In general, the Mouse House movies are aimed at the children’s sector, but there are times when certain points in their stories are somewhat… intense and terrifying, thus creating dark moments in various Disney films.
These scenes have achieved everything from traumatic memories in fans to complaints from religious groups, to cuts to attract more audiences and achieve another classification.
Below, several of the darkest moments in Disney movies.
Honorific mention: The Mad Doctor (1933)
This short from the house of the mouse is not well remembered, especially because it was censored in several countries shortly after its release. The reason it remained hidden is that it was a true horror show.
In it, we see how the always beloved Mickey is the victim of a series of macabre experiments at the hands of a mad scientist. One of these tests was to make the rodent see how the head of his dog Pluto was placed on the body of a chicken to see if puppies would emerge from the eggs of this Frankenstein animal (nothing scary, right?).
Currently, the mini film is one of the very few Disney works that belong to the public domain.
Pink Elephant Parade – Dumbo (1941)
This sequence has given a lot to talk about for years. While some people think that it was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí, who gained a lot of popularity at that time, others believe that its inclusion was to plant a clear message in the minds of children: do not consume alcohol.
Although we will never know for sure why it appears in the animated film, one thing is certain and that is that it can be terrifying for children, since there are not many friendly aspects in a group of pachyderms that dance to the rhythm of a depressing melody with deep voices and transforming into figures with fangs and shadows in their eyes.
The forest of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)
There comes a time when, by order of the queen, the huntsman takes Snow White to the dark forest to kill her. Eventually, the man spares the beautiful princess’s life and advises him to flee from her.
She does this, but on her way she encounters creepy talking trees, a scarier owl, and a dark setting that doesn’t help at all. Like a haunted house. As it is.
Continue reading: Darkest moments in Disney movies.
The death of Bambi’s mother – Bambi (1942)
During a walk through the snow with her little son, the mother of the main deer is shot dead by a ruthless hunter.
As if this were not already extremely depressing, this is followed by a moment in which the little deer rushes to try to rescue his mother, without success, since her body lies lifeless (with all the blood spilled, needless to say). on the ground, an issue that greatly saddens the small animal.
Another sequence that marked the lives of many who, to this day, remember feeling destroyed when watching the film. Want more proof of its impact? Paul McCartney attributes his veganism to the unbearable pain he felt when he witnessed the bitter moment of farewell.
Meeting the Cheshire Cat – Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Another case of a Disney film that, being based on the stories of Lewis Carroll, is full of elements creepy. However, one that stands out is the appearance of the laughing cat.
In reality, a colorful feline with a big crazy smile and yellow eyes that has the ability to melt into the air and speaks in an excessively relaxed voice does not seem like a character worthy of an animated film, but there it is. The version CGI/live-action of the remake by Tim Burton is just as dark.
The Skeleton Army The magic cauldron (1985)
Considered by many to be the castle company’s darkest feature film. And one of the best remembered aspects of its history is the inclusion of the Horned King.
It is a faceless entity that has an army of terrifying skeletons. The film had such intense scenes that it had to be cut before it was allowed to be released theatrically.
Continue reading: Darkest moments in Disney movies.
The death of Mufasa – The Lion King (1994)
When the evil Scar drops the king into the stampede that ends his life, Simba approaches his father’s body to mourn his departure.
Then, his uncle appears, who tries to blame him for the death and advises him to run away and never return. Without a doubt, an excessively melodramatic moment that implied that many times, even in the best families, evil is lurking. All accentuated by the somber voice of Jeremy Irons. Guaranteed nightmares.
The spider baby – toy story (nineteen ninety five)
Okay, the truth is that almost all of Sid Phillips’ creations from discarded toy parts are pretty creepy. But if there is a moment that causes genuine horror, it is when Babyface begins to approach Woody with his one-eyed face, shaved hair and, if this was not enough… mechanical spider legs.
Within the film, we realize that, despite his macabre appearance, he means well. Although without a doubt, many children must have been terrified when they saw him for the first time in 1995. Curiously, now even radio-controlled figures of the character are sold. Would they buy it?
Frollo’s wish – The Hunchback of Notre Dame (nineteen ninety six)
The cartoon adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name was subject to much controversy. In this scene we see Judge Frollo—the fanatically religious minister of justice of Paris who takes charge of Quasimodo—struggle between his lustful desire for the gypsy Esmeralda and his devotion to things related to the church.
The fragment, accompanied by the song ““Hellfire”, was not very well received by many parents and Christian groups. They described the inclusion of topics such as guilt and sexual attraction as inappropriate for children. If you really think about it, the fact that a film whose main market was children contains a musical number in which a political leader fantasizes about the silhouette of a woman dancing sensually in front of a bonfire is quite disturbing.
José Roberto Landaverde I am fascinated by writing, listening, reading and commenting on everything related to cinema. I love music and I am a fan of The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Paramore. My favorite movies are Rocky and Back to the Future and obviously one day I will climb the “Philly Steps” and drive a DeLorean. Faithful believer that cinema is the best teleporting machine, and also that on the big screen we can all see ourselves represented.