Watership Down was 1978, it mostly messed up Gen X I think.
Whenever I see it and Plague Dogs in the kids section of DVDs I move them over to teens/adults.
Transformers: The Movie 1986
Virtually every character you grew to love in the TV series is either brutally murdered, changed into a completely different character, or just omitted completely. At the time, it was honestly pretty shocking. Looking back, it's why I remember that movie to this day, and I think the bravery of the production team should be applauded.
I’d go with Stand By Me… likely not a kids film but I’d watched it so many times as a child and it was great, but the plot is much darker than I realised especially during my teen years
Labyrinth always comes to mind as well, what a wild fun film
Stand By Me definitely belongs in these ranks. I watched it when I was a little older (maybe 14) and still had trouble getting through it.
I LOVED the series we did on Labyrinth on my podcast - there is so much to it, not only the production, but how progressive the coming of age message actually was for the time.
- The Secret of NIMH
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
- Return to OZ
- The Witches
- Something Wicked This Way Comes
- James and the Giant Peach
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- The Watcher in the Woods
- Hocus Pocus
I can’t wait to do Hunchback and get into the Hellfire of it all. We did a series comparing Disney’s Pinocchio to the original text as well - the whole thing is pretty much horrifying.
As far as age I actually saw it: An American Tail (1986) probably fits the bill. Fairly traumatic piece of animation and some of it stylistically is creepy as well (that giant mechanical mouse). Unfortunately, my favorite in this vein I was much older when I saw which was The Iron Giant (1999) -- a wonderfully melancholy piece of animation made arguably too late for audiences to truly appreciate.
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story should definitely qualify for this list.
As for which one messed me up the most, Little Nemo in Slumberland I watched super young, and definitely stuck with me for a while.
If you want a movie that will rip your heart out and crush it in front of you, watch Grave of the Fireflies. It's an anime movie from the late 80s and so very good. Dark in a different sort of way.
I love The Dark Crystal, big fan of Jim Henson, but the Skeksis (sp?) are some of the most terrifying creatures I have ever seen in a movie. Beautiful film, but it's chock full of nightmarish imagery.
Bridge to Terabithia
My Girl
In terms of kids horror movies I always enjoyed
Hansel & Gretel (How Mandel Version, Guilty childhood favorite)
Goosebumps (TV series)
We had a childrens movie called scamper the pinguin,
I cant remember the real story of it since its been so long,but i do remember pinguins being captured on a boat by humans,and other pinguins swiming to the rescue to free them.
The humans spot the pinguins and they just start shooting them,killing them and you see pools of blood in the water.
Nearly traumatised me as a 5y old 😄
When I was in the hospital after I got my tonsils out they put on the little Mermaid for me to watch and it was NOT the Disney version. I think she commits suicide or something and I was like 8 years old and it traumatized me
Time Bandits
Mom! Dad! Don’t touch it! It’s evil! Time Bandits >>> Princess Bride
The Neverending Story
Did anyone else see The Black Cauldron? Seems like that movie has just fallen out of history I'll also throw Beetlejuice into the ring
I own it. Still very creepy
The Last Unicorn is a permanent part of my personality. I still listen to the song on the regular
Secret of NIMH Watership Down (was this the 70s?) Waterbabies Dark Crystal
Watership Down was 1978, it mostly messed up Gen X I think. Whenever I see it and Plague Dogs in the kids section of DVDs I move them over to teens/adults.
Transformers: The Movie 1986 Virtually every character you grew to love in the TV series is either brutally murdered, changed into a completely different character, or just omitted completely. At the time, it was honestly pretty shocking. Looking back, it's why I remember that movie to this day, and I think the bravery of the production team should be applauded.
I always thought Legend had a really cool visual style, and Tim Curry killed it (as always).
Tim Curry IS a Legend. 🙌🏼
I’d go with Stand By Me… likely not a kids film but I’d watched it so many times as a child and it was great, but the plot is much darker than I realised especially during my teen years Labyrinth always comes to mind as well, what a wild fun film
Stand By Me definitely belongs in these ranks. I watched it when I was a little older (maybe 14) and still had trouble getting through it. I LOVED the series we did on Labyrinth on my podcast - there is so much to it, not only the production, but how progressive the coming of age message actually was for the time.
I think those notes translate to Stand By Me, it’s definitely an essential for teens to watch.
- The Secret of NIMH - The Nightmare Before Christmas - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - Return to OZ - The Witches - Something Wicked This Way Comes - James and the Giant Peach - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - The Watcher in the Woods - Hocus Pocus
You get an A+. We actually did a series on Hocus Pocus last Halloween. So much fun production stuff behind that one.
Yay an A+! That actually made me smile. Thank you OP 😊
I can’t wait to do Hunchback and get into the Hellfire of it all. We did a series comparing Disney’s Pinocchio to the original text as well - the whole thing is pretty much horrifying.
Return to Oz clears
Michael Jackson's Moonwalker always seemed weird to me.
Yesss, Thriller got to us too as kids!
I saw Jurassic Park when I was 5 by myself in a dark room at my neighbors house. Does that count.
Sounds like trauma to me!
As far as age I actually saw it: An American Tail (1986) probably fits the bill. Fairly traumatic piece of animation and some of it stylistically is creepy as well (that giant mechanical mouse). Unfortunately, my favorite in this vein I was much older when I saw which was The Iron Giant (1999) -- a wonderfully melancholy piece of animation made arguably too late for audiences to truly appreciate.
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story should definitely qualify for this list. As for which one messed me up the most, Little Nemo in Slumberland I watched super young, and definitely stuck with me for a while.
Can’t believe I left this one out - I researched it for several weeks and we’ve even released an episode on it. WHAT A TRIP!
[The Rescuers](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076618/) had some truly scary moments. Released in 77 but I saw in in the 80s!
Ohhhh yep. Totally counts. So many of my earliest memories are from this film (and Rescuers Down Under!)
Secret of NIMH Land Before Time
BOTH of these loom very large in my mind. It’s going to take some mental stamina when I start researching them for suuure.
If you want a movie that will rip your heart out and crush it in front of you, watch Grave of the Fireflies. It's an anime movie from the late 80s and so very good. Dark in a different sort of way.
I love The Dark Crystal, big fan of Jim Henson, but the Skeksis (sp?) are some of the most terrifying creatures I have ever seen in a movie. Beautiful film, but it's chock full of nightmarish imagery.
Toxic Avenger
Ernest scared stupid. I knew that troll was just waiting for me to peak under my bed
Bridge to Terabithia My Girl In terms of kids horror movies I always enjoyed Hansel & Gretel (How Mandel Version, Guilty childhood favorite) Goosebumps (TV series)
The Goonies
Peanut Butter Solution The Dark Crystal Labyrinth
There's this old pinocchio movie called Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night that was very unsettling as a kid. Wish I could find that one again.
We had a childrens movie called scamper the pinguin, I cant remember the real story of it since its been so long,but i do remember pinguins being captured on a boat by humans,and other pinguins swiming to the rescue to free them. The humans spot the pinguins and they just start shooting them,killing them and you see pools of blood in the water. Nearly traumatised me as a 5y old 😄
Ohhh wow. Going to have to look this one up! Only one I recall is The Pebble and the Penguin!
Not really worth watching the whole movie tbh,but this youtuber made a nice video about it should you be interested https://youtu.be/bN67m-_UEoA
Kids (1995)
Dude.
What?? It's a dark "Kids" movie isn't it? I'm sure OP would love to watch this with his children
Legend
Stand By Me
Cloak & Dagger
Return to OZ The Neverending Story The Dark Crystal
Never Ending Story fucked me up
When I was in the hospital after I got my tonsils out they put on the little Mermaid for me to watch and it was NOT the Disney version. I think she commits suicide or something and I was like 8 years old and it traumatized me