enrolled, he also taught a recitation course in analyzing popular children’s literature, becoming one of the first undergraduates in the program to lead a course.

He later pursued an interest in law, earning a Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University and practicing as an attorney before transitioning full-time to his career as a writer, critic, podcaster, and public speaker.

Today, Aaron lives in Orlando, Florida, where he visits the Walt Disney World Resort on at least a weekly basis and shares his adventures (and myriad thoughts on the entertainment world at large) on Instagram (@aaronhwallace) and Twitter (@aaronwallace). His website is available at www.AaronWallaceOnline.com.

Reviews

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the most fun reading the random trivia at the end of the book, and wish the author had gone into more making-of details.

[Meredith Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hocus Pocus has been one of my favorite movies ever since I saw it in theaters back in the 90's. I loved the thinking fan's guide because it really put a whole new, in depth look at how and why we love Hocus Pocus. It's a must read for all fans!

[Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disney superfan Aaron Wallace’s 2016 book Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Disney’s Halloween Classic is a quick and breezy read stuffed with movie trivia, as well as some interesting, if superficial, analyses of the 1993 Disney movie Hocus Pocus. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the film, I enjoyed it whenever it came on, and it is undeniable that it really captures the nostalgic essence of Halloween in a way that seems a bit ahead of its time. For the most part in his “ultimate unofficial fan guide” Wallace gives a deep dive into the movies’ development, casting, score, and legacy, following the tenet that it “is a fine and worthy film and it ought to be enjoyed just as richly as any other,” which I think he makes a thorough case for.

While proposing some thought provoking essays on the Spielbergian influence on the film, whether it could count as a horror movie, and its feminist and sexual politics, though, little of the analysis goes much deeper than an average YouTube reviewer. Including a lengthy bonus material section, all in all, I feel, Hocus Pocus in Focus offers pretty much anything a fan of the movie might want to know, including an extensive bibliography and index, always a good touch.
Of course, Wallace also includes a lengthy epilogue speculating on the chances of a sequel which, with Hocus Pocus 2 now hitting Disney+ six years later, perhaps has gone a bit differently than could have been predicted. While I haven't seen the sequel yet, I’m certainly looking forward to it.

I talk about the books I read about Halloween history and popular culture at Harris' Tome Corner

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"To be sure, 'Hocus Pocus' has it's imperfections. So does 'Citizen Kane.'" (p 16)- This quotation establishes the main argument of this book: However campy and frivolous it may be at times, the film 'Hocus Pocus' has had a significant cultural impact and therefore deserves critical examination. The information presented in this book was immensely interesting and I doubt much of it is available anywhere else. The author writes in a light and humorous style while still providing a wealth of information about the making of the film and background information on many people involved in production (for example, I learned a few things about director Kenny Ortega's career that I didn't know before). In addition to the well-researched facts and information, the author also provided some really insightful observations about 'Hocus Pocus's place in pop culture today.

I also found a lot of value in reading this book because, as someone unfamiliar with film studies, it served as a great introduction to some really useful tools for thinking about film. A small glossary of film terms and information about film analysis was included in the introductory chapters so I never felt overwhelmed or confused. Other reviewers have called the book "just a lot of fluff" and I agree there were some sections that felt superfluous or read like a paper written for an undergraduate film class, but, at least from my perspective, there was enough useful information and examination to outweigh any shortcomings.

All in all, it was a fun read that taught me everything I'd ever wanted to know about my favorite Halloween movie and was a great stepping-stone into the world of film analysis. I definitely recommend it to not only 'Hocus Pocus' fans, but any pop culture aficionado!

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was ten years old my older sister and I went to the cinema to see Hocus Pocus. We loved it. 25 years later, my three year old niece loves the movie. Recently, she watched it five times in one day. Even me – a self confessed superfan – have never done that (I watched the first three showings with her but the last two she watched with my sister.) It is the movie of my youth and it has aged so well.

I really loved Hocus Pocus in Focus because it gave me a new way to love the movie. In got to see all the nuances of how it was filmed. I got to peek behind the curtain and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact it just made me love it more.

Aaron Wallace knows his stuff. You can see how much he loves Hocus Pocus by the way he decries people who try to belittle it. What Wallace doesn’t know about Hocus Pocus really isn’t worth knowing.

After reading Hocus Pocus in Focus I was filled with a sense of nostalgia and whilst I watch this movie every week with my obsessed niece, this book made me want to watch it again. I could be cheesy and say that the book put a spell on me….wow that was cheesy.

Bygones. If you love Hocus Pocus you will love this book.

Hocus Pocus in Focus – The Thinking Fans Guide to Disney’s Halloween Classic by Aaron Wallace is available now.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one afternoon. Like many, I've watch this movie repeatedly over the years, and it is a family favorite. I was absolutely fascinated to read the behind-the-scenes stories about the sets, actors, and how this movie came to be. Loved that the intro was written by one of the movie's stars, which lent even more credibility. Now, I can't wait to watch it again and look for all those little things pointed out in the book...especially that fountain. Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, Monica, Ross, and Rachel are you with me?

A must for any fan.

[Jae Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has movies that mean something to them. Hocus Pocus is one of those for me and I found this book truly helped make it mean even more.

This is an easy-to-read, light-hearted but amazingly revealing book about a Halloween classic. It doesn't just give you facts about the production and crew but offers critical analysis and new perspectives on the plot and underlying themes.

If you've ever enjoyed this movie then read this book, it'll help you enjoy it even more.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a few interesting theories here, but nothing totally groundbreaking. The most frustrating thing about this book is that just as he gets going onto a topic it's then just abandoned with no follow-through. I didn't feel like this really took an in-depth look into the movie. I found the bonus material in the back to be interesting and I wish there had been interviews with people involved with making the film.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and entertaining book to read. I liked reading how the cast was selected, learning about things that happened Behind-the-scenes, how the cast got along with one another and created their versions of the beloved characters. Definitely a book all Hocus Pocus fans should have in their collection.

[Jamie Zaccaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful, in-depth review of Hocus Pocus. Some of the theories were a bit far-fetched and came across as the author meeting a page limit but overall this book has some fantastic ideas about this beloved movie and some great trivia as well. Recommended for any super-fans of Hocus Pocus!

[steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read it to put me to sleep.

Found it a sleeper. Read to to get bored enough to sleep. Very opinionated. Seemed the author tried to prove Disney tried to sneak sex into the movie.

[Lindsay]

Reading Rush 20202 - book 5

I didn't really learn anything new (but I am a huge fan, so can't blame anything there.) I also found a lot of the information in here just not about Hocus Pocus so not what I really wanted to read.

[Aftan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for fas

If you are a fan of Hocus Pocus this is a worthwhile read. If you consider Hocus Pocus a cult classic and find youself watching it multiple times a year (me) it is a MUST read!

[Chy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

As a millennial Hocus Pocus was a HUGE part of my childhood and as a diehard fan this book was so much fun! Filled with behind the scenes facts and commentary I’ve fallen even more in love with this movie.

[Michael Dennos · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing, breezy and even slightly informative read about what's always been a Halloween staple for me.

[Holly Ely · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun in-depth look at a Halloween classic.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is FASCINATING and thought-provoking. Gives so much more depth to the 1993 movie. You’ll watch it again after reading the book with a whole new perspective!

[Liz Matherne (Davaine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this a 3.5 star.

[Judy Sescil · Rating 5 out of 5]

The information about the making of the movie and how it became a Halloween favorite is all included in this book.

[Jeff McIntosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read, and interesting - but a little too conversational in tone for me. Wallace makes quite a few pop culture references that - at least for me - take away the tone of the book. On the plus side...who knew the fountain that Max, Dani, and Alison celebrate near was also the same fountain seen in "Friends"?

I have been reading a brief article that says almost certainly there will be a "Hocus Pocus 2"> https://thoughtcatalog.com/christine-...

[⋆｡°✩ ellie umba ✩°｡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

The first few chapters were a little weak but the it gets really fun

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just in time for Halloween, Hocus Pocus in Focus is the second book in a series of “thinking fan’s guides” by author Aaron Wallace. Keeping true to the formula he developed in The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Walt Disney World (reviewed here), Mr. Wallace closely examines the 1993 film on a variety of levels. While some might be leery that a “campy” 1990s film can warrant an entire book, Mr. Wallace is able to fill his 206 pages with a wealth of information and trivia included with some in-depth analysis to make it worth the read.

Without giving away too many of the details (What fun would it be for you to read then?), Mr. Wallace is able to take apart the plot, settings, and intimate details of the film and allow you to look at it from an entirely new perspective. You can see after reading how this was really an atypical Disney film, even for the “new look” Michael Eisner Disney of the 1990s. By placing itself in the context of Disney trying to branch out and expand to more audiences, Hocus Pocus was actually rather groundbreaking for the company. Learning about the inner workings of the production, how certain elements of horror, suspense, and established movie tropes blended together, and the immense love of the cast for the film really brings the importance and the love for this film “in focus”.

All that said, Hocus Pocus in Focus is definitely a book primarily for the hardcore fans of the film as the smaller details would be lost on a casual fan who had only seen it a few times. However, it is also accessible to those who are interested in film (specifically Disney films!) in general. It’s well worth doing yourself a favor and following the author’s advice to watch Hocus Pocus both before and after reading as both a preparation for the details in the book, as well as being able to look for everything discussed after! I did this myself, as I believe the last time I saw Hocus Pocus was close to 15 years ago and it was well worth it!

[Peter Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Disney Hocus Pocus, then purchasing this booOOOk is a no-brainer. Wallace beautifully details the making of the movie, including stories about its creation, behind the scenes anecdotes, and he also discusses themes and theories that I never even considered before, despite how many times I've seen the film. Aaron Wallace is clearly a fan of the movie and that makes this book so much fun to read.

Do yourself a favor: get this book and read it.

[sammi_reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. A few interesting facts, a lot of fluff. Lots of linkeage and over analyzing. Hocus Pocus is a fun movie with several allusions to other works, but come now. Still kind of fun, but nothing much most fans of Halloween, Hocus Pocus and the three main sisters don't know.
Worthwhile: The talk of older scripts and deleted scenes after the script changed.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron Wallace does it again. His commentary and insights are extremely well thought out and intelligent. The parallels he draws between Hocus Pocus and other films are fantastic, particularly the chapter about the fairies from Sleeping Beauty. Highly recommend.

[Danny Pellegrino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read for fans of the movie! The end contains lots of tidbits that I've never heard before. Also, the author clearly loves the material. It shows! Very enjoyable if you like the flick.

[Nichole Swisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening read

This was a short fun read with a lot of facts I didn't know about hocus pocus. I enjoyed it.

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was hoping for more. This seems slight, a somewhat shallow approach, perhaps for someone younger and less film savvy.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read for any fan of the film. There is some great backstory and scholarly analysis as well!

[Natalie Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

*DNF with 4 chapters left