Hocus Pocus Casts a Spell
Get ready for a spooktacular Halloween treat as the Royal Pavilion in Brighton hosts a pop-up cinema screening of the cult classic Hocus Pocus. This family-friendly film has become a staple of the season, and its blend of fantasy, comedy, and adventure is sure to delight audiences of all ages.
Dir: Kenny Ortega
Cast: Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Tobias Jelinek, Larry Bagby
96 mins · 1993 · United States of America · Cert PG · English, French
IMDb 6.9/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 42% · Metacritic 43/100 · TMDB 7/10 · Trakt 75%
Awards: 2 wins & 11 nominations total
This event has finished
Halloween pop-up Cinema in Central Gallery - Hocus Pocus (PG) took place 31 Oct 2026 at Royal Pavilion (Brighton).
• The film tells the story of three sister witches who are accidentally resurrected in Salem on Halloween night, and it's up to three kids and their feline friend to stop them. • Hocus Pocus boasts an impressive cast, including Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the three witch sisters, alongside Omri Katz, Thora Birch, and Vinessa Shaw as the young heroes. • With its mix of fantasy, comedy, and family-friendly adventure, Hocus Pocus has become a beloved classic, earning a 7/10 rating on TMDB and 75% on Trakt, as well as winning two awards and receiving 11 nominations.
The screening will take place on Saturday, 31 October 2026, at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. Tickets or details are available with the button beside this article. The film has received mixed reviews from critics, with a 42% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 43/100 score on Metacritic, but viewers have been more enthusiastic, praising the film's campy fun, colorful visuals, and memorable performances from the cast. Whether you're a fan of the film or just looking for a fun and spooky Halloween treat, this screening is sure to be a hit.
Stills
What viewers say
bondless · 5/10
Watched this for the first time with my wife who absolutely loved it as a kid. The film lacks the necessary thrills for a decent halloween film, the humor for a comedy or the development for a drama. It's just a middling kids film. Great if you are a kid...not so much for adults. We both agreed not to watch it again. There are just too many great halloween flix for this to make it on the annual watchlist.
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sairapambid · 9/10
I would've loved this movie as a kid!
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AndrewBloom · 7/10
[6.7/10] The witches of *Hocus Pocus* are fun. Bette Middler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker all definitely go broad with their witchy personae. The snarl and vamp and cackle and mug at every opportunity. But it’s that kind of movie, one that revels in camp and the outsized ridiculousness of it all. When the movie leans into their particular brand of live action cartoonishness, it’s an All Hallow’s Hoot. The problem is that those…
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2Ls1T · 9/10
This film is terrific campy fun and that's entirely down to the excellent casting and performances of Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as the three witches. The rest of the (mainly kids) cast are perfectly fine but would be kinda forgettable in another film, the only exception is Thora Birch as the little sister, Dani. Omri Katz is a decent actor but his character is kinda _meh_, as is his love interest played by Vinessa…
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nmahoney416 · 6/10
I never saw this as a kid so I have no nostalgia for this. It is fine but nothing more than a kids movie.
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Khawlah
Bette Milder is phenomenal. I love everything about this movie.
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Rin J Tohsaka · 6/10
Given it came out same year as Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus went from a box office bomb to now a cult classic we know. While Hocus Pocus may not be masterpiece of Halloween, it is pretty memorable for the family and hear many people quote stuff from it. John Debney score is good and same with some of songs. Bette Midler literally makes the film much better with every scene she in same with Parker and Najimy.
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nftygirl
I recently rewatched this as an adult and was really impressed. I guess I didn't expect more than a Disney TV movie level of quality. This film is joke after joke and the adult leads are abaolute pros who have created fully fleshed out unique characters. Bette Midler is mesmerising. I very much wanted to see what would happen next. I'm sure I'll watch this again one day when in the need of light entertainment.
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