'Hocus Pocus' Facts And Trivia: 13 Things To Know About Classic Halloween Movie

It might just be a bunch of “Hocus Pocus,” but the 1993 cult classic has captivated audiences for more than 20 years. Each Halloween, “Hocus Pocus” plays on television several times so everyone has a chance to see it. Even though fans have probably watched it countless times, there are some fun and interesting trivia facts that “Hocus Pocus” enthusiasts might not know. To impress friends and family, check out lesser-known things about the spooky 1990s Disney movie below, courtesy of the Internet Movie Database and Thought Catalog.

1. Award-winning actress and singer Bette Midler said “Hocus Pocus” is her favorite film in a 2008 interview with the BBC show, "Breakfast."

2. One of the errors in the film involves the Sanderson sisters talking about using margarine. The only problem is the Sanderson sisters lived in the late 17th century and margarine wasn’t available as a substitute for butter until 1869.

3. The role of Max Dennison was originally offered to Leonardo DiCaprio. Instead, DiCaprio appeared in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and earned his first Oscar nomination.

4. The role of Mary Sanderson was supposed to go to Rosie O’Donnell, but she reportedly turned down the role because she didn’t want to play a “scary witch.”

5. The movie says the Sanderson sisters were hanged Oct. 31, 1693, but the Salem Witch Trials ended in 1692.

6. Sticking with the Salem Witch Trials, Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Sarah Sanderson, discovered in doing research for “Who Do You Think You Are?” in 2004 her 10th great-grandmother, Esther Elwell, was accused of witchcraft. Elwell was not killed though, because witch trials ended before she was accused of "sundry acts of witchcraft." Parker said the revelation changed everything she thought she knew about herself.

7. Some of the scenes from the original trailer do not appear in the theatrical, VHS or DVD versions of the film.

8. “Hocus Pocus” was released in the summer instead of the fall. Filmmakers reportedly wanted to avoid competition with “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Neither film did well at the box office, but both became cult classics.

9. The moths that come out of Billy Hutcherson’s mouth are real and not computer-generated imagery, actor Doug Jones said at the 20th anniversary screening of “Hocus Pocus.”

10. Sarah Sanderson’s hair changes from curly to straight, just like the length of Dorothy’s hair changes in “The Wizard of Oz.” Witch-themed music from the 1939 movie can be heard in “Hocus Pocus,” which could be an in-movie joke.

11. Max says it's Daylight Saving Time, which isn't true. Daylight Saving Time ended on Halloween in 1993. Also, the sun rose at 6:25 a.m. EST on that day, not at 5 a.m. EST as the movie indicated.

12. It’s hinted Allison, who is played by Vinessa Shaw, is not a virgin. When Max, who is played by Omri Katz, asks his boxom love interest to light the black flame candle to bring the Sanderson Sisters back, she coyly declines. That’s because only a virgin can light it.

13. The cat’s name in the film is Thackery Binx, not Zachary Binx.

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