Cinematic offerings dedicated to young audiences have been around for nearly a century. The first children's film is difficult to identify, but Disney's Snow White and The Seven Dwarves (1937) made the genre more or less official. These narratives usually take elements of child psychology into account, explaining why themes that fascinate kids tend to be structurally different than those crafted for adults.

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In short, children's movies are packed with vivid visuals, lighthearted tones, and uncomplicated plotlines. On the other hand, there are a few examples of the genre that deviate from the norm, often by a huge margin, turning what should have been cheery films into uncharacteristically dark stories.

10 The Last Unicorn (1982) Is Imaginative, Profound, And Downright Terrifying

The Last Unicorn

The Last Unicorn follows a female unicorn traveling the world to locate the rest of her species, all of who have been ensnared by the Red Bull, a particularly malignant entity.

Critics called it "an unusual film in many respects," referring to The Last Unicorn's imaginative style and narrative depth, but also the movie's un-child friendly scenes. For instance, characters like Celaeno the Harpy and Mommy Fortuna are downright terrifying, and the torment the protagonist endures is better left unsaid.

9 All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989) Delves Into Some Truly Hellish Scenarios

All Dogs Go To Heaven — Hell

All Dogs Go to Heaven is saccharine in places — adorable Anne-Marie befriends a pair of dogs who turn out to be her savior, rescuing the little orphan girl from the villain's ravenous clutches.

At the same time, the film delves into some truly abominable scenarios, like when Charlie takes a dream-trip to Hell, a neon-red nightmarescape filled with vicious fiends and fire-breathing demons. More importantly, All Dogs Go to Heaven includes topics that have no place in a children's movie, such as gambling dens and torture sequences.

8 Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) Verges On Pure Dread In Several Scenes

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Something Wicked This Way Comes was written by Ray Bradbury, better known for his harsh political takes in novels like Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and The Illustrated Man (1951). The story borrows its title from Macbeth, a Shakespeare play packed with overly morbid themes and imagery.

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While reviewers generally praised Something Wicked This Way Comes for "captur[ing] the mood and tone of the novel," the film's tone is nothing less than ominous. It verges on pure dread in several scenes, like Mr. Dark's gruesome fate.

7 Watership Down (1978) Is A Veritable Buffet Of Cannibalistic Brutality

John Hurt as Hazel in Watership Down

Watership Down diverges from the original novel by Richard Adams in terms of plot complexity and pacing, but the film retains the book's grim, almost ghoulish, quality. Watership Down gets so dark that contemporary critics cautioned parents against allowing young children to view the movie.

Modern reviewers have emphasized a similar viewpoint, with The Independent claiming that Watership Down "traumatised an entire generation." The cuddly rabbit characters turn rabid at the drop of a hat, foam at the mouth, and attack each other — a veritable buffet of cannibalistic brutality.

6 Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) Isn't A Comfortable Watch By Any Measure

Mickey's Christmas Carol sees Scrooge with Goofy Marley

Mickey's Christmas Carol was adapted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, an engrossing examination of capitalist greed. Like the 1983 Disney featurette film, the novella ends on a delightfully high note. Unfortunately, Mickey's Christmas Carol subjects its audiences to a borderline hair-raising experience before reaching its climax.

Ebenezer Scrooge, played by his namesake Scrooge McDuck, has a series of macabre encounters that takes him to Hell and back. Most children may not be affected by Mickey's Christmas Carol, but the movie isn't an easy watch by any measure.

5 The Secret of NIMH (1982) Is Positively Sinister In Places

The Secret of NIMH

The Secret of NIMH was directed by Don Bluth, a groundbreaking animator who also worked on The Land Before Time (1988) and All Dogs Go to Heaven. The Secret of NIMH received universal praise from critics, who called the movie "an absolute rarity among feature-length animated cartoons."

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On the other hand, many viewers found The Secret of NIMH to be positively disturbing: grotesque death-masks, creepy vines, drowning rats, disemboweled spiders, to name a few sinister examples.

4 Coraline (2009) Has Way Too Many Unsettling Scenes For Comfort

coraline and the cat standing outside the Pink Palace apartments

Neil Gaiman's Coraline begins innocently enough — a young protagonist journeys into a mirror-world where every character has buttons for eyes. Coraline is an undeniably gorgeous film, although there are way too many unsettling scenes for audience comfort.

These include Miss Forcible and Miss Spink's taxidermy endeavors to the Beldam's monstrous appetite for children's souls. In fact, critic Roger Ebert applauded Coraline's intricate perspectives, but noted that it was "nightmare fodder for children, however brave, under a certain age."

3 Dumbo (1941) Is Unbearably Bleak For The Bulk Of Its Story

dumbo's mother holding him while she is imprisoned

Dumbo doesn't contain any horrific imagery, but the bulk of its story is unbearably sad. The titular character gets his nickname because the other elephants consider him an inferior specimen (all because of his oversized ears). Mrs. Jumbo reacts like any mother would when her baby is mercilessly teased, but she is punished for standing up for Dumbo.

The movie reaches peak bleakness when Dumbo is forcibly separated from his mother. It's only thanks to Timothy Q. Mouse's steadfast support and encouragement that the little elephant ends up in control of his winged destiny.

2 The Dark Crystal (1982) Incorporates Horrifying Subject Matter And Grotesque Villains

The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal is set in a dying world where vulture-like aliens known as the Skeksis have hunted the innocent Gelfling to near-extinction. The movie's chilling subject matter and hideous antagonists are hardly suitable for children.

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Nevertheless, The Dark Crystal was marketed towards younger viewers, mostly due to Jim Henson's earlier work on The Muppet Show. The film received a Netflix prequel in 2019, subtitled Age of Resistance, which maintains its predecessor's melancholic spirit.

1 The Black Cauldron (1985) Veers Dangerously Close To Horror Territory

John Hurt as The Horned King in The Black Cauldron

The Black Cauldron is a rough adaptation of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. The film follows a pretty basic fantasy plot, incorporating evil monarchs, plucky princesses, and unexpected underdogs. The Black Cauldron received a PG rating, unprecedented for a Disney animated feature.

Several viewers might deem this rating too mild, even though a number of excessively outrageous scenes were cut out before the movie was released. The Black Cauldron works for adolescent audiences, but veers dangerously close to horror territory for small children.

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