WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Hocus Pocus
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 07 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 4.5
Sound Rating: 5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Walt Disney Home Video
(Catalog Number): 2144AS
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 96
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1993
(LD Release Date): 01/01/94
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Kenny Ortega
(Screenplay/Written By): Mick Garris & Neil Cuthbert
(Story): David Kirschner & Mick Garris
(Music): John Debney
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): William Sandell
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Peter E. Berger, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Ralph Winter
(Co-Producers): Bonnie Bruckheimer
(Producers): David Kirschner & Steven Haft

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Dolby Digital
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Hocus Pocus, a comic fantasy of sorts, stars Bette Midler, (For The Boys), Sarah Jessica Parker (Honeymoon In Vegas) and Kathy Najimy (Sister Act) as three wildly concocted witches, the Sanderson Sisterhood, who return from 17th century Salem after they are accidentally conjured up by some unsuspecting pranksters. As the story goes, they were hanged three hundred years ago for murdering children but vowed to return with a vengeance and suck the life out of all the children so they can live eternally young. When they do, they fly around attempting to intimidate the town’s people on Halloween night. But three kids and a talking cat (a boy they transformed back in old Salem) stand in their way to spoil their heinous capers.

LaserDisc Picture:
Visually the presentation quality of this 1.85:1 transfer is extremely sharp with a “rock video” quality that fully exposes the “studio” production values, unlived-in-looking sets and un-special effects.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Released theatrically as a Dolby Stereo Digital® soundtrack, the sound is excellent with well defined stereo and an aggressive enveloping surround.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: