Hey, what are Pinhead and Michael Myers doing in a Disney movie?
At this point, it seems like everything that possibly could be said about Hocus Pocus has already been said — like, a billion times over.
I mean, I’ve already written at least two or three articles for this very site about the beloved 1993 Disney horror comedy. It’s a cultural text that’s been decoded and deconstructed and dissected so many times it seems a bit fatuous to even think about adding another article to the pile.
But hold on, people. I think I’ve got the one fresh angle on Hocus Pocus you’ll read on any website this year.
So here’s the thing. With a movie like Hocus Pocus, which most of us have seen countless times by now, you have to really focus on what’s happening just on the periphery of the screen to pinpoint anything “new” about the film. And if you’ve got a keen eye — and super-fast thumbs to hit the pause button at just the right time and angle — you might find a few unexpected, unauthorized cameos popping up throughout the movie.
Oh, and not only are we bringing you the photographic evidence, we’re bringing you the DVD time-stamps so you can see it for yourself the next time you queue up the holiday staple …
Pinhead from Hellraiser!
Timestamp: 00:17:55
Well, this one is pretty hard to miss. This cameo pops up fairly early on the film — in fact, I’m almost certain it’s the first time we see what Max’s bedroom looks like. Since it’s the early 1990s, he’s got plenty of early 1990s teenage boy stuff all over the place; basketball posters, dartboards, like a million different books on … I don’t know, quantum physics or something? It’s kinda hard to read the letters on the spine, even in 4K. With America still shuffling through the first wave of Bart Simpson-mania, I guess it’s hardly a surprise that Max had a skateboard in his possession. But it’s not just any skateboard — it’s one with a rad portrait of PINHEAD FROM HELLRAISER on it! Indeed, I’m pretty sure it’s a pic pulled straight from the Hellraiser III poster, and it’s actually displayed quite prominently in the background so it’s pretty hard to miss, even in real time. So does this mean Cenobites canonically exist in the expanded Disney universe? Man, Epcot Center would never be the same …
Sonic the Hedgehog!
Timestamp: 00:48:40
Next to Pearl Jam and Crystal Pepsi, there isn’t a more “this was filmed during 1992” anything than Sonic the Hedgehog. The beloved Sega mascot, being a video game icon of the day, makes a very brief appearance in Hocus Pocus in the form of a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it trick or treater just ambling by the Sanderson Sisters. The costumed critter actually has a few seconds of additional screen time a little later on in the movie, but this stretch of the film gives you the cleanest, crispest shot of his snazzy duds. Too bad Hocus Pocus 2 took so long to make — had a sequel come out in 1996, we probably would’ve gotten a cameo from Crash Bandicoot or something.
Michael Myers!
Timestamp: 00:49:16
OK, so the costume isn’t exactly canon with the Halloween series — unless there’s a deleted scene in Resurrection where The Shape sports a gaudy yellow and red rain slicker for a couple of seconds. But there is NO mistaking that one trick or treater’s mask as a proper Michael Myers mask — it’s got the matted hair, the oversized eyeball slits, the built-in plastic cheekbones and a spooky bluish-white sheen that immediately gives Donald Pleasance a case of the zoomies. One can only imagine what could’ve happened had Disney landed the rights to Halloween in the mid ‘90s instead of Dimension; like, a Michael Myers crossover with the cast of Heavyweights would’ve been the best thing ever.
The Dude From Tron!
Timestamp: 01:00:03
Pretty much all of the dance scenes in Hocus Pocus are like those old Hieronymus Bosch paintings where there’s a million billion weird things going on at the same time and seemingly every time you gawk at it you see something new. Like, I’m pretty sure you’ll spot everything from a dude dressed up like Dick Tracy to a Temu Creature From The Black Lagoon in the background, but for my money, no extra in the film has a costume as memorable as that one fella rocking a full on Tron cosplay. I mean, it’s a bit of a meta moment considering Disney owned the rights to Tron and all, but you’ve got to admit it’s a pretty spiffy look; and the actor had some nice dance moves, too!
Old-School 7-Up!
Timestamp: 01:12:35
OK, so this one kinda bends the line between “cameo” and “shameless product placement.” But there’s an entire subculture of people out there who get their jollies spotting retro advertising logos and product designs in old movies (Matt from Dinosaur Dracula, I’m looking at you) and this random appearance by the B-tier soft drink brand is bound to tickle the nostalgia bones of more than a few viewers out there. Plus, it’s kind of a weird and oddly grim unspoken plot element: like, Max’s parents are apparently super rich, but the only thing in their cupboard is salt, crackers, and lukewarm soda? Seems suspicious to me. Very suspicious.
