Come Little Children: Hocus Pocus (OST cover + music video) + The Witch in the Woods + hike (abandoned ruins)

in #music5 years ago (edited)
Halloween is drawing near and the veil is getting thin... so get ready for some eerie entries this October... :). Video was done last Fall, but many of the pictures have been recently edited and are shared now for the first time.
Sharing here a special creepy little music video I made for Halloween last year as I am preparing a new seasonal special for this one. In the mood for something slightly eerie? This post also includes photo shoot, filming locations, and lots of pictures!

Are you in Halloween mood quite yet? Do you usually celebrate it?
Are you plotting your costume already?
There will be some "Special Spectral entries" as Autumn is here now in its full glory with its mysterious mists and fallen leaves.
Press play to listen / watch the video featuring several locations in Spain and France.

the witch in the woods - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-6.jpg

Who remembers this movie?

Hocus Pocus is a fantasy seasonal Halloween movie that was released in 1993 by Disney. Featuring a trio of Witches (The Sanderson Sisters) the movie is lighthearted and fun entertainment, but there was an eerie haunting moment, darker than the rest of the film by its tone and meaning, that stayed with me longer, and that was the moment Sarah, the blonde haired witch (how appropiate) uses her power, her sweet voice with wich she is able to lure unfortunate children into her lair... just like a Siren.
So as a collector of movie scores, my main and major influence in my own music, I have been picking some "classics" from my childhood and giving them a spin within my own style. And thus here I'm sharing my own version of the soundtrack.
So do you remember this movie?

Hocuspocusposter.jpg

Fair use, Link

It was indeed a commercial and critical flop back in the day but slowly it became a cult classic. Apparently there is a sequel about to be released too after so many years. I remember it with fondness though and some scenes like Sarah singing this song are quite vivid in my mind... It is now a seasonal classic of my generation, so well drop also your impressions if you remember or have watched it. If not, this is the perfect month to have a look at it!

I put a spell on you and now you're mine

But this post is more than about the song but also the hikes and behind the scenes of this little creepy video I made as Halloween special. (Preparing another surprise for this one) as we get into the mood for the forthcoming All Hallows Eve. Despite being blonde myself and having a "similar garment" than the character that sings it I did not pretend to cosplay the character but tell a different kind of story (darker in mood) than the original take... I am curious about your own interpretations.

The veil is getting thinner...

Lyrics

"Sarah's Theme" is one of the sung and most iconic tracks in Hocus Pocus Movie score with music by James Horner; lyrics by Brock Walsh inspired by Edgard Allan Poe; performed by Sarah Jessica Parker in the movie. Additional variations were made by who was in charge of most of the instrumental soundtrack of the movie. The theme also known as "Garden of magic" and has become a rather well known seasonal Halloween classic. There are longer versions but the original lyrics (very short) are these:

Come little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come little children, the time's come to play,
Here in my garden of magic.

Credits

Original version

Credits: Sarah´s theme was composed by James Horner and variations and rest of the movie soundtrack by John Debney http://johndebney.com/. Lyrics by Brock Walsh.
John Debney was kind enough to listen to my version and send back a compliment which I found so encouraging. This is just a tribute cover and it' was not an official release, I always recommend to purchase the ORIGINAL soundtrack but I enjoyed recording this as it was a challenge was a good practise to improve my hammered dulcimer playing :) and thus it deviates quite a lot from the original arrangement.

I loved your rendition, it sounded great John Debney (Hocus Pocus OST composer and conductor)

My version

Priscilla Hernandez Come Little Children - by Héctor Corcín.jpg

Cover and arrangements by me, Priscilla Hernandez @yidneth (http://priscillahernandez.com)

Priscilla Hernandez @yidneth: voice, lead and choir, arrangements, hammered dulcimer, piano, video edition
Armen Vartanyan: violin
Svetlana Tovstukha: cello
Héctor Corcín @hedac : mixing, mastering, camera work, video edition

Filming locations

the witch in the woods - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-7.jpg

The abandoned decaying ruins of a former village of miners of Arruitzgain on Basakaitz Mount (Spain) served as main background to film the video... There used to be also a train (Plazaola) to transport the minerals from this area that has been of mining interest since the Romans settlements in the area... And at the beginning of the hike you can choose to go over the now deserted rails and tunnels. Then there is a hike uphill while while enjoying a forest of long and slender beech trees. I filmed this exactly mid October last year but the leaves hadn't fully shifted into autumn colours quite yet (thus we used color correction in the video to make it moodier)

early autumn forest - by Héctor Corcín.jpg

The mining village was abandoned in the fifties and barely a few buildings tumbling down and emerging chimneys and walls over the engulfing and lush vegetation and they look much older while a thick pad of moss, vines and blackberry bushes have covered the walls.

the witch in the woods - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-4.jpg

It felt convenient that there was a fireplace in one of them... oddly enough with signs of recent use, maybe one hiker took the remaining building structure as shelter.

the witch in the woods - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

Don't worry, I don't eat children, I'm vegetarian ;-)

We also collected some wood in order to create that uneasy feeling of "Witch in the Woods" as I was intending to do a video for the song "Come Little Children" anyway. I always try to release a Halloween special, wether a cover of Halloween classic like this, or an original... so already working in this year special Halloween release. The early autumn filtered light was perfect and I found a perfect witchy staff out of a wooden stick.

After filming we stayed in the woods until dark... you had to be careful as light got dim you could easily for into hollows like this

the witch in the woods - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-8.jpg


bank_bertiz_priscilla hernandez.jpg

El Señorío de Bertiz also in Navarra (Spain) served as additional location including the spooky shot at the end wearing a mask I made out of a piece of bark I collected from the floor. It's a place we often visit and hike that I will cover in detail in one of my "hiking adventures" posts. But here a clear still of that "eerie ominous ending". I decided to add a spooky reverse effect to finish. And well , I think I succeeded in my "spectral" makeover.

WITCHINTHEWOODS.jpg


Additional scenes were added filmed on or hike to the mountaing Midi dOssau (French Pyrenees), some general scenes of autumnal elements and small waterfalls and conveniently filming scenes dressed in black like casting spells in different spots on our ascent. Yes, I hiked with a corset up to the Pyrenees and here is proof!
I even got into thef freezing mountain lake but I did not use that footage in the final edit of the video.

pyrenees.jpg

Priscilla Hernandez Autumn witch - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

In conclusion

Little boys and girls don't get lost in the woods after dark

the witch in the woods - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-5.jpg

Some highlighted Steemit posts to get to know me better

My social network / Mis redes sociales

Official site

http://yidneth.com

Networks


Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com

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Your voice gives me goose bumps.

What Drakos said. I love you Pris.. sorry we have been a little out of touch lately.. I'm always still adoring you no matter where we are. ♥

My sweet Serena, I know, life has been hectic on this end too but you know I'm always there for you to share cute ratties and cake while you pour tea and cookies. All the love back to you my sweet songbird!

Thanks always for your support my sweet Captain. When it comes with a lovely comment wider smile.


This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.

I remember this and Ernest Scared Stupid were two of my favorite Halloween movies before getting into the obligatory slasher flicks like Friday the 13th a few years later. Nice cover!

Aww and thanks for the resteem :)

Awww thanks, it is a childrens movie but i liked that cut of the song, darker and more haunting than the rest of the movie

Creepy cool :)

Your work is always of great quality @yidneth, I'm looking forward to this years Halloween production.

All I can say is Haunted House

Oh my lovely... I’ve always loved the beautiful eeriness of that song and you made me love it even more ❤️

Stunning photos as usual, give that man a hug for me!

always loved that movie...Such a classic. While I’m not one who really celebrates Halloween I guess.. this movie and bowl of popcorn always seem to happen

Awww thank you, yes it was the haunring moment of the movie. Kind of alluring dangerously. Thx for the lovely coment.
Pd Hug was given on your behalf.
Teamwork you know

What a a nice and magical post (¡Como siempre!). The pics are beautiful and the song is awesome. It reminds me Green Leaves, which is one I love.

I have no connection to Halloween, but I love your post!

Cheers.

Nosotros tampoco tenemos esas celebraciones de disfraces, quizá ahora más porque las fiestas se hacen populares y se importan, yo soy más de celebrar el Samhain como una noche mágica (soy muy científica pero me gustan los mitos y leyendas) y el folklore popular, perfecto día para contar historias de fantasmas. La canción no es mía sino de una banda sonora, aunque todo el arreglo es propio y el humor y tono (del video también) es más sombrío que en en el original. Pues alguna vez he tocado green sleeves (son mangas verdes, no hojas verdes) igual debería grabar un cover, esas tradicionales no tienen problemas en ser versionadas.

Tremenda sorpresa me has dado con lo del titulo de la canción que yo llamaba Hojas Verdes. Lo más impresionante es que amo esa canción desde hace más de 40 años y nunca me había fijado en lo del título. Contribuye a mi error que hay muchas versiones de la canción con el titulo equivocado.

A mí que "casi no me gustar echar cuentos", creo que me has dado una nueva historia a desarrollar, jejeje.

Gracias por tu respuesta.

I think creepy sums it up, @yidneth. :) Great production and very lovely, but eerie singing, too.

I've not been very keen on Halloween as an adult, but we did take both our boys trick or treating when they were younger. We changed the tradition for a while to eating out, but my wife decided a few years back she didn't like that, so we're back at having dinner at home so she can hand out candy to the few children who do come by.

This will be the first year that our granddaughter, who is 16 months, will go out trick or treating. I think my daughter-in-law has some kind of fairy costume in mind for her to wear.

I know of Hocus Pocus. I'm not sure I've seen it all the way through. If I did, it's probably been 20-25 years ago.

Thanks for taking us to where the video was filmed. Great locations, and very appropriate settings for the video. Well done all around.

The movie us lighthearted fun but that song was eerie and I went for a more serious approach. We do not celebrate halloween the way you do but Samhain is tradotionally one of the thin veiled dates in many cultures and makes it appropiate for ghost tales by the fire.
Oh i bet your granddaughter will have a great time

I just discovered you and have been watching your videos on Youtube (subscribed!) and added you to my Google Play library.
Great voice and art, just followed you here on Steemit :)
Thank you so much forest fairy!

Oh my goodness, as soon as I saw the title of your post I couldn't click quickly enough! I love it and was waiting for you to post this!

An amazing accompanying video as well.

Sarah is my favourite of the three and I always wanted her to have a spinoff moment as she seemed like she was not truly an 'evil' witch but just went along with her sisters. Like a moment where she is distracted bya fairy and follows it off and then has her own adventure. :)

I can't wait to see what you are going to bring out more as Halloween approaches.

My own music (songs like Haunted, Nightmare, Off the Lane or The Underliving) is sometimes very dark in a very ethereal way. I remember when a child people used to compare me with Sarah and honestly we don't look much alike except for our sense of fashion, humming eerie tunes and hair hahah (the hair is a replica). I kind of thought she was naiver that the rest hahha
Well Halloween this year is gonna be about a "Haunted manor"

I looooved this song the best from the movie, which I also loved. Thank you for sharing this lovely Pris ♡♡♡ Your voice is so gorgeous and perfect for this.

Thank you so much, it was my fav part of the movie too. 🐀

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