National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Hocus Pocus was released by Walt Disney Pictures in July 1993, directed by Kenny Ortega. The film performed modestly in theaters but found an enduring second life through home video and cable television, becoming a genuine seasonal touchstone for a generation of viewers. Its blend of comedy, light horror, and practical effects captured something specific about early-1990s family filmmaking, and its reputation has only grown in the decades since its initial release.

This cell presents the Hocus Pocus title card, a frame of pure graphic identity from the film's opening sequence. The purple gothic lettering set against black is immediately recognizable, distilling the film's tone into a single composed image. Three consecutive frames of this same title card are preserved within the encapsulation, offering a brief but complete look at one of the more iconic title treatments in Disney's live-action catalog from that era.