Hocus Pocus- a Satire Feminist Love Story Between a Woman and Her Favorite Book?

Winifred, Mary, and Sarah are on the hunt for children to sacrifice so that they can be young forever. The central premise is seemingly women who are getting older that want to use magic to stay young and therefore hypothetically beautiful forever. This is an interesting take, intentioned or not, Disney! It is true that as women get older, they are less relevant in media.

"Therefore, it stands to reason, does it not, sisters dear? That we must find the book, brew the potion, and suck the lives out of the children of Salem before sunrise. Otherwise, it's curtains. We evaporate! We cease to exist! Dost thou comprehend?" —Winifred Sanderson

Reading between the lines here, one could find truth in Winifred’s words. Even though she means them literally, it is true that women are constantly pushed to spend money on products and procedures that will make them younger and therefore happy/relevant.

“I’m beautiful! Boys will love me!” -Sarah Sanderson

Further, these women MURDER CHILDREN and yet the worst insult people can come up with for them throughout the movie has to do with their appearance.

“Wench! Trollop! You buck-toothed, mop-riding firefly from hell!” —Billy Butcherson

“It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, you sold your soul! You’re the ugliest thing that ever lived, and you know it!” —Dani

However, most of the movie is Winifred trying to get her beloved book back from Max, Dani, and Allison.

80% of the time, Winifred’s line is “Booooooookkkk!” She sings to her beloved to come back to her. It’s not a one sided love either, the book consistently tries to make its way back to her throughout the movie.

“Hello, I want my book.”- Winifred

Winifred is pretty mean to her sisters and everyone around her. She calls her sisters, “idiots!”, “fools!” but she calls her spellbook “darling”. Even when she goes to “wake up” the book, she does so gently with a “wake up, sleepy head”.

Winifred calls it her “precious book”. She knows books are knowledge and knowledge is power!

I think of Winifred saying, ‘I’ve got to have my book!” on a daily basis. We all need our books… ON TOAST!