What’s your favourite scary movie? Or, rather, what’s your favourite Halloween movie? And why is it Hocus Pocus?

Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, this absolute treat of a movie first flew into cinemas 30 years ago. Which means that, for some three long decades, it’s been bewitching viewers every single All Hallows’ Eve (often when the moon is round but, unlike the Sanderson sisters, we’re not fussy about lunar activity).

Weirdly enough, and like so many other cult movies, it flopped at the box office back in 1993 – although that might have had something to do with the fact they released it in the middle of summer rather than, y’know, scary season. Since then, however, it’s become incredibly popular (even spawning a sequel), and it’s not hard to see why. Because Hocus Pocus is, in this writer’s humble opinion, the best Halloween movie of all time. Ever.

A lot of its magic comes down to the irresistible story: a trio of child-murdering witches, hanged in 1693 for their crimes are, unexpectedly, resurrected in the 90s after a virgin jokingly lights their black flame candle. Fortunately for humankind (and unfortunately for the coven), the magic has major Dreamgirls vibes – by which we mean, of course, that it brings them back for one night only. One night only unless, of course, they can recover their sentient magic book and use it to *checks notes* suck the lives out of the little children of Salem. Phew.

“30 years on, here’s why Hocus Pocus remains the best Halloween movie ever”