Dark Movies For the Chillens

[salmon_lox]

As it is nearing Halloween, I wanted to compile a list of all the "kiddie" films that are really, quite dark, frightening, or disturbing. The films that scared the bejeezus out of you, the ones you grew up on and never realized how truly messed up they were, or simply a dark film that was aimed primarily at children.

Sometimes it's hard to draw the line at what the intended audience was supposed to be, and films like the Plague Dogs (so...freaking....SAD) or Watership Down are mentioned. Try to keep it to movies mostly aimed at children.

So far, I can think of:

Pinocchio
Dumbo
The NeverEnding Story
The Dark Crystal
Labyrinth
Return to Oz
The Black Cauldron
The Secret of NIMH
Gremlins
Transformers: The Movie
The Great Mouse Detective
The Brave Little Toaster
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the old one)
All Dogs Go to Heaven
We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story

So add to the list. Reach back and pull out all those scenes that disturbed you as a child and turned you into the screwed-up person you are today.

On a related note, this guy gives a good list, and is pretty funny. Don't agree with his number one choice, though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaD--977Rhw

[Cheryl]

Fantasia. Also The Day the Earth Stood Still scared the crap out of me as a small child, but I don't think that's aimed at children. I wonder what my parents were thinking letting me watch that when I was 4.

[salmon_lox]

that's because parents hate their children and want to traumatize them. that's why they make them watch disney movies. to screw you up.

[Anita_Blake]

Growing up I loved this movie, I literally counted down til my kids were old enough!

[Jenn]

I used to love this movie. Just added it to my que, going to have to watch it again.

[The Professor]

Each year at about this time, when the leaves are changing and the wind is blowing...I'll say something like: "Behold, the Autumn People are coming...." in a low ominous voice. Then my wife slaps me, because SWTWC creeps her out so much.....

[borkabob]

i thought the last mimzy was a little out there for kids & pretty good too. there is also a movie i caught on tv when i was a kid. it took some research but i finally figured out the name the other day. qualcuno in asoclto( high frequency) - about a two ham operators, a boy and a man who witness the same murder. i remember enjoying it very much. its unfortunately out of print, but pretty cheap on vhs on amazon.

[YnEoS]

I was gonna suggest Return to Oz, but it seems you got that down already.

[salmon_lox]

i still haven't seen it, though it's on my list. however, i still can't tell if it was supposed to be a children's movie, or if people just assumed since it had to do with oz it was bright and cheery? the books are technically children's books, but they're pretty dark in places themselves...

[YnEoS]

I'm pretty sure it was intended for children, it's just very dark in a lot of ways.

[Anita_Blake]

In many ways I enjoyed Return to Oz more than I did the first. I mean, the first was a staple growing up, but Return was just wicked!

Kind of reminds me of the way Americam McGee spun off Alice into the pc game.

[salmon_lox]

first of all, i didn't see the wizard of oz until a few years ago (yes, yes, i know, scandal). but while i enjoyed it somewhat and realize what a staple of american cinema it is, it just didn't feel right to me. having heard numerous accounts of how it sugarcoated the dark and bizarre storybooks, things started to make sense.

so i predict (and will soon find out) that return to oz is much more suited to my tastes

[Anita_Blake]

Oh, I completely agree that it is sugar coated IMO, However; it is another book where how twisted it is, is only an account of how twisted the person is reading it ; )