It really has been twenty five years since the Sanderson sisters – three witches – were accidentally resurrected from the dead to terrify Max, his sister Dani and crush Allison. Here we are a quarter of a century later and the movie 'Hocus Pocus' is still an essential watch over the Halloween season for many.

Such an occasion as the 25th anniversary of the party couldn’t come and go without a celebration and so the film’s cast, including the younger actors, reunited last week at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for a special anniversary party.

Present at the festivities were director Kenny Ortega as well as Omri Katz, Thora Birch, and Vinessa Shaw, who played Max, Dani and Alison in the cult classic.

Birch has gone on to be as well-known for her roles in ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Ghost World’ as she is for ‘Hocus Pocus’, while Shaw has also had an illustrious acting career, starring in films like ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ and ‘Side Effects’, and TV shows ‘Vegas’ and ‘Ray Donovan.’

In the meantime, Katz retired from acting and relocated to Israel. He was happy to come back to mark the special day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shaw was pictured alongside Amanda Shepherd, who portrayed the ghost of young Emily Binx, a child murdered by the Sanderson sisters, in the movie.

 

While some of the bigger stars like Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker were a no-show (Boo!), the vacuum-riding third of the sisters, Mary Sanderson, played by Kathy Najimy, made a grand appearance at the occasion.

 

Also in attendance were Tobias Jelenik and Larry Jelenik, who ‘Hocus Pocus’ fans will recognise as the town bullies Jay and Ernie “Ice.”

 

 

And let’s not forget Billy, Winnie Sanderson’s ex who is also brought back from the grave, albeit in a much more zombie-like form than the witches.

Billy was played by Doug Jones in what was his sixth screen credit, but the actor has since gone on to bring to life various iconic monster characters, including the Pale Man in Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ and more recently, the fish creature in the director’s Oscar-winning, ‘The Shape of Water.’

Jones reportedly flew in from Toronto twice and dressed in the complete Bill get-up to delight ‘Hocus Pocus’ fans.