Warning: This article depicts death and extreme violence, and also includes allusions to suicide.
Disney’s animated movies are generally lighthearted and fun, but there are some moments that haunt kids and stick with them for the rest of their lives. There are many Disney animated movies that play a significant part in many people’s upbringings, and they stand out for their memorable stories and characters. Despite Disney’s typical feel-good atmosphere and dedication to creating amazing children’s films, some moments are so shocking or unsettling that they can impact the overall viewing experience.
You are watching: 9 Disney Animated Movie Moments That Haunted Us As Kids
It’s worth noting that some of these moments don’t necessarily reflect the original stories they are adapted from. For example, there are several Disney Princess movies based on folklore, but aren’t completely accurate to the original source material. Regardless of why these moments are considered disturbing, deeply emotional, or simply feel weird, these Disney movies haunted many children.
9
Frollo’s Villain Song
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)
While The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a dark story anyway, there is also a feel-good tone that distracts viewers from this. However, one moment that stands out as haunting is the “Hellfire” scene. Frollo’s song is incredibly catchy, but even years after the film’s release, it makes children cry.
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame
g
Musical
Family
8/10
8/10
Release Date
June 21, 1996
Runtime
91minutes
Cast
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Tony Jay
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The context of the song is rather unhinged, and it’s strange to see Frollo singing about his lust for Esmeralda. Although many kids don’t realize this, Frollo uses “Hellfire” to blame her for his descent into darkness, too.
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This Disney song is really messed up, and it’s so weird that the film uses a musical number to allow a character to share their innermost sexual feelings. Frollo doesn’t even see himself as the problem here, either. However, it isn’t just the meaning of the song. The sequence is also disturbing, and the fiery imagery throughout is enough to make anyone nervous, let alone children.
8
Marlin’s Wife & Most Of His Kids Are Eaten
Finding Nemo (2003)
Finding Nemo is supposed to be a wholesome story about a father trying to locate his missing son, but the opening of the movie is actually quite dark. Marlin is so happy when he and his wife are expecting hundreds of new babies, and it’s adorable to see the clownfish get so excited about naming their children. However, in a heartbreaking moment, Coral is eaten by a barracuda while trying to protect their eggs, leaving only the titular Nemo.
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Finding Nemo
G
Animation
Adventure
Comedy
Family
9.7/10
Release Date
May 30, 2003
Runtime
100 Minutes
Cast
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Albert Brooks
-
Ellen DeGeneres
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Children and adults alike find it hard to watch this scene for a few reasons. It’s saddening that Marlin is knocked out and isn’t able to help, which leaves Coral vulnerable and her fate sealed. Kids especially find this moment particularly emotional because the beginning of Finding Nemo heavily leans into family dynamics, and it’s terrifying for them to realize that parents are fragile and not invincible. There is a freaky Finding Nemo theory that Nemo doesn’t exist, too, and considering Marlin’s traumatic experience, it makes more sense to reflect on the film as an adult.
7
Leviathan Attacking The Crew
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a movie from Disney’s “weird period,” but nothing is more harrowing than the Leviathan attack scene. The crab-like creature with glowing red eyes is scary enough, but when it wraps its huge tentacles around the submarine and knocks everyone off the edge, it’s even more nerve-wracking. This moment fuels many viewers’ nightmares to this day, especially because of the various shots of the crew trying to make their escape.
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Atlantis: The Lost Empire
pg
Animation
Adventure
Family
Sci-Fi
8.7/10
Release Date
June 2, 2001
Runtime
95minutes
Cast
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Michael J. Fox
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The red and blue flashing lights, dark color scale, and heavy music makes this sequence truly petrifying. Even despite their attempts to stop the Leviathan are hard to watch, especially as audiences young and old know that all hope is lost. While this is an epic Disney movie fight scene, it’s still a haunting scene to witness, and the longer it goes on, the more dreadful it becomes.
6
Mufasa’s Death
The Lion King (1994)
King Mufasa falling to his death in The Lion King is an animated Disney movie moment that nobody will ever forget, and everyone remembers the first time they watch it happen. Simba losing his father is a deeply distressing moment, and it’s impossible not to cry along with the young lion cub as he leans over Mufasa’s corpse. Kids scream at the screen at Scar’s betrayal of his brother, and the image of the villain’s claws digging into Mufasa’s paws are ingrained in their minds forever.
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Scar later consoling Simba next to Mufasa’s body is also a disturbing moment. It’s so shocking to realize that Scar is not just evil enough to kill his brother, but he’s also disrespectful enough to convince his nephew that it’s his fault. This is the ultimate betrayal to every character in The Lion King and Disney viewers as well.
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The Lion King
G
Animation
Drama
Adventure
27
9.1/10
Release Date
June 24, 1994
Runtime
88 Minutes
Cast
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Matthew Broderick
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Moira Kelly
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A new generation of children are able to be traumatized by this with the live-action remake of The Lion King, and Mufasa: The Lion King’s hints about Mufasa’s death make it even more painful.
5
Clayton’s Death
Tarzan (1999)
Although Tarzan’s Clayton is a much-hated character by many and deserves his comeuppance, his death is still a rather extreme scene and one that is stuck in many viewers’ minds. As Jane and Tarzan attempt to save the gorillas that Clayton kidnaps and plans to sell, a fight ensues between them and the villain’s thugs. However, as Clayton fights Tarzan in the tree vines, he gets caught, falls, and inadvertently hangs himself. The lead-up to this moment is trippy, and the change to the color grading makes audiences know something dark is about to happen.
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Tarzan
G
9.7/10
Release Date
June 18, 1999
Runtime
88 Minutes
Cast
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Tony Goldwyn
-
Minnie Driver
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The image of Clayton’s sword stabbed into the ground, alongside the shadow of his body that appears in between the flashes of lightning, is harrowing. While the Disney film doesn’t show Clayton’s dead body directly, the heavy implication of it is somehow even more unsettling. The big Tarzan fight is so action-packed that this moment often takes many by surprise, especially as the tone shift is so abrupt. Although Clayton doesn’t commit suicide, the visuals are still rather concerning.
4
Bambi’s Mother Dies
Bambi (1942)
The titular fawn losing his mother in Bambi is easily the most notable example of a haunting animated Disney movie moment, and despite the movie’s 1942 release, most children of every generation since then are familiar with this moment. Bambi’s mother is killed by hunters early on in the film, and it’s utterly heartbreaking to see the youngster lie next to her blood-covered body. What’s even more emotional about this moment is the earlier scenes of Bambi establish that Bambi is incredibly attached to his mother.
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Bambi
G
Animation
Documentary
Drama
Family
7.7/10
Release Date
August 14, 1942
Runtime
70 minutes
Cast
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Hardie Albright
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Stan Alexander
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Plus, Bambi’s father isn’t a part of his life at this point, which leaves him all alone in the world. The sound of the gunshot is hard to listen to, especially as it’s clear what’s happening, but Bambi’s cry that follows is even more distressing. There’s no reason why the upcoming live-action remake of Bambi shouldn’t include this scene, and it’s awful to think about how even more tormenting it’ll be with realistic-looking animals.
3
The Village Burned To The Ground
Mulan (1998)
The full version of Disney’s darkest Mulan scene is mostly cut, but the parts that remain in the final edit are still enough to haunt audiences, and it’s astounding to think how traumatized they would have been without the alterations. The thing that makes this moment so jarring is how quickly Mulan’s atmosphere changes. One moment, the soldiers are all belting “A Girl Worth Fighting For,” but in the next, Shang and his men are looking at the charred remains of a nearby village.
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Mulan
9.7/10
Release Date
June 19, 1998
Runtime
87 Minutes
Director
Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft
Cast
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Ming-Na Wen
-
Eddie Murphy
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The song ends rather abruptly, and even without the context of the deleted scene, it’s easy to put two and two together and realize what has happened. It’s clear that this is the work of Shan Yu, and in some ways, Disney being so indirect with this scene makes it even scarier. It’s worth noting that there aren’t any more musical numbers after this, which impacts the overall tone of the movie for the rest of its runtime. The facial expressions of everyone present translate the horrors of this moment perfectly, and Mulan discovering the doll is even more disturbing.
2
Tod Being Abandoned
The Fox And The Hound (1981)
The Fox and the Hound is a brilliant but relatively forgotten Disney film, but because the concept is so sweet and wholesome, many don’t expect it to be so emotional, especially so early on. As children, many viewers fail to understand why fox Tod and dog Cooper can’t continue their friendship, despite the several explanations that they are two very different animals who naturally can’t live alongside one another. This makes Tweed taking Tod back to the wild and abandoning him there even more upsetting.
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The Fox and the Hound
G
Animation
Adventure
Documentary
Drama
Family
7.5/10
Release Date
July 10, 1981
Runtime
83 Minutes
Cast
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Mickey Rooney
-
Kurt Russell
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It’s even harder because Tweed’s guilt and hesitancy to do so is so apparent. The image of Tod sitting under the tree in the rain is enough to make anyone cry, especially as he doesn’t get a proper goodbye with Cooper, and their last interaction involves the hunting hound letting the fox go to avoid capture by his owner. As kids, it’s hard to understand why this happens. Tod and Cooper’s friendship is lovely to watch, and they are no harm to one another, but Tweed and Chief know their natures won’t realistically stay as innocent as they are.
1
Pleasure Island Sequence
Pinocchio (1940)
The Pleasure Island scene in Pinocchio, one of the 14 animated Disney movies in the National Film Registry, feels like a fever dream. While there are elements of it that children don’t necessarily understand, they still know something doesn’t feel right. This sequence is rather colorful, which is unusual considering how unnerving many find it, but the fact it’s so overstimulating adds to viewers’ concerns. The strange depictions of children with much deeper voices than their own, taking part in adult activities like drinking and smoking, and then eventually being turned into donkeys, is truly spine-chilling.
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Disney’s Pinocchio
5/10
Release Date
February 23, 1940
Runtime
88 Minutes
Director
Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts, Norman Ferguson, Jack Kinney, Wilfred Jackson, T. Hee
Cast
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-
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Cliff Edwards
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Dickie Jones
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What’s so petrifying about this is that the only reason the boys are at Pleasure Island is because they are disobedient, which sparks fear into the hearts of child audiences everywhere. The donkeys who don’t manage to retain their voices are sold and used for labor, whereas the others are simply kept, although their ultimate fates are left unclear, which adds to the overall creepiness of the situation.
Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment