Summary

Many beloved childhood favorites are actually much darkermoviesin retrospect . Like any aspect of the film manufacture , kid ' movies are incessantly evolving base on societal standards and current industry guidelines . Though it ’s principally the caseful with older classic , many family - friendly movies are much dark than one realizes when viewing them as a shaver due to underlying complex ideas of harsh realities . tike ’s movies should certainly insert young audiences to moral concepts and comparatively knavish theme , but sometimes even G - rated moving-picture show have splay in dim moments that do n’t belong .

While some movie explore these themes befittingly , others have haunting imaging , such as the Wiccan in the Rold Dahl version , The Witches , or Jim Henson ’s Skeksis inThe Dark Crystal . In other movies , the film barely touches on the dark nature of its reality realities , leaving interview to ruminate deeper messages about the fictitious character ' lives , such as friendly fire inThe Lion Kingor the mistreatment of student at Hogwarts in theHarry Potter franchise . Several classic movies are benighted than they seemed as kids .

11The Last Unicorn

Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass (1982)

The Last Unicornis aforgotten ' 80s fantasy classic that ’s actually great , though it plausibly is n’t acceptable for children by innovative banner . The film follows a unicorn who believe herself to be the last of her kind , setting out on an dangerous undertaking to line up others . It ’s a intriguing motion-picture show with bizarre moments of violence and nudeness on top of its dark themes about metal money risk .

10Something Wicked This Way Comes

Directed by Jack Clayton (1983)

found on the fantastic Ray Bradbury novel of the same name , Something Wicked This manner Comesstars Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce , as well as its two lead nestling actors . It ’s a PG - stag repulsion / phantasy movie about an forbidding carnival that comes to town , led by the twisted Mr. Dark , who preys upon the local anesthetic , including children . The film has spooky - look characters , such as clowns and other carnival freaks , but its reliable darkness is in its close adaptation of the Word of God ’s themes .

9Watership Down

Directed by Martin Rosen and John Hubley (1978)

Based on the classic novel of the same name , Watership Downis about a group of rabbit embarking on a precarious journey to witness a new home . In their travels , they encounter various threats to their survival . While it may be an animated film about animals , it explores complex , black topic and even displays really gruesome cannibalistic violence between rabbits . Watership Downis one of the more visibly distressing children ’s films , and the flaming rabbit violence scene was traumatizing for many .

8The Witches

Directed by Nicolas Roeg (1990)

The Witchesis another tike ’s movie that ’s benighted and challenging to get through for a child . Not to be confuse with the 2020 remake , the 1990 version is consider a classic Thomas Kid ' movie , following a young boy who stumble upon a group of witches design to turn tike into mice . The Witches ' natural appearance are downright terrific , far outgo the Wicked Witch of the West in terms of a frightening villain .

7Coraline

Directed by Henry Selick (2009)

Cast

Coralineis a comparatively modern animated horror movie for kids , offering an artistic similar to films likeThe Nightmare Before ChristmasandCorpse Bride , based on a Neil Gaiman novelette . It tells the narrative of a young missy who unwrap an elevated parallel world but quickly realizes it hold its own duskiness . It ’s a Greco-Roman taradiddle of a character acquire the grass is n’t necessarily greener elsewhere , though in this grammatical case , Coraline experiences some twisted things first . The Other Mother character is terrorize , even for an adult looker .

6The Dark Crystal

Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz (1982)

LikeThe Witches , The Dark Crystalhas some terrifying characters . Jim Henson , who create the Muppets , maneuver the classic ' fourscore glum phantasy motion-picture show alongside frequent collaborator Frank Oz , telling the story of a young character who goes on a pursuit to heal the Dark Crystal and vote down the Skeksis . The marionette creature of the Skeksis are eerie and creepy-crawly and participate in some vehement scene . In retrospect , The Dark Crystalis hard to pass as a kid ’s movie .

5Return To Oz

Directed by Walter Murch (1985)

4Pinocchio

Directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske (1940)

Despite many modernistic looping , the originalPinocchiois still one of thebest Disney animated moviesand a pop culture staple . Pinocchio is a classic children ’s fairytale about a wooden puppet brought to liveliness , ship on a journey to become a existent human boy . look back on the film after nearly a century , strange pick were made for a kids ' tale , as it has subjects of childkidnapping and trafficking , including children in cagesat a lieu called " Pleasure Island . "

3Harry Potter

Eight films from 2001 through 2011.

Harry Potteris one of the most pop media franchises of the 21st C , and while it certainly does n’t hide many of its dark idea , some fly under the radar within the context of use of the movies . away from children being used to battle an oppressive , malefic brainiac , theHarry Potteruniverse seeschild abuse and mistreatment of studentsin almost every installment . There are severalscenes in theHarry Potterbooks that were too dark for the movies , but even still , many of the drear subject matters , like Harry having PTSD and no adults ever addressing it , are apparent in the films when take in as an adult .

2The Wizard Of Oz

Directed by Victor Fleming (1939)

The Wizard of Ozis one of the keen motion picture ever made and seems like one almost every child has seen . Aside from the behind - the - scenesWizard of Ozstories likethe Dead Munchkin mythor the life of Judy Garland , the celluloid has darkness in its own story . The Wicked Witch and her flying monkey are terrific and acute , but the scene that ’s most dark in retrospect is that the Witch ’s genuine - world counterpart , Miss Gulch , is never report for at the closing . She ’d likely return to have Toto take away shortly after the film ’s ending .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

In a dusty landscape Finn stares out into the distance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Keanu Reeves looking over one shoulder as John Wick in Ballerina

kids-movies-way-darker-realized

The unicorn looks up to the moon in The Last Unicorn

Mr. Dark leads a parade in Something Wicked This Way Comes

A blood covered rabbit with its mouth open in Watership Down

A screenshot of the Grand High Witch confronting her entire coven in The Witches (1990)

Coraline and Other Mother

Headshot oF Dakota Fanning

Cast Placeholder Image

Headshot Of Jennifer Saunders In The 66th BFI London Film Festival - ‘Allelujah’ Premiere

Headshot Of Dawn French In The The 2011 Glamour Women of the Year

The Dark Crystal Skeksis 1982

Scarecrow and Dorothy in Return to Oz

Pinocchio holding an apple