Scares can come from anywhere. And the most unforgettable fear-inducing moments of cinema often happen outside the realm of the genre entirely, when you least expect it.
Horror movies set the anticipation for scares, but that’s not the primary emotional response expected in comedies, dramas, and beyond. We’ve celebrated numerous scenes from non-horror movies that bring the chills and moments of terror from classic Disney animation before, and this time we’re looking at more spine-tingling scenes that scarred kids for life.
Animated features aimed at young audiences seem to offer the safest place for lighthearted, wholesome content, right? Well, these five scenes from animated kids movies proved that gateways into horror often come from the most unexpected places.
The Pagemaster – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Richard (Macaulay Culkin) is so afraid of everything that he obsesses over accident statistics. That changes when Richard seeks shelter from a library during a raging thunderstorm, transformed into an animated illustration by the Pagemaster. It sets him on a quest through classic stories and novels to find his way back home. One of the most adrenaline-pumping encounters on Richard’s journey is of Dr. Jekyll. The character’s monstrous transformation into Mr. Hyde makes for a jarring surprise.
The Secret of NIMH – The Great Owl
Field mouse Mrs. Brisby becomes desperate to save her deathly ill son and sets out to find aid. Her perilous voyage’s first leg takes her to the old, gnarled tree where the Great Owl resides. It’s pure nightmare fuel. Mrs. Brisby enters and cautiously searches for the owl, unaware that she’s stalked by a creepy spider looking to make a meal out of her. She avoids a gruesome fate, but her encounter with the Great Owl proves just as intimidating.
Coraline – Other Mother
After moving to a new house, Coraline feels ignored by her parents. She discovers a door to another world almost identical to hers, where her parents are far more doting and attentive. The more Coraline spends in this world, the more unsettling it becomes. Right up until Other Mother reveals her true self, the arachnid Beldam. Laika’s films developed a reputation for intense imagery, but its first- based on a Neil Gaiman story- brought the scares before you knew to expect them.
The Adventures of Mark Twain – The Mysterious Stranger
Something about stop motion claymation movies is inherently terrifying. This 1985 feature saw Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Becky Thatcher sneak onboard Mark Twain’s magical airship as he travels to see Halley’s Comet. They pass the time by trading stories, bringing to life several of Twain’s tales. That includes the frightening tale of The Mysterious Stranger. In it, three children meet a being that tells them it’s an angel named Satan. While much of the film is lighter children’s fare, this vignette opts for existential nihilism as Satan builds a miniature civilization then destroys it.
All Dogs Go to Heaven – Charlie’s Vision of Hell
Stray pup Charlie winds up in heaven after an accident, only to sneak out to head back to Earth. He’s warned that he can never return; if his stolen watch stops ticking, he’ll get dragged to Hell. While Charlie ends up befriending a human girl and finding value through her friendship, his fear of Hell builds in his subconscious. It results in one of the most memorable nightmare sequences to ever exist in a movie made for kids. Charlie’s nightmare vision of Hell delivers an endless string of shocking and petrifying imagery. Test screenings found it so disturbing that the theatrical release saw a trimmed down version. Good grief. Filmmaker and animator Don Bluth (The Secret of NIMH, The Land Before Time) never held back or dumbed-down content for children.