As a die-hard fan of Halloween and all things magical, I must confess that watching the making of Hocus Pocus has been a truly enchanting journey for me. The behind-the-scenes stories about the legendary Bette Midler’s on-set antics, the camaraderie (or lack thereof) among the young cast members, and the creative process that brought this timeless classic to life are simply mesmerizing.
Thirty-one years later, it’s still just a bunch of Hocus Pocus on Halloween.
It’s surprising to think that the classic Disney film featuring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the three humorous, mischievous, and malevolent Sanderson sisters who are brought back to life by a virgin lighting the Black Flame candle was released all the way back in 1993.
Over the past few decades, the movie “Hocus Pocus,” directed by Kenny Ortega who is also known for “High School Musical,” has turned into a classic Halloween tradition. You can witness its enchanting influence on channels like Freeform during their 31 Days of Halloween programming.
In 2022, fans were ultimately rewarded with the long-anticipated follow-up that brought back the original Sanderson trio while also introducing a fresh set of witches for Disney+ audiences to enjoy.
There’s a possibility we might experience another fantastic adventure, potentially the third one. Bette Midler hinted at the possibility of reuniting with her team in a new project, expressing her readiness if the opportunity arises.
In 2022, she expressed to Entertainment Weekly, “Given a third one, I’d definitely join in, but I’m unsure about the details.” She continued, “I can hardly envision the plot, yet I adore Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and our bond. It empowers women. We stand by each other through thick and thin, and we certainly stir up a lot of trouble – not many women manage that much mischief!
As a lifestyle connoisseur celebrating Hocus Pocus’ 31st Halloween, I can’t help but share an exciting insider peek into the film’s creation! Straight from the lips of Ortega and some key cast members like Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, and Doug Jones, we’re unveiling fascinating stories about the making of Hocus Pocus. So grab your cauldron of candy corn, and let’s dive into these bewitching behind-the-scenes tales!
Don’t worry, cat definitely doesn’t have our tongue when it comes to spilling these secrets.
So, hop on your vacuum cleaner broom and come check out these fun facts about Hocus Pocus:
Initially titled “Halloween House”, the film underwent a significant transformation over eight years involving approximately 11 screenwriters. This change resulted in a less frightening, family-oriented movie, hence the decision to rename it to “Hocus Pocus”.
2. The production commenced in Salem during November, later moving to soundstages in Los Angeles to complete. It was wonderful for enjoying the autumn leaves, but less ideal for Christmas decorations.
Tobias Jelinek, who portrayed Jay, shared with TopMob News his affection for the Salem experience, explaining that during their visit, it was around Christmastime. As a result, people were beginning to adorn their homes with Christmas ornaments. To make way for Halloween decorations, they had to be compensated piece by piece to remove these festive displays.
3. As per Doug Jones (Billy Butcherson), Bette Midler had an unusual condition in her contract: She needed to have her feet visible on-screen.
Here’s one way to rephrase it:
He explained, “There will be two camera shots during the party scene: first, when she enters the room and moves towards the camera; second, a brief one on stage showing her feet crossing from one side to another while walking across. At a glance, you might wonder why they included that clip, but it was a contractual obligation.
4. In the movie, Dani (Thora Birch) was quite fond of Binx, but in real life, Thora Birch wasn’t as charmed by the cat as her character was.
At Birch TopMob News, we discovered a unique collection that included seven real cats of varying kinds, two animatronic ones, and something that seemed more mythical than real, like an imaginary character on a streetlight. To our surprise, they exclaimed, “There’s Binx!” However, I must confess, prior to this encounter, I was uncertain about what awaited me, and I’ll keep it under wraps – just between you and me, I’m not particularly fond of cats!
5. Birch, on the other hand, had an undeniable fondness for the actor who brought Thackery Binx to life: Sean Murray, currently gracing our screens on CBS’ NCIS and still holding the title of ’90s heartthrob, despite limited screen time. During filming, she confessed to a slight crush, remarking, “He was dreamy! He was adorable, without a doubt!
6. Apart from Birch, another young girl on set harbored secret feelings. This was none other than Amanda Shepherd, who is popularly known as Emily, Binx’s sister. Over time, she grew fond of Elijah Wood after sneaking away to wander the Disney studio lot.
Suddenly, these boys started playing basketball, and I found myself saying, “I have no idea how to play basketball,” only to spot Elijah Wood immediately. At that moment, I felt an instant attraction to him, as he was filming Huck Finn at the time. We eventually became friends, and my crush on him grew enormously, becoming quite ridiculous.
7. Jason Marsden provided the voice for the character of Thackery Binx, both in his human and feline forms, while Murray portrayed him on screen.
8. Vinessa Shaw, who portrayed Allison, shared with TopMob News that the teen actors were more like siblings and playful friends. We enjoyed ourselves like close pals, always having fun together. There wasn’t enough maturity among us to pull any pranks, but we certainly cared for each other deeply. It was a delightfully sweet period in our lives!
9. In an unusual touch for many film sets, the production team constructed Sanderson’s distinctive cottage and its adjoining graveyard specifically for the movie. This detail stood out particularly to Birch during the filming process, alongside their group excursion to Salem.
As I stood there, I couldn’t help but marvel at the grandeur and size of the stage that was before me – it was simply breathtaking, the largest and most ornate set I had ever been a part of. It felt like a magical moment straight out of Disney, a personal touchstone for me. Indeed, I could almost hear Tinkerbell’s tinkling laughter echoing around!
9. It is said that Leonardo DiCaprio was on the verge of landing the lead role in the movie as Max, and there’s a grain of truth to this statement.
In simpler terms, Kenny Ortega shared with TopMob News that the individual wasn’t quite like Max as they had been led to believe. However, despite not being able to have him initially, he decided to come meet Director Kenny Ortega. Ortega expressed his joy and gratitude for having met him at that particular time in his life. It was at the start of his career, just before he starred in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and “This Boy’s Life”. He appreciated the opportunity to meet this rising talent.
Eventually, Omri Katz secured the part, and Ortega expressed gratitude for discovering him, stating, “I was truly thankful that we found Omri, and he was stunning in the movie.
10. Off-camera, the notorious bullies known as Ernie, alias “Ice” (Larry Bagby), and Jay (Jelinek) were equally inseparable as they were when causing mischief on-set.
At the age of fifteen, it was necessary for my mother to accompany me during the initial month or so. However, during our filming, he reached the age of eighteen and we successfully persuaded my mother to allow him to act as my legal guardian, according to what Jelinek disclosed.
Absolutely, Ice served as Jay’s legal caretaker throughout the production process.
11. At that time, sporting an “ICE” design shaved into the back of his head was not the most convenient hairdo for Bagby.
He mentioned that he once attended church with his parents, wearing his hat backward to conceal it. However, hats aren’t allowed at church, and people started questioning him about it, wondering if he had changed his ways or was involved in a new group.
During one of our scenes with the trio, the Sanderson Sisters were referred to as “ugly chicks,” but while filming, I and my colleague were captivated by Sarah Jessica Parker. In fact, Jelinek shared that I had a significant crush on her. To which I added, “I still do!
Jelinek exclaimed, “It was mind-blowing to learn that she was the girlfriend of Ferris Bueller, which is Matthew Broderick in this context! What stood out to me was how effortlessly cool she was, exuding a bohemian charm.
13. (As a lifestyle expert) In the magical moments where Winifred, Mary, and Sarah gracefully glided through the air on their broomsticks, I must confess, it wasn’t just an illusion or cleverly crafted CGI trickery. Katz, our behind-the-scenes guide, was left astounded by the ingenious methods employed to make the witches take flight. There, in reality, were four talented individuals skillfully maneuvering them!
And Jones revealed that one Sanderson sister really took to the experience.
He mentioned that Sarah Jessica Parker was the only one who truly enjoyed it. I must admit, I was clueless about the intricacies of how she managed to feel so cozy and content while up there. However, she seemed to have a fondness for flying, which is unusual compared to most people.
14. In that particular scene, William “Billy” Butcherson – Winifred’s late ex who was seen with Sarah – opens his mouth to speak for the first time, only to reveal a swarm of live moths instead. It was indeed real insects in Jones’ mouth. Achieving this effect convincingly before the advent of computer-generated imagery (CGI) was quite challenging.
Jones, famous for his role in the Academy Award-winning film ‘The Shape of Water’, elaborated on the process. He stated, “It was quite a task as they can’t fly when wet, and since mouths are merely filled with saliva, we needed to shield them from the moisture of my mouth. To accomplish this, we used a dental dam, a latex sheath, and tweezers to place the moths inside. This had to be done swiftly during filming, just as the cameras started rolling, so I could make an incision, expel the dust and moths, and then they would take flight.
15. The way Jones tried out for the role of Billy was quite unconventional: He was escorted to a dance studio where he met Ortega, a renowned choreographer, who wished to evaluate his physical abilities.
According to Jones, he was told, “‘You will find yourself in that position and walk here after 300 years, go!’ So, I had to improvise a response immediately.” He adored everything I did. He roared with laughter. And by the time I returned home, I had landed the role!
16. Although Billy’s mummy-like hairdo and makeup appeared to be a lengthy procedure, Jones was astonished by how swiftly the process actually moved along.
He mentioned that they managed to reduce the process to a single prosthetic piece which they applied fairly swiftly, “They merely needed to apply it and make some adjustments, so the entire procedure took around an hour and a half. Compared to prosthetics, that’s remarkably quick! Makeup application often takes longer. I consider myself fortunate in this instance.
17. After portraying Grateful Dead fan Max Dennison in a movie, Katz took on the moniker of a Deadhead in real life, revealing that he spent several years following the band on tour post-filming. As for the nicknames bestowed upon Max by his tormentors Ice and Jay, Katz shared with TopMob News that “Hollywood” was his Grateful Dead crowd name; people would often greet him with, “What’s up, Hollywood!
Instead, let me clarify that he wasn’t keeping the tie-dye shirt from the movie for himself; he was actually creating his own.
18. The three young actors featured in the movie – Katz, Shaw, and Birch – have kept a strong bond over the years, particularly since they met up again during the 20th Anniversary celebration at the Walt Disney Studios in 2013.
Shaw expressed, “It suddenly struck us, ‘Why haven’t we been spending time together when we clearly care for each other?’ Then, on Halloween, we decided to go out for a dinner together, and everything felt just right. Our bond has remained strong since then.
19. Initially, the bullies were on the verge of being removed from the movie, but they ended up making it to the final cut after the producers observed the positive reaction from early viewers towards Ice and Jay.
Bagby clarified, “Initially, they removed our characters entirely from the story, which didn’t resonate with viewers. Kenny informed us that it was because ‘there was something about your group, or perhaps the bullies being confined in cages that resonated with audiences, as children could empathize with those bullies.’ It seems he was suggesting a touch of humor to contrast some of the more frightening elements.
20. During the entire filming process, Bagby recorded much of the footage himself using his own camera. However, one of the actors expressed displeasure when being filmed during a brief pause in production.
In a reminiscence of those memorable moments involving the cage scenes, I recall distinctly the day when Larry brought his camcorder into the mix. It was then that Bette Midler was stationed by her cauldron. Larry decided to capture it all on film, and upon noticing him, she became visibly upset. This incident, prior to the era of TMZ, showcased an unguarded moment where she acknowledged my presence. To put it mildly, it wasn’t a moment that exuded coolness.
Bagby added, “It wasn’t pleasant. You don’t want Bette looking at you.”
21. In spite of our shared limelight with Ms. Midler by the paparazzi, I must admit that her enchanting vocals made every moment on set effortlessly serene for all involved.
In a conversation, I shared a touching memory from Thora, one of her most cherished moments during their aerial escapades. Between takes, Bette spontaneously broke into ‘Wind Beneath My Wings,’ and she found it incredibly comforting. As I reflect on this anecdote, I can’t help but imagine the challenges they faced, given that they were performing their own flying stunts, well before technology could perform such feats.
22. While Birch and Shepherd were the two youngest actors on the cast, they never became friends.
Admitting his feelings, Shepherd confessed he had never expressed this before: he found himself daunted by her, for she exuded an air of confidence and proficiency that was beyond compare. Whenever she entered the makeup room, it was as if she declared, ‘I don’t require anyone to do my makeup; I can handle it myself, appreciate it.’ Thus, Shepherd felt intimidated yet deeply admired her, finding himself awestruck by her prowess.
23. Jelinek disclosed that initially, he had tried out for another role, but the producers ultimately changed their plans.
He revealed that during our initial tryout, they initially considered him for the role of Max. However, when we arrived with my lengthy, surfer-style hair, they suggested I read for a different character instead, named Jay.
24. During filming, most of the cast adhered to the original script, but Jones disclosed that he added a single line alteration in one particular scene.
In the initial draft, he was supposed to self-inflict a mouth injury, expel dirt and insects, then call Bette Midler a vulgar term. He explained this further. He felt it wasn’t suitable for a children’s movie and wanted to show he was on the kids’ side. So, in the final version, instead of saying “B–ch!”, he suggested using these lines: “Wench! Trollop! You buck-toothed, mop-riding firefly from hell!” This is how he wanted the scene to unfold differently.
25. Contrary to its theme of Halloween, the film “Hocus Pocus” was first screened in July 1993. Initially, it didn’t manage to draw large audiences at the box office.
Indeed, I felt let down when it didn’t start off powerfully, given its release in July. However, keep in mind, I was relatively new to the director’s chair at the time. Perhaps there were factors I wasn’t aware of. But no, we made a Halloween movie! Nothing compares to the screen presence of Hocus Pocus during this holiday season!
Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 are streaming on Disney+.
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2024-10-26 13:20