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, the film found its true audience through cable and home video, becoming a beloved seasonal fixture that has only grown in cultural significance over the decades. Its blend of comedy, mild horror, and practical effects captures a particular strain of early-1990s family filmmaking that studios rarely attempt today.

This cell presents three sequential 35mm frames featuring Dani Dennison, captured in a dimly lit interior setting. The tight sequence shows her mid-gesture, hand raised beneath her wide-brimmed dark hat, the near-identical poses across frames offering a rare glimpse into the rhythm of a single cinematic moment frozen in time.