Cabot Theatre's 'Hocus Pocus' Live Commentary: Laughter, Nostalgia, and Love

“It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus!”

The Cabot Theatre was filled to the broom with fans dressed in their ghouliest Sanderson sister outfits for a special showing of the 1993 film, Hocus Pocus. The theater hosted a live commentary event with five original cast members from the original movie, sharing insightful stories and telling the most insane jokes that cracked up audiences.

Before the live commentary started, Larry Bagby (Ice) and Vinessa Shaw (Allison) treated the audience to a rendition of ‘Country Roads’ by John Denver.

“Are we watching a movie or something?” Bagby then announced to an excited crowd who were munching on popcorn and candy. Introduced by the Horror Scope Podcast, cast members, Omri Katz (Max), Jason Marsden (Voice of Binx), and Tobias Jelinek (Jay) joined Bagby and Shaw for a roar of applause when they entered the stage.

The festivities started with the cast asking, “Is there anybody here who has not seen Hocus Pocus?” Two people raised their hands! What an intro to this cult classic. A handful of people attending the event saw Hocus Pocus in theaters when it was first released in 1993.

The Hocus Pocus cast members rejoiced in memories and the disbelief that it’s been 30+ years since the film’s release. The film came and went as it pleased audiences, but Hocus Pocus keeps evolving as a Halloween movie tradition. “(Hocus Pocus) was way bigger than we imagined,” commented Shaw. “It’s going to live on way beyond us.”

The Q&A immediately started with questions ranging from how the film impacted the actors, to what they are most proud of, and what this Hocus Pocus event means to them.

Love filled the stage as the cast members talked about how they’d become a family in making the film and attending fan events. Aside from getting mobbed and asked for pictures at these events, it fills them with immense pride knowing Hocus Pocus is a favorite childhood film among fans.

“(This event) wouldn’t be happening because of (the fans),” Katz remarked to the audience. “What’s great is how it’s become a part of our lives and we continue to make memories and continue our relationships through you.”

What people may forget is that Hocus Pocus was a box office failure when it was first released in July 1993. Because of the fans, Hocus Pocus became a cult classic. “Ultimate failure can turn into joy,” Shaw remarked with insightful advice.

Before the live commentary began, remember how Bagby had ‘Ice’ written on the back of his head for the movie? Omri Katz, who was a hairdresser for a while, shaved and inscribed ‘Ice’ on Bagby’s hair right onstage!

Now it was time to start the movie. The lights dimmed, the actors gathered around the stage with mics, and Hocus Pocus started. I felt the sheer excitement from the crowd. This was my first time seeing Hocus Pocus in a theater setting as I have watched it on DVD or freeform. It’s very different when you watch something with a room full of fans. People were hooting, like it was a football game. The Cabot Theatre made an excellent setting for it.

During the live commentary, the actors shared stories from behind the scenes. I learned so much about this film. Most of Hocus Pocus was filmed in Salem, MA, and on backlots in L.A. or Disney. Jason Marsden filled in that most of his vocal performance as Binx was recorded in a studio. It was also the first CG cat face in a film.

They also praised Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Nijimy in their iconic performances as the Sanderson sisters. Audiences laughed and applauded when they first appeared on the screen. The trio was nicknamed ‘The Three Stooges.’ I have never been in a theater with laughter echoing off the walls, like this.

They also cracked up audiences with hysterical jokes. “Some kids learned about the birds and the bees from this movie,” one of them commented. A lot of fans repeated now famous lines, knowing this movie by heart. One of the best moments of the evening was everyone singing, “I Put a Spell on You.”

Cabot Theatre’s Hocus Pocus Live Commentary brought out the fans’ inner child in an evening of nostalgia. “(Hocus Pocus) is a movie about letting your inner child in even though this movie is about taking life,” Bagby commented on the irony. The event was a memorable October evening that united Hocus Pocus fans as a community.