National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Hocus Pocus was released by Walt Disney Pictures in July 1993, directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert. Though its theatrical run was modest, the film found a devoted second life through home video and seasonal television broadcasts, becoming a genuine cultural touchstone of 1990s Halloween programming. It remains one of the more enduring family comedies of its decade, its reputation growing steadily with each passing autumn.

This cell, titled Mary Sanderson, captures Kathy Najimy in character, her expression warm and broadly comic against a dim interior backdrop. Period costuming and visible jewelry frame the moment with theatrical detail. The strip presents three frames of the same beat, offering the collector a sustained look at a single held expression from one of the film's most recognizable performances.