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 it performed modestly at the box office, the film found a devoted second life through home video and cable television, becoming a genuine seasonal touchstone for a generation of viewers. Its blend of comedy, mild horror, and practical effects work captures something particular about early-1990s family filmmaking.

This cell presents Mary Sanderson, played by Kathy Najimy, caught in a moment of gleeful expression within a dimly lit interior, warm practical light burning above her. The three frames represent a tight sequence from a single shot, with subtle exposure shifts across them and a light streak crossing the second frame, a small artifact of the film's physical history now preserved within the cell.