Dark Disney (movies)

[Nature Mom]

I am currently sitting in my living room studying up for the College of Knowledge and am watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I recently got the DVD and a few others from the Movie Rewards and decided to finally pop it open a few days ago, but it has taken me 3 sittings to even get half-way because I have to keep stopping it.

I admit that while I knew the movie and who the characters were, I have never actually sat down and watched it or a few others that came out in that same time period, like Emperor's New Groove and Hercules, so even though I remember hearing it in the other room when my kids would play the video tape way back when, I don't remember much about it at all, but what I do have to say about it now is, "WOW!"

This is not a kid's movie. No way, no how! I read THoND ages ago and remember thinking 'That is going to be a Disney movie?' when I saw the previews for it back in the 90s, but I never imagined it would be so dark. While I know we are to not discuss politics or religion here on the Dis, I have to remark on how much religion there is in this movie. And Frollo is not only the most evil, he is lecherous! Disgusting...a near perve! When he came up behind Esmerelda and pulled her against him and sniffed her hair I must have looked like a dying fish with my mouth hanging open! Wow!! My DD12 called him a dirty old man! (and I completely agree! ) The cruelty shown to Quasi during the festival is another horrible scene in this movie...I was crying so much that my friend is now joking about it on Facebook (she was here during that scene, lol).

So I have to ask, is this the darkest? Yeah, there's a lot of dead parents in Disney movies, but I think the whole religious zealot pervert role of Frollo is a completely different darkness than what we have seen before. Yes, I know it is from a book that is a bit heavy for a children's movie, and it is a 12 year old movie now, but do you think there are any darker Disney movies and do you think we will see any more like this anytime in the near future?

Let's discuss.

 

[Queenofspoons]

I watched the Hunchback of Notre Dame several times when I was little and didn't notice all the darkness till I got older, but I still think it’s a forgotten Disney masterpiece.

I think all the recent Pixar films are darker than their earlier releases; yes even Cars 2 had a dark moment, you can say it started with The Incredibles. In my opinion, Toy Story 3 was the darkest Pixar Film when compared to the previous Toy Story films, with evil Lotso, big baby, the monkey, and the incinerator scene at the end.

 

[elmlea22]

Tangled is dark, its about kidnapping and imprisonment of a little girl. Bambi and Lion King with the loss of a parent.

 

[RustManFan]

so much of the darkness is actually left out....Esmeralda and Quasi both die in the book, I believe.

 

[TavieP]

I agree, Hunchback is probably the darkest of the FLAFs. I can't think of another that comes close in terms of overall darkness of subject manager throughout the movie.

The Rescuers (friendless orphan kidnapped, imprisoned and abused), Bambi (mother murdered in front of child) and Pinocchio have their moments (the chopped-up puppet in Stromboli's box, and the fate of Lampwick, still give me the willies)! And The Black Cauldron, though generally pretty lighthearted, is TERRIFYING once the Cauldron-Born show up.

Hunchback wins overall, though.

 

[dawnmichele]

I still think it’s a forgotten Disney masterpiece.

I could not agree with this more! HB is my FAVORITE Disney movie ever. The music from that movie is simply amazing and I could never get tired of listening to it. It is dark, but it's also fantastic and I wish Disney would give it some more love!

When I visited the World in the late 90s, HB was everywhere. There was a live show at MGM (now called DHS), and at the character breakfast we met Esmerelda (my daughter's favorite part of the whole trip), Quasimodo and Clopin. Now it's almost impossible to find anything based on this great movie unless it's at a thrift shop or garage sale.

It makes me sad.

 

[DeliriumDisney]

Hunchback is one of my favorites! Tops. "hellfire"
is one of my favorite songs and it's just creepy
for a disney movie. It basically said "she will
burn unless she becomes mine."

LOTSO from Toy Story 3 though is pretty dark.

BUT.... what about BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER!?
My favorite Disney movie right next to Hunchback.
The subject matter of abandonment and lonliness
are key but overall the SCENES make up the movie's
dark tone even more so when you watch it as an
adult : Air conditioner basically commits suicide,
creepy clown dream scene, The poor flower that
"wilts" when he realizes he only sees a reflection
and not another flower, and most of all that song
"worthless" when the cars are being crushed to
their deaths and lamenting about their past lives.
CREEPY.

 

[RustManFan]

Just because a movie is a Disney movie doesn't mean it is for kids...at least little ones.

There are many characters in many of them that are rather dark and scary. Ursula? Malificent? The list goes on and one! Kidnappings, murder, poisonings, and how about those fire scenes in Aladdin? Beauty and the Beast! The Lion King! Think about what happens in those!!

Everyone actually dies in THOHD as it should be told!!

Don't know who decided Disney = Kids

I know Walt himself didn't feel that way!

 

[rabbitroger]

There are 2 darker animated movies, at least in my opinion.

The Black Cauldron
The Adventures of Ichibold & Mr Toad (Sleepy Hollow half of the movie)

 

[bellaally]

The darkest movie or short I should say comes with the little mermaid DVD combo a long while back its called the littlematch girl. It's about a little homeless girl selling matchsticks in the freezing cold. No one buying anything from her. Then she starts to day dream when she liter a matchstick to keep her warm. At the end you thinks she has gone home with her family only to find out it was her soul and her body is left dead and cold in an alley. I cried so hard I was like this is on a kids DVD and on the little mermaid DVD no less crazy. Watch it if you can.

 

[bellaally]

You can watch it on YouTube

 

[charliebrown]

Black Cauldron......SO MANY NIGHTMARES


And Brave Little toaster.

This was included in that movie :

 

[rabbitroger]

The darkest movie or short I should say comes with the little mermaid DVD combo a long while back its called the littlematch girl. It's about a little homeless girl selling matchsticks in the freezing cold. No one buying anything from her. Then she starts to day dream when she liter a matchstick to keep her warm. At the end you thinks she has gone home with her family only to find out it was her soul and her body is left dead and cold in an alley. I cried so hard I was like this is on a kids DVD and on the little mermaid DVD no less crazy. Watch it if you can.

Thats one of the great christmas cartoons, that rarely gets much play anymore because people are worried it will upset kids too much

 

[Alessa]

I have to say "The Black Cauldron".

But yes there are actually a lot of Disney's that have their dark moments.
But as a child you don't really seem to notice them. Only when I got older and watched them again I realised it.
But the day I have children I don't think I'd let them watch the Black Cauldron until a certain age.
I myself never saw this one as a child either.
But on the other hand some of my favorite movies as a child had very dark moments in them, but those weren't Disney's though.

 

[Gazzzwilliams]

The darkest movie or short I should say comes with the little mermaid DVD combo a long while back its called the littlematch girl. It's about a little homeless girl selling matchsticks in the freezing cold. No one buying anything from her. Then she starts to day dream when she liter a matchstick to keep her warm. At the end you thinks she has gone home with her family only to find out it was her soul and her body is left dead and cold in an alley. I cried so hard I was like this is on a kids DVD and on the little mermaid DVD no less crazy. Watch it if you can.

OH MY GOD! Thank you so much for writing this. I just had a giant wave of nolstagia And memories from reading what you wrote.
I vaguely remember watching this! I used to have the little mermaid on tape when I was about seven so I'm guessing I saw it on there.

It's one of those things I'd never ever of remembered. The last time this happened to me was when I walking through a DVD shop and randomly saw a copy of an old cartoon show called Bucky O Hare. The cover rang bells in my head and I'd never of remembered it if I hadn't seen that cover.

I'm going to hit youtube now and watch it. I don't remember how the animation looked etc, but I remember that match girl story! I have the memory of the feelings I had watching it. Which was just pure sadness.

 

[MinnieMeaghan]

I have to say "The Black Cauldron".

But yes there are actually a lot of Disney's that have their dark moments.
But as a child you don't really seem to notice them. Only when I got older and watched them again I realised it.
But the day I have children I don't think I'd let them watch the Black Cauldron until a certain age.
I myself never saw this one as a child either.
But on the other hand some of my favorite movies as a child had very dark moments in them, but those weren't Disney's though.

I agree. But I LOVE THE BLACK CAULDRON!!! It is one of my favorites!

 

[tianna26]

None of these movies ever effected me as a kid only one movie ever scared me that was childs play & i was only 5 when i seen it

 

[hnorthrop09]

I'm not saying it's the darkest, but Bambi has probably scared many kids (and parents) when watching the scene with Bambi's mother. Don't know if anyone has read the book that came before the Disney movie, but it was even darker. I won't spoil the details for those who haven't read it, but the deaths are more terrifying and horrible than the deaths inthe movie.

Imagine living in constant fear, never knowing if a morning stroll with your mother will be your last. The unseen villain (hunters) lurk in the woods. Your only alarm is the sounds of crows fleeing for their lives. Again, Bambi may not be as dark as some, but definitely dark enough for a children's movie.

 

[BrokeMack]

Pete's Dragon