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, eventually becoming one of the most beloved seasonal comedies in American popular culture. Shot on location in Salem, Massachusetts, it represents a particular strand of early-1990s family filmmaking that balanced genuine wit with practical effects and committed ensemble performances.

This cell, titled Sarah Sanderson, captures Sarah Jessica Parker mid-flight across three consecutive 35mm frames. The sequence shows her purple cape moving through distinct positions as the shot progresses, with the broomstick visible beneath her in the final frame. It is a clean record of one of the film's signature practical flying sequences, preserving Parker's performance as Sarah Sanderson in a single uninterrupted strip of original camera-exposed film.