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Ultra HD : Recommended
Ranking:
Release Date: September 15th, 2020 Movie Release Year: 1993

Hocus Pocus - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook)

Overview -

Hocus Pocus charms its way to 4K UHD with HDR10 with the same DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track and extras from the previous Blu-ray release. Three evil witches come back from the dead some 300 years later to complete their mission in killing children in order to keep their youth through a series of misadventures and thrills in this Disney film. Available from Best Buy with an Exclusive SteelBook cover featuring beautiful new custom artwork. This spooky show is Still Recommended all these years later.

Read our Standard 4K UHD Blu-ray Review
Read our Original Blu-ray Review

After three centuries, three witch sisters are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a young girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all.

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + Blu-ray + Digital
Video Resolution/Codec:
2160p HEVC/H.265
Length:
96
Aspect Ratio(s):
1.85:1
Audio Formats:
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles/Captions:
English SDH, French, Spanish
Special Features:
Original Production Featurette
Release Date:
September 15th, 2020

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

[Excerpt from our standard 4K UHD Blu-ray Review of Hocus Pocus]

Aside from packaging there are no differences in presentation or bonus features between the Best Buy SteelBook and the Standard Release.

"It’s hard to believe that Hocus Pocus has been out for 25 years and has a strange story behind it in that it’s a Halloween film from Disney that was released in the middle of Summer in 1993 against the movie Free Willy. It stood no chance whatsoever and only made a little bit more box office money than its budget. That being said, over the past two decades, Hocus Pocus has become a strong cult film amongst adults and kids alike where cosplayers and fans celebrate this movie still to this day with giant fandom. Say what you will about the movie itself, but it’s always impressive when a film that was virtually disliked by every critic and had an unsuccessful financial run when it came out - that has stood the test of over two decades and become a cult-icon that continues to make money. Needless to say, there was a magical spell of good fortune released onto this movie that hasn't been lifted."

Read our Standard 4K UHD Blu-ray Review coverage for our full thoughts

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Hocus Pocus sweeps its way to 4K UHD with HDR10 in a 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Copy. The discs are housed in an amazing metallic-embossed Steelbook package with excellent new artwork inside and out. There is an insert for a digital copy.

 

Video Review

Ranking:

[Excerpt from our standard 4K UHD Blu-ray Review of Hocus Pocus]

"The film's visual tone in 4K has gotten a lot darker. Both well-lit interior and exterior sequences are now a few shades darker than they were before with lower lit scenes and nighttime sequences having almost a pitch-black look. Colors are hindered here due to this lighting change where bright primary colors that once popped with vivacity now have a much more muted palette. Luckily the HDR kicks in and boasts the fall color spectrum of orange, brown, purple, and Halloween green from time to time. It's just not as bright or bold from previous releases. That's not to say the transfer is ugly or bad, but rather a personal preference for each individual on how someone enjoys watching a movie. The case here will be a darker than usual image with some wonderful looking autumn colors sprinkled in. Black levels are intense and inky throughout giving way for some excellent shadows and dark creepy spaces in spooky sequences. Skin tones are natural as well, but again - everything is on the dark side of the spectrum here."

Audio Review

Ranking:

"Disney decided not to add a new Dolby Atmos mix or 7.1 track to the film but instead imported the very good lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio mix again, which is still great. It would have been fun though to hear the thunder, lightning, and witches flying everywhere on the overhead speakers this time. But instead, give the original audio mix a read HERE."

 

Special Features

Ranking:

  • We Heart Hocus Pocus: Trivia and Treats Edition (HD) - This is a "Play-The-Movie" feature where picture-in-pictures pop up randomly, releasing interviews, trivia, deleted scenes, storyboards, video clips, and more. It's an immersive look at the behind the scenes while watching the movie.
  • Original Production Featurette (HD, 5 Mins.) - The original EPK of the film.

Final Thoughts

Hocus Pocus still stands the test of time, giving people a glimpse of how Disney tested the waters with horror and comedy. It's still a fun film with great effects, and superb performances, along with some good thrills. With a good looking, darker image and the same wonderful DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix, along with the previous extras, this 4K release is still an uptick from it's Blu-ray counterpart. If you're a SteelBook collector, this is a pretty slick piece of work celebrating this classic kids spookfest. Recommended!