Hocus Pocus (1993)

Director:

Kenny Ortega

Writers (WGA):

David Kirschner (story) and
Mick Garris (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 July 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

It's just a bunch of Hocus Pocus!

Plot:

After 300 years, three sister witches are resurrected in Salem Massachusetts on Halloween night, and it us up to two teenagers, a young girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to the witches reign of terror once and for all.

Plot Keywords:

Halloween | Cat | Candle | Salem Massachusetts | Witchcraft

Awards:

2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Bette Midler	...	Winifred
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Sarah
Kathy Najimy	...	Mary
Omri Katz	...	Max
Thora Birch	...	Dani
Vinessa Shaw	...	Allison
Jodie-Amy Rivera	...	Emily (as Amanda Shepherd)
Larry Bagby	...	Ernie 'Ice' (as Larry Bagby III)
Tobias Jelinek	...	Jay
Stephanie Faracy	...	Jenny
Charles Rocket	...	Dave
Doug Jones	...	Billy Butcherson
Karyn Malchus	...	Headless Billy Butcherson
Sean Murray	...	Thackery
Steve Voboril	...	Elijah
Norbert Weisser	...	Thackery's Father
Kathleen Freeman	...	Miss Olin
D.A. Pauley	...	Fireman #1
Ezra Sutton	...	Fireman #2
Don Yesso	...	Bus Driver
Michael McGrady	...	Cop
Leigh Hamilton	...	Cop's Girlfriend
Devon Reeves	...	Little Girl 'Neat Broom'
Joseph Malone	...	Singer
Jordan Redmond	...	Little Angel
Frank Del Boccio	...	Lobster Man
Jeff Neubauer	...	Boy in Class
Teda Bracci	...	Calamity Jane
Peggy Holmes	...	Dancer
Jason Marsden	...	Thackery Binx (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Garry Marshall	...	Devil (Husband) (uncredited)
Penny Marshall	...	The Master's Wife (uncredited)
Daniel Olsen	...	Charlie's Friend (uncredited)
Taylor Stanley	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Kenny Ortega

Writing credits (WGA)
David Kirschner		(story) and
Mick Garris		(story)
Mick Garris		(screenplay) and
Neil Cuthbert		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bonnie Bruckheimer	....	co-producer
Mick Garris	....	co-executive producer
Steven Haft	....	producer
Jay Heit	....	associate producer
David Kirschner	....	producer
Ralph Winter	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Debney

Cinematography by
Hiro Narita		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter E. Berger

Casting by
Mary Gail Artz
Barbara Cohen

Production Design by
William Sandell

Art Direction by
Nancy Patton

Set Decoration by
Rosemary Brandenburg

Costume Design by
Mary E. Vogt		(as Mary Vogt)

Makeup Department
Hazel Catmull	....	hair stylist: Ms. Midler
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	makeup artist
Tony Gardner	....	animatronic cat effects artist
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist
Kevin Haney	....	makeup artist: Ms. Midler
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist: Ms. Midler (as Lee C. Harman)
Vance Hartwell	....	special makeup effects artist
Carol Meikle	....	key hair stylist
Cheri Minns	....	key makeup artist
Margaret Prentice	....	special makeup effects artist
Richard Sarre	....	hair stylist
Julia L. Walker	....	assistant hair stylist
Jim Beinke	....	wig trimming and dressing (uncredited)

Production Management
Vincent Agostino	....	production supervisor: second unit
Whitney Green	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nandi Bowe	....	second second assistant director
Ron Dempsey	....	dga trainee
Ellen H. Schwartz	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Russell Bobbitt	....	property master
William Boyd	....	construction foreman
Philip Chapnick	....	assistant props
Mike Combs	....	greens foreman
Bruce Di Valerio	....	general construction foreman
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
Ray Fisher	....	lead man: Salem, MA
Bruce Fuselier	....	set dresser
Patricia Garrity	....	buyer (as Patti Garrity)
Paul W. Gorfine	....	stand-by scenic
Curtis Gutierrez	....	set dresser
Allan Johnson	....	propmaker
Martha Johnston	....	set designer
Robin A. Linn	....	sculptor
Fred Lucky	....	storyboard illustrator
James P. Meehan	....	on-set dresser
Laura Molina	....	props
Angi Neff	....	art department coordinator
Brad Ricker	....	set designer
Kurt Smith	....	carpenter
Chris L. Spellman	....	lead man
Tom von Badinski	....	welder
Butch McCarthy	....	greensman (uncredited)
Drew Struzan	....	poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bobbi Banks	....	adr editor
Charles J. Bond	....	boom operator
Midge Costin	....	sound editor (as Marguerite Costin)
John P. Fasal	....	special sound effects (as John Fasal)
Marva Fucci	....	assistant sound editor
David Gertz	....	foley mixer
Howell Gibbens	....	sound editor
Matthew Harrison	....	foley editor
Denise Horta	....	supervising adr editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Suhail Kafity	....	sound editor (as Suhail F. Kafity)
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
C. Darin Knight	....	sound mixer
James Likowski	....	foley editor
Victoria Martin	....	supervising foley editor
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
F. Hudson Miller	....	sound editor
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Maggie Ostroff	....	assistant sound editor
R.J. Palmer	....	sound editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher C. Schiavo	....	assistant sound editor
Fred Schultz	....	production sound mixer
Kevin Spears	....	adr editor
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Denise Whiting	....	supervising adr editor (as Denise Whiting-Gonz)
Thomas Whiting	....	adr editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Allen Hurd	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Donald T. Black	....	special effects
Louis R. Cooper	....	special effects
Geno Crum	....	special effects
Greg Curtis	....	special effects (as William G. Curtis)
David Fedele	....	puppet effects
Donald Frazee	....	special effects
Logan Frazee	....	special effects (as Logan Z. Frazee)
Terry D. Frazee	....	special effects
Rick Lazzarini	....	miniature flying witch puppets
Donald Myers	....	special effects foreman
Carolyn Oros	....	special effects technician
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature foreman
Tom Williamson	....	animatronics
Harold Weed	....	model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World
Elissa Bello	....	effects animator
Colin Brady	....	animator: Binx the cat
Aaron Campbell	....	digital line remover
Daniele Colajacomo	....	visual effects animator: Rhythm & Hues
Denise Davis	....	visual effects coordinator: in house
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: Matte World
James DeValera Mansfield	....	effects animator
Dennis Dorney	....	digital lineup
Allen Gonzales	....	visual effects: animator
Bruce Hatakeyama	....	digital engineer
Joel Hladecek	....	motion control camera
Paul Lasaine	....	matte painting supervisor
Rich McKay	....	camera assistant
Rich McKay	....	matte camera operator
Peter Montgomery	....	visual effects supervisor
Michael Pangrazio	....	special visual effects supervisor
Thomas Quinn	....	miniature pyro effects supervisor
Winston Quitasol	....	optical lineup
Wally Schaab	....	digital compositor
Suponwich Juck Somsaman	....	animator
Juliette Yager	....	visual effects editor
Joseph Yanuzzi	....	visual effects editor
William L. Arance	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Scott Schneider	....	model maker (uncredited)

Stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunts
Annie Ellis	....	stunt performer
Christian J. Fletcher	....	stunt double
Karen Getz	....	stunts
Michelle Johnston	....	stunts
Carol Neilson	....	stunts
Jimmy N. Roberts	....	stunts
Cecilie Stuart	....	stunts
Jennifer Watson-Johnston	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric Anderson	....	camera operator (as Roy Anderson)
Steve Aredas	....	camera loader (as Steven Aredas)
Ben Beaird	....	key grip
Jeff Case	....	dolly grip (as Jeffrey S. Case)
Doug Cook	....	best boy grip
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer
James 'Spud' Danicic	....	remote head technician: Power Pod
Frank Del Boccio	....	first assistant camera
Robert DePerna	....	gaffer
Tim Driscoll	....	grip
Michael Everett	....	best boy electric
Dennis Flanderka	....	grip
Kristin R. Glover	....	camera operator
Lisa Guerriero	....	additional second assistant camera
John R. Kaplan	....	best boy grip: second unit, Boston
Paddy Kean	....	additional second assistant camera
Warren Kroeger	....	lamp operator
Jeffrey Laszlo	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Jeff Laszlo)
Steven Mann	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Steven Mann	....	first assistant camera
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Raman Rao	....	gaffer
Gregory Romero	....	grip
Richard Stevens	....	second assistant camera (as Richard M. Stevens)
Jim Thibo	....	additional second assistant camera
William Trautvetter	....	camera operator: "b" camera
William M. Weberg	....	grip
Marc Marino	....	dimmer board operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Nancy Kato	....	animator

Casting Department
Carolyn Pickman	....	location casting
Matthew Messinger	....	casting: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patricia Bercsi	....	set costumer (as Tricia Bercsi)
Dan Bronson	....	costumer: men (as John D. Bronson)
Barbara Marko Friedman	....	costumer
Randy Gardell	....	specialty costume keyperson
Diana Wilson	....	costumer: women
Pamela Wise	....	costumer
Greg Aronowitz	....	specialty costumes (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Christopher E. Bennett	....	apprentice film editor
Jonathan Cates	....	assistant editor
John Coniglio	....	assistant editor (as John R. Coniglio)
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
John Haggar	....	assistant editor
Joe Parisella	....	colorist
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Don Davis	....	orchestrator
John Debney	....	conductor
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
George Doering	....	musician
Nancy Fogarty	....	music editor
Rolf Johnson	....	assistant music editor
Ed Smart	....	musician
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
Katherine Quittner	....	music editor: temp score (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Hedy Phil Balani	....	driver generator operator: Boston

Other crew
Hilary Adahms	....	stand-in
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor (as Pam Alch)
Chris M. Allport	....	additional voice
Arlana Amini	....	production assistant
Lori A. Balton	....	location manager
Vanna Bonta	....	adr voice: French teacher
Rebeca Brookshire	....	assistant: Mr. Winter
Blaine Converse	....	administrator: BVVE
Kathleen M. Courtney	....	production coordinator
David Craig	....	assistant: Mr. Haft (as David R. Craig)
Jeanie Daniels	....	payroll accountant
Diana Donaldson	....	assistant: Mr. Ortega
Andy Fickman	....	production executive
Tony Gardner	....	puppeteer: "Binx"
Claire A. Glidden	....	assistant: Mr. Kirschner
Stacy Hagen	....	production secretary (as Stacy M. Hagen)
Marc A. Hammer	....	production assistant (as Marc Hammer)
John J. Kelly	....	assistant accountant
Blaine Kennison	....	technical administrator
Brad D. LaFave	....	production assistant
Louis Lanchantin	....	production assistant
Deborah Laub	....	location manager
Jeff N. Maclean	....	assistant location manager
Larry Madrid	....	cat trainer
Rick Marcena	....	assistant accountant
Seth Miller	....	production assistant
Joseph K. Park	....	production assistant
Kim Quam	....	set medic
Robert Schrock	....	assistant: Mr. Ortega
Sharon L. Simon	....	production accountant (as Sharon Simon Rellick)
Cheryl Stanley	....	assistant: Mr. Haft
Bill Sturgeon	....	puppeteer
Yvette Taylor	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer
Derek Wade	....	production secretary
Tom Williamson	....	puppeteer
Marcia Wood	....	assistant production coordinator
Kim Wozniak	....	accountant: visual effects unit
Kim Wozniak	....	accountant: wrap
Deborah Wuliger	....	unit publicist
Anne Lockhart	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Michael Peavey	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1995) (USA) (TV) (original TV broadcast)
• Buena Vista Home Video (BVHV) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Alterian
• Buena Vista Visual Effects
• Character Shop
• Matte World Digital
• Rhythm and Hues

Other Companies

• Creative Casting  casting
• High Output  grip and lighting equipment (2nd unit MA)
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Walt Disney Pictures and Television  for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom this picture was created by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for some scary sequences, and for language

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Peru:PT | UK:PG | USA:PG | Iceland:10 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Netherlands:6 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Plimouth Plantation - 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

After having locked the Sanderson sisters in the school kiln, the three kids celebrate as they walk to the park. The house shown directly behind Max and Thackery while they talk is the residential edifice used as Thora Birch's home in 1999's American Beauty (1999).

Goofs:

Continuity: Right after they become younger, Winnie's hair is partially covered by the hood of her shawl. In the next shot the shawl is gone completely.

Quotes:

Ernie "Ice":[Jay and Ice are locked in cages] Hollywood, help us out here!
[Max Takes Ice's shoes]
Max:Tubular.
[Ice whimpers]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert: Worst of '93" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Come Little Children

**** out of ****

I don't what the critics were talking about, but I found Hocus Pocus to be extreme fun, from start to finish. The use of color and the sets is all magical, giving the movie a strange fairy-tale feel. I also found it to be very funny with great special-effects. The movie's just plain fun. The three witches, thankfully, aren't flat and dull. This movie is scary without being profane (ala Mighty Joe Young) or super duper frightening. A great film that's much better than most Disney live-action films today.