Entry #6: Children’s Version of Bewitched Sisters

-
Hocus Pocus is a popular Halloween movie created by Walt Disney Pictures. Since its premiere in 1993, it has continued in popularity and is included in Halloween marathons on television networks. The film begins with a prelude taking place in 1692/3, the year of the Salem witch trials. It is also set in Salem Massachusetts. In the prelude, three sisters known as the Sanderson sisters, are punished and executed for practicing witchcraft. The film then shifts to 1993, where Max Dennison, his girlfriend Allison, and his younger sister Dani, have to deal with accidentally taking part in a spell, or rather a curse, that brings the three sisters back to life. The Sanderson sisters chase after children on this fine Halloween night, determined to gather enough children to perform a spell to stay alive. Max, Allison, and Dani spend an eventful night running around their town trying to save the other children and themselves from the evil witches. The societal issue with this film is the reference to the Salem witch hunt at the beginning, with the year being relatively the same as the historical events. The depiction of these three women as evil and dangerous leads to an inaccurate depiction of what really happened in Salem. This film certainly led my younger self to believe that the Salem witch trials involved women, in particular, who used dark magic to lure innocent children to take part in some sort of ritual, typically ending with their death. However, my education has helped me understand that the cause for the trials was not even due to magic, but due to illness and hysteria in a fearful Salem community. An aspect often looked over in the film is its depiction of a strong feminist outlook as the Sanderson sisters are witty, intelligent, and quick on their feet. The women in these iconic roles do the story justice showing the unbeatable bond of sisters and friends. I argue that this is lost on its targeted audience age range. Did you watch this film as a child? What were your first impressions of the Salem witches in this film? I want to hear your thoughts about this in the comment section! Here are the links to the film and a synopsis: Ortega, Kenny, director. Hocus Pocus. Hocus Pocus, Walt Disney Pictures, 1993, www.loc.gov/item/jots.200025674/. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107120/ https://youtu.be/Wqdj0jkhE0E

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Home Page

-
Image
Three-hundred and twenty-six years later, the Salem witch trials are still permanently ingrained in American memory. The details of the hysteric moments are sensualized in pop culture repeatedly. However, these details are not entirely accurate, often misconstrued and exaggerated for dramatic nature in film, books, and tv shows. How do these inaccurate detail and educational technology affect the way we remember and memorialize the Salem witch trials today? This online exhibit begins with the retelling of the ‘true’ details of the Salem witch trials from firsthand accounts and other primary sources. Then, the user will delve into the cultural depictions of what happened in Salem through film, media, and books. At the end of the blogs, I invite users to think about the details learned during their early education and the way pop culture has either transformed or maintained the historical depiction they learned. The relationship between the depiction of Salem women and stereotypes of ...
Read more

Entry #9 (Ending Page): Insight and Inaccuracies

-
After viewing these cultural depictions of the Salem Witch Trials, one could argue that the historical depictions of the trials are mostly inaccurate, set to be entirely more dramatic and exaggerated for better audience appreciation. However, the storyline stays the same throughout most of these narratives and adaptations, with the girls playing a central role in the way we remember and memorize these trials which are forever ingrained in American memory.  These cultural depictions discussed in this project often engage with the stereotypes of women––that they are superficial, dramatic, overemotional, untrustworthy, deceitful, spiteful, and insecure humans who hold grudges.  In the era of the trials, an “angry woman was the same as a witch”, but not much has changed over many centuries (Colburn 22). Women are often depicted as ruthless, hot-headed beings who can’t be taken seriously. These aspects can be seen throughout the works discussed in the projects. In addition, wom...
Read more

Entry #1: What Really Went Down in Salem

-
Image
Taking place in 1692, in the Puritan society of Salem, MA, the ‘Witch-hunt’ became the most notable historical event in Salem history. This religiously devout community was susceptible to hysteria as fear was common throughout the community. With talks of abandoning their old faith and rumors of treason, the community was nervous about the possibility of losing their dreams of an ideal town based on religion. In fact, there was a common belief throughout society that “the Devil was constantly trying to find ways to infiltrate and destroy Christians and their communities”(history of Massachusetts). The vulnerability of this community allows us to understand the social circumstances of the era. Briefly, young girls began to act strangely, and after a doctors examination, the elders concluded that the girls had been touched by the Devil and were found to be bewitched. They began to name other people, placing the blame on their maids and others close to them. As this hysteria started,...
Read more