I have seen "Hocus Pocus" recommended as a "kids movie". Well, I would say that with big reservations. "For kids 8 and over" might be more a more accurate recommendation, if that.
The movie includes a living corpse character brought back to life from the dead: part of the humor is that his body parts keep falling off. There is a lot in this movie that might seriously freak out little children!
And then there's the running gag about the boy who is the hero being a virgin. Be prepared, if you watch this with your little kids, to be asked to explain what a "virgin" is. The local bus driver picks up the three witches, who are pretty freaky, and seems to be extremely attracted to them. When they tell him they desire children (another really frightening concept in this movie), he replies, "It could take a while, but I think I could do that for you." And witch Sarah Jessica Parker displays a lot of cleavage (who knew?!). And much more of the same type of innuendo occurs, which is more on the level of a teen movie than a kids movie. (And teenagers will say it's too "kiddish" for them.)
The movie veers back and forth between light-hearted comedy and gloomy, scary, violent scenes, in a way that turns out to be rather badly balanced. The expectation of a Disney movie doesn't prepare parents and kids for some of the contents of "Hocus Pocus". For instance, when the witches kidnap the hero's young sister from her bedroom, this is really a frightening thing for kids (and parents).
And then having to look at Bette Midler with her buck teeth, and Kathy Najimy, who appears to be continually on the verge of drooling--now that's disturbing!
The movie includes a living corpse character brought back to life from the dead: part of the humor is that his body parts keep falling off. There is a lot in this movie that might seriously freak out little children!
And then there's the running gag about the boy who is the hero being a virgin. Be prepared, if you watch this with your little kids, to be asked to explain what a "virgin" is. The local bus driver picks up the three witches, who are pretty freaky, and seems to be extremely attracted to them. When they tell him they desire children (another really frightening concept in this movie), he replies, "It could take a while, but I think I could do that for you." And witch Sarah Jessica Parker displays a lot of cleavage (who knew?!). And much more of the same type of innuendo occurs, which is more on the level of a teen movie than a kids movie. (And teenagers will say it's too "kiddish" for them.)
The movie veers back and forth between light-hearted comedy and gloomy, scary, violent scenes, in a way that turns out to be rather badly balanced. The expectation of a Disney movie doesn't prepare parents and kids for some of the contents of "Hocus Pocus". For instance, when the witches kidnap the hero's young sister from her bedroom, this is really a frightening thing for kids (and parents).
And then having to look at Bette Midler with her buck teeth, and Kathy Najimy, who appears to be continually on the verge of drooling--now that's disturbing!