Hocus Pocus - How far would YOU Go?

 If push came to shove…how far would you go?  To what lengths would you travel to protect a loved one?  I realize that your initial thought may be, “I would go to whatever lengths necessary!”  And that would be a noble and worthy answer - BUT - would you?  In the 1993 Halloween movie Hocus Pocus the viewer is presented with this uncomfortable proposition - not once but twice!  The movie opens with a young boy trying to rescue his little sister from the clutches of three witches (Winifred, Sarah, and Mary) who are bent on taking the girl’s life force and making it their own.  The young boy, or should I say young man, is willing to jump into the middle of harms way in order to protect and rescue his little sister.  There is nothing he will not do - risking life and limb - in order to protect her.  And, alas, he fails.  His sister dies and the witches capture poor Thackery in a spell turning him into a black cat forever…and forever is a long time.

Fast forward 300 years.   A little girl, an older brother, a love interest, and…you guessed it - the three witches (Winifred, Sarah, and Mary) collide in the same witches’ cottage.  And lurking around the edges…a talking black cat.  Here again the viewer is confronted with the exact same question:  How far would you go?  To what lengths would you travel to protect a loved one?  The young boy, Max, who inadvertently brought the witches back to life and unleashed their terror on himself, his love interest Dani, and his little sister Emily (not to mention the entire town of Salem), not only feels responsible but is emboldened to serve as the protector.  A young man who was bullied earlier in the movie now becomes the defender of those whom he loves.  Max is willing to risk life and limb for the sake of his sister (and his love interest Dani!).  The switch has been thrown!  From bullied to vindicator; from wimp to mighty defender.  Oh sure, he has help along the way - a certain black cat with local knowledge on how to slay the witches, a girlfriend who is invested in their relationship, and a little sister who is a little mouthy and bold.  But at the heart of Max is his drive to protect and defend those who he loves.  

These kinds of stories resonate with our need for heroes and defenders in our life.  We want to think that if we were put in the same position we would rise up and protect the weak, defend the victim, and vindicate the one who was wronged.  It is a Biblical notion.  Just take a look at Genesis 34.  The heading in the Bible you pick up may say something like this:  “The Defiling of Dinah.”  It’s a gentle, Biblical way of saying Dinah’s rape.  And what did her brothers do?  They rose up…they plotted…they schemed…and they vindicated their sister.  Don’t take my word for it - look it up.  It’s a pretty gruesome story as far as Bible stories go.  But in the end they were willing to go the distance to protect, vindicate, and restore their loved one.

And this is where Hocus Pocus takes us.  In the climactic conclusion when the three witches are about to seize Emily and steal away her life force, it is Max who who foils their plan and puts himself in the crosshairs of the three sister witches.  Granted, he has lots of help from the talking black cat, a zombie named Billy Butcherson, and his girlfriend Dani…but let’s not devalue what Max is willing to do!  He is willing to sacrifice himself so that Emily can live.  And in true Hollywood fashion we never have to find out if Max has to sacrifice his own life to save Emily.  The sun rises, the witches are banished, the spells are broken, and Emily is spared..along with Max.

Like bookends, the ghostly figure of Thackery and his little sister are released to eternity…and we see them waving goodbye to Max and Emily.  Brothers willing to sacrifice for the little sisters they love.  So how far would you go?  What would you be willing to do to protect your loved one.  My hope is that you never have to find out the answer to that question.  But when you watch Hocus Pocus this Halloween take a moment to see how in a charming (and hauntingly funny tale) there is a much deeper and darker question being asked of you…if push came to shove, how far would YOU go?