Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey/Hocus Pocus

“Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey,” released in 1993, whose protagonists are two dogs and a cat, looks like a throwback to classic Disney, and actually Walt Disney made it the first time about 30 years before. However, this remake on Sheila Burnford’s 1960 novel greatly improves on the original, where we see three pets travel at length through the rough Canadian High Country to find their owners joined only with a narration by cowboy actor Rex Allen. Hands down, the animals were lovable, but their long journey became really boring.

Kevin Thomas said in his review, “Writers Caroline Thompson and Linda Woolverton have remedied this problem in two ways, by bringing their family into the story and by providing voices for the pets. Anthropomorphism on the screen is a painstaking art and craft, and "Homeward Bound" is a fine, heart-tugging example. Thompson and Woolverton have provided delightful personalities for Shadow, a wise and mature golden retriever; Chance, a frisky American bulldog puppy, and Sassy, a fastidious, weight-conscious Himalayan cat.” Their voices are given, respectively, by great people like Don Ameche, Michael J. Fox and Sally Field.

The film starts in the High Sierra – annoyingly, the film is misty on geography and other details. Bob (Robert Hays) and Laura (Kim Greist) have just married, bringing along their pets and children from previous marriages. Since Bob, a college professor, has a temporary job in San Francisco, the family packs up from their old home in the Sierra and leaves the pets with a friend, played by Jean Smart. After some realistic faults, the homesick Shadow, Chance and Sassy escape and go on their adventure-filled journey.

Thomas said, “Director Duwayne Dunham effectively crosscuts between the animals and the worried family in San Francisco.” The result is that on one hand the film is about three children, well played by Benj Thall, Kevin Chevalia and Veronica Lauren, whose change to a new family arrangement in a new place is made more difficult by their knowledge that they may never again see their beloved pets. On the other hand, it’s a simple adventure for the animals.

The writers have been mainly smart with the animal scenes, letting us to look at the world from the pets’ point of view occasionally that, despite the animals are all intelligent, there are some things that humans can know and they cannot. Thomas said, “Animal trainer Joe Camp and his colleagues, in turn, have performed miracles with the many cats and dogs that play Shadow, Chance and Sassy.”

Thomas said, “Formerly an editor for David Lynch, who gave him a chance to direct three episodes of "Twin Peaks," Dunham acquits himself impressively in his feature debut, blending fantasy and reality seamlessly and melding effectively his on-screen actors with his off-screen cast.” “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” is that unusual family film that really should have the entire family enjoy watching.

Moving on to the next Disney film, this is how Felix Vasquez started his review on “Hocus Pocus,” “I remember the summer of 1993 fondly. It was the year I went to see the “Coneheads” movie and recall thinking back to the release of “Hocus Pocus” wondering why it wasn’t slated for an October release. Disney is usually smart with release dates, and “Hocus Pocus” ended up becoming one of the most revered holiday classics of all time. For Disney-philes, “Hocus Pocus” has enough menace to be considered a horror movie, but not so much where it’s impossible for the kids to watch. Twenty years later, “Hocus Pocus” is that classic horror film for kids that has yet to show its age at all, even when you consider adorable Thora Birch turned in to a gorgeous woman many years later. “Hocus Pocus” hearkens back to the most entertaining element of the Halloween season: the threat of witches.”

From there it makes the support for a scary and nice story about family bonding and selflessness in the name of love. Omri Katz plays Max, a young small town boy who is trying his best to get his crush, Alison (Vinessa Shaw) to fall in love with him. With Max’s parents (Charles Rocket and Stephanie Faracy) going to a Halloween party, he’s told to take his little sister Dani (Thora Birch) trick-or-treating. Allison goes with them and trying to impress Allison, Max takes the girls to an ancient house where there’s an old tale of a curse. Through accident, Max frees three evil Sanderson sisters, a group of Salem witches who come back to take over the world and eat the spirits of young children. Along with a talking cat named Binx, played by Sean Murray, the kids have to find out how to vanquish the witches away before they start causing chaos once again.

“Hocus Pocus” has a nice sense of vision, and a cheerful Halloween spirit that director Kenny Ortega creates great passion. All of the film takes place during Halloween night, while the Sanderson sisters cause chaos on the town adjusting to modern technology while hunting innocent victims. The three played by Bette Midler, Kathy Nijimy and Sarah Jessica Parker prove to be really funny as the oddball but dangerous sisters unfamiliar with the new world, but still want to feed on young children. Vasquez describes, “With their rat-like buck teeth and twitching noses, their foes to be reckoned with that spare no one when they’re angry enough. Much of the special effects are still rather fantastic with Ortega allowing some creepy effects that will amuse its targeted audience. Beyond that there’s also a slew of likable and heartfelt characters that take part in this battle of good and evil that still connect with audiences.”

The relationship between Max and spirited love-interest Dani is complicated but completely relatable. Vasquez admitted, “As well, Dani’s slow but strong bond with cat Binx who acts as a guide to the kids to help them stop the Sanderson sisters once and for all is adorable and still manages to draw a tear from me to this day.” Ortega gives this Halloween film a really nice type of entertainment and eternal joy that make it a Halloween film that was perfect the way it is and didn’t need to be drenched with sequels and spin offs. “Hocus Pocus” with its songs (the catchy I Put a Spell On You) and nice sense of humor (The witches confused a man dressed as Satan for the real Satan, played by Garry Marshall, with his sister, Penny Marshall, playing the wife) makes for a nice Halloween film, and could be an underrated Disney film to this day.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more classics in “Disney Live-Action Month.”