National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Hocus Pocus was released by Walt Disney Pictures in July 1993, directed by Kenny Ortega. Though it performed modestly at the box office during its theatrical run, the film found a devoted second life through home video and annual television broadcasts, eventually becoming one of the most beloved seasonal titles in the Disney catalog. Its blend of comedy, light horror, and practical effects work reflects the particular sensibility of early-1990s family filmmaking, and its cultural footprint has only grown in the decades since.

This three-frame cell, titled Sanderson Sisters, captures a continuous sequence from what appears to be an indoor gathering scene. The strip is oriented upside-down on the negative, presenting three successive moments from the same shot. As a multi-frame pull, it offers a rare sense of motion and continuity, preserving a brief but coherent window into one of the film's ensemble sequences featuring the trio at the center of the story.