Disney has come a long way from traumatizing the youth of the mid-20th century! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the saddest and scariest Disney movies on the block. Watch out for dark spoilers ahead.
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00:00 "So typical of your kind to twist the truth to cloud the mind with unholy thoughts."
00:05 Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07 And today we're counting down our picks for the saddest and scariest Disney movies on the block.
00:12 Watch out for dark spoilers ahead.
00:14 "I thought that..."
00:15 "Get away from him!"
00:16 "Pocahontas, it won't help! He was only..."
00:18 "He killed him!"
00:20 Number 20. James and the Giant Peach
00:24 Stop-motion animation is one of the most intricate mediums in the realm of cinema,
00:28 creating everlasting images.
00:30 Funnily enough, however, some of the scariest parts of James and the Giant Peach take place in live action.
00:36 "Had his head in the clouds instead of looking where he was going!"
00:39 "He never even saw that rhino coming."
00:42 "That rhino!"
00:44 "And the beast will get you too!"
00:47 Before James finds his way into the peach and everything becomes stop-motion,
00:51 he's living with his terrifying aunt, Spiker and Sponge.
00:54 For a kids' movie, these aunts have a pretty terrifying way about them,
00:58 treating James horribly.
01:00 "Didn't you disagree with us?"
01:01 "Patience, sister. Remember his... condition."
01:05 "His condition?"
01:08 "He was a chronic liar."
01:09 He eventually gets revenge on them, but not before they attack him with fire axes.
01:14 The themes about abuse are pretty richly wrought here in a way that's surprising for an animated film.
01:20 Number 19. Mulan
01:22 Mulan is a delightful Disney movie, filled with amazing songs and a plucky protagonist.
01:28 But when you really think about it, it's also one of Disney's more adult-themed films.
01:32 "Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me?"
01:42 There are a lot of ideas about gender that factor into the story of Mulan, of course.
01:47 But there's also a pretty heavy swatch of violence.
01:50 In one scene, Mulan and the rest of her squad come across a village that has been burned down
01:54 by the Huns. They find out that the Huns have murdered their leader's father,
01:58 and it's very heavily implied that young people have also died in the massacre.
02:02 It's a dark scene in a movie that doesn't shy away from that sort of thing.
02:06 "The Huns are moving quickly. We'll make better time to the Imperial City through the Tung Shao Pass.
02:11 We're the only hope for the Emperor now."
02:14 Number 18. Toy Story 3
02:17 The Toy Story franchise is known for tugging at our heartstrings,
02:20 but the third installment in the series manages to go even further than its predecessors.
02:24 "But the thing that makes Woody special is he'll never give up on you."
02:29 There are several times throughout Toy Story 3 where things seem pretty bleak for our favorite
02:34 toys, with none being quite as horrifying as when it looks as though Buzz, Woody,
02:38 and the rest of the gang are going to be burned alive in an incinerator.
02:42 "Buzz! What do we do?"
02:45 "Buzz! What do we do?"
02:47 Not to mention, this film's villain is totally creepy and has some seriously dark intentions.
02:52 "Something changed that day inside Lotso. Something snapped."
02:57 "She replaced us. Come on."
03:00 Number 17. Zootopia
03:03 When you think of Zootopia, you probably think of cute little animals.
03:06 However, there's also that whole racism allegory to contend with.
03:10 "You probably didn't know, but a bunny can call another bunny cute,
03:15 but when other animals do it, it's a little…"
03:17 "I am so sorry."
03:20 The general message of Zootopia, which centers on a rabbit and a fox teaming up together despite
03:25 their prejudices, is that we shouldn't take stock in stereotypes. The movie goes further,
03:30 using the allegory of predators and prey to try and make a statement on systemic racism.
03:35 "There's a 'them' now."
03:37 "You know what I mean. You're not that kind of predator."
03:40 "The kind that needs to be muscled? The kind that makes you think you need to carry around
03:44 fox repellent?"
03:46 While some of that allegory doesn't necessarily come together all the time,
03:50 it's still a fairly complicated and dark subject to try and fit into a kids' movie.
03:54 Number 16. Tarzan
03:57 On the surface, Tarzan seems like a pretty fun romp. That Phil Collins music,
04:02 the comedy of errors that arises when a human is raised by apes, is all in good fun.
04:07 "Let your spirit set it free. Someday you'll watch over from
04:13 some other time you'll see."
04:18 But there's a lot of darkness to the Tarzan story. The story begins with Tarzan's parents
04:23 being murdered by a leopard, and Tarzan struggles throughout the film with the concept of found
04:28 family. Plus, the character of Clayton, a hunter, is one of the most vicious villains that Disney
04:32 has ever come up with.
04:34 "I can use a challenge, because after I get rid of you, rounding up your little ape family
04:40 will be all too easy!"
04:42 His death scene at the end is so visceral, and something we'll never forget.
04:47 Number 15. The Rescuers
04:50 Despite being made for children, Disney movies sure do seem to like to put their young heroes
04:55 in peril. Nowhere is that more prevalent than in 1977's The Rescuers. The film centers around Penny,
05:02 an orphan who's been kidnapped by Madame Medusa, an aspiring jewel thief.
05:06 "I'll never get adopted."
05:08 "Adopted? What makes you think anyone would want a homely little girl like you?"
05:15 Medusa seems to have no real plans for Penny but to continue to treat her terribly.
05:20 She abuses her constantly, even going so far as to put her under the "care" of two terrifying
05:26 crocodiles named Brutus and Nero.
05:28 "It's all mine."
05:30 "Hell, yours! Well, half of it is mine, you double-crossing crook!"
05:34 "Put me down, Brutus!"
05:35 Penny is luckily saved by Bianca and Bernard, but her plight up until then is not one we
05:42 would want to dwell on.
05:43 Number 14. 101 Dalmatians
05:46 "Cruella, Cruella, she's like a spider waiting for the kill."
05:55 "Roger, she'll hear you."
05:56 "Look out, Cruella de Vil."
05:59 Everyone loves puppies, except, quite famously, one person. 101 Dalmatians is a beloved movie
06:05 for a lot of reasons. Not least of all, its numerous adorable dogs. But its villain,
06:10 and her vendetta against those adorable dogs, is truly dark. Cruella de Vil loves fashion,
06:15 and she will go to any means to get what she wants, even if it means skinning cute little
06:20 puppies and turning their fur into coats.
06:22 "I don't care how you kill the little beast, but do it! And do it now!"
06:27 "Oh, please, miss, now have pity, will ya?"
06:30 Despite the jaunted little song that's written about her, Cruella is anything but delightful.
06:35 She's shrewd and cunning, and her ambitions cannot be stopped.
06:39 Number 13. Sleeping Beauty
06:42 So many Disney movies are based on classic fairy tales of old. And those old fairy tales are
06:48 usually a bit darker than the movies we see. In the case of Sleeping Beauty, that is still
06:52 quite true. But this princess romance is definitely a lot darker than you remember.
06:57 "Before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle
07:04 of a spinning wheel and die!"
07:07 Maleficent's curse on Aurora at the beginning of the film is really the least of its darkness.
07:12 The moment Aurora falls asleep is pretty terrifying within itself. And Prince Philip's
07:17 fight with Maleficent at the end is scary as well.
07:19 "And all the powers of hell!"
07:22 As a dragon, Maleficent becomes one of the more intimidating villains in Disney history.
07:31 Number 12. Dumbo
07:33 Animals in peril, drug use, and light racism. How much darker can this Disney movie get?
07:39 Dumbo has such a cute protagonist at its center, it's easy to forget everything that actually
07:45 happens in the film. Dumbo's mother is at one point locked up in a cage, but that's really
07:49 one of the last dark things about this film.
07:51 "You are so precious to me."
07:57 "Cute as can be."
07:59 "Baby of mine."
08:01 "Baby of mine."
08:03 There's also the moment when Dumbo and Timothy the Mouse get drunk and start to hallucinate.
08:07 Not to mention that gang of crows led by Dandy Crow, previously named Jim Crow,
08:12 a pretty obvious racial stereotype against African Americans.
08:15 "And I just laughed 'til I thought I'd die."
08:19 "But I'll be unseen 'bout everything when I see a elephant fly."
08:25 We guess there's a lot you can get away with when you've got a cute elephant as your star,
08:29 especially for a movie made in the 40s.
08:31 Number 11. Fantasia
08:34 If you've seen the 1940 film Fantasia, then you know exactly where this one's going.
08:39 The majority of Fantasia, a sort of series of musical sequences, isn't too scary,
08:44 but the ending scene will have you quaking in your boots.
08:47 "Here on Walpurgis Night, which is the equivalent of our own Halloween,
08:51 the creatures of evil gather to worship their master.
08:54 Under his spell, they dance furiously."
08:58 The last section of the film is called Night on Bald Mountain.
09:00 If the name doesn't already give you pause, you're in for a treat.
09:04 It centers around a devil named Chernabog, a terrifyingly large-winged creature who
09:09 summons a number of lesser demons to do his bidding for the night.
09:12 [Music]
09:22 Everything about this, from its music to its animation,
09:25 is one of the scariest things we've ever seen.
09:27 Number 10. Alice in Wonderland
09:31 There's a lot to enjoy in Alice in Wonderland, from its glorious animation to memorable characters.
09:36 But this trippy 1951 film is a lot more strange than you might remember.
09:41 Alice goes through a lot of trauma while on her journey through Wonderland,
09:45 including shrinking and growing numerous times,
09:47 and meeting creatures who seem bent on deceiving her.
09:50 "Goodness!"
09:51 "Don't let her stay here and go to seed."
09:53 "Go on, then, what you think would--"
09:54 "Please!"
09:55 "Grr."
09:55 "We don't want weeds in our bed."
09:57 The logic of Wonderland, from the unbirthday celebration to the Queen of Hearts,
10:04 is all so absurd and just a little bit too unsettling.
10:08 When we remember watching this as a kid,
10:10 it's hard not to remember just how freaked out we were.
10:12 [Music]
10:22 Number 9. The Fox and the Hound
10:25 When a young fox's mother being killed at the beginning of a movie
10:28 isn't the worst thing to happen to him,
10:30 you know you're in for a depressing story.
10:32 [Music]
10:38 It may at first seem like an adorable tale of interspecies friendship,
10:42 but Big Mama's warning that Todd and Copper are natural enemies
10:45 lingers over the entirety of The Fox and the Hound,
10:48 until it finally comes to fruition.
10:50 "Todd, I-- I don't want to see you get killed."
10:53 "Brag him down, boy!"
10:55 "I'll let you go this one time."
11:01 In the end, these two can never be the best of friends,
11:03 because one has been bred and trained to kill the other.
11:07 There are a lot of sad and scary moments in this film,
11:09 making it one you don't want to show to more sensitive kids.
11:12 "Todd, I'm scared."
11:15 Number 8. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
11:20 This movie didn't exactly make it into the canon of beloved Disney films,
11:24 and it might just be because it's too scary for most kids.
11:27 [Screaming]
11:32 Many are familiar with the tale of the Headless Horseman,
11:34 and this 1949 version of the tale manages to ramp up the tension
11:38 leading up to his appearance in a fashion so effective
11:41 that it still gives us chills.
11:43 [Screaming]
11:45 The fact that we never find out for sure what happened to Ichabod Crane
11:49 leaves viewers with an unsettling feeling that just can't be shaken.
11:53 "Next morning, Ichabod's hat was found. And close beside it, a shattered pumpkin."
12:00 Number 7. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
12:03 As Disney's first major feature film, it seems that the House of Mouse
12:07 was still ironing out the kinks of what kids would like when they made this one.
12:10 [Screaming]
12:14 It has, of course, become a timeless classic,
12:17 but its themes are decidedly more sinister than some of its successors.
12:21 "Thirsty? I'll drink!"
12:27 The Evil Queen wanting to dispose of Snow White is pretty standard fairy tale fodder,
12:32 but it's the part where she wants the hunter to rip her heart out
12:35 and put it on display that has us raising our eyebrows.
12:38 "Bring back her heart in this."
12:42 Number 6. The Lion King
12:46 Parents dying in Disney movies is pretty much par for the course,
12:49 but it never happens in quite as horrific of a fashion than in this 1994 film.
12:54 "Long live the king."
12:57 Not only does Scar murder his brother Mufasa in cold blood by throwing him into a gorge of
13:06 stampeding animals, he then goes on to blame Simba for it, exiling him from his home.
13:11 "But the king is dead. And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive."
13:17 When Simba grows up and goes back to Pride Rock to take what is rightfully his,
13:21 he recreates the circumstances of his father's death to get revenge.
13:25 "Run. Run away, Scar. And never return."
13:31 Number 5. Bambi
13:33 How could a movie about adorable woodland creatures be dark?
13:37 Well, for starters, the action kicks off when Bambi's mother is killed by hunters.
13:41 Everyone is familiar with the basic outline of the story,
13:47 but there's another lesser-known scene you may have forgotten about.
13:50 When hunters are approaching, a trio of birds are hiding in the underbrush.
13:54 "He's coming."
13:56 "Hush. Be quiet."
13:58 One of them is panicking and suggests they fly away, which the others quickly dismiss.
14:02 She can't help herself, though, and soars out of their hiding spot,
14:05 only to be immediately shot and killed.
14:08 "I can't stand it anymore."
14:15 Number 4. Pocahontas
14:18 There has been plenty of debate over the years since this movie was released
14:21 as to whether it properly serves its purpose.
14:24 "Williams, why do you think those insolent heathens attacked us?"
14:27 "Because we invaded their land and cut down their trees and dug up their earth."
14:30 Telling the story of early colonialism in the United States is going to be a touchy subject
14:34 no matter how you spin it, even though for the most part,
14:37 it's clear that the white guys are the bad guys in Pocahontas.
14:40 "They're savages, savages."
14:42 "They're even human."
14:44 "Savages, savages."
14:46 Not to mention, a major character is suddenly killed and John Smith is almost executed.
14:50 This is undoubtedly one of the heavier stories that Disney has attempted to tell.
14:55 "If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too."
14:57 Number 3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
15:00 Disney has made a lot of feel-good movies over the years,
15:03 and this is definitely not one of them.
15:05 "Where are you going, Hunchback?"
15:07 "The fight's just beginning."
15:09 There are a lot of upsetting moments in The Hunchback of Notre Dame,
15:12 from Quasimodo's public humiliation when he's dubbed the King of Fools,
15:16 to Frollo's creepy obsession with Esmeralda in his song Hellfire,
15:20 where he talks about wanting her to burn in hell because he can't stop thinking about her.
15:24 "Destroy Esmeralda and let her taste the fires of hell, or else let her be mine and mine alone."
15:34 Talk about red flags.
15:36 The ending is also a lot more nuanced than even adults are able to understand,
15:40 showing that just because you're the hero of the story,
15:43 doesn't entitle you to end up with a love interest.
15:46 Number 2. The Black Cauldron
15:58 The 80s were a time of transition for Disney.
16:00 "No! Stop!"
16:03 By the end of the decade, they would begin the animation studio's renaissance with The
16:07 Little Mermaid. But there were some bumps on the way to success. Sandwiched between The Fox and
16:12 the Hound and The Great Mouse Detective, Disney released this film, which everyone has been trying
16:16 to forget ever since. "Arise, my messengers of death. Our time has arrived."
16:26 Featuring an army of undead soldiers and an absolutely terrifying villain,
16:30 The Black Cauldron stands out as being the most un-Disney-like film that the studio ever made.
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16:58 Number 1. Pinocchio
17:00 Sure, he gets eaten by a giant whale, but that's not even the worst of it.
17:03 As one of Disney's earlier films, Pinocchio definitely has a more sinister tone than what
17:11 we have come to associate with Walt's creations. "There's no risk. He never come back as boys."
17:22 While there are a lot of scary things that happen in this 1940 movie,
17:25 the worst has to be Pleasure Island, where boys can go to drink,
17:29 smoke carouse, and, oh yeah, get turned into donkeys.
17:33 Watching one of the boys be transformed was terrifying when we were kids,
17:42 and honestly didn't get any less disturbing when we got older.
17:46 If we missed any of your favorite surprisingly dark Disney movies, let us know in the comments below.
17:54 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
17:58 And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.