The'90swere an experimental time when it came to media aimed at kids. Stories wanting to spook kids were becoming popular in books and on television, but movies were no slouch either. A lot of films aimed at kids from the era were famous for scenes that horrified kids. Sometimes, all a film needed to make an impact was just one scene, either one that was either really dark or sad, that haunted viewers.
Often, these become one of the first things people think of when the remember the film. There were a few times when it’s unclear if a film was really meant for kids in the first place. Even some movies that came out in the 1980s, especially towards the end of the decade, also made an impact on the children of the 1990s, whether it was from television airings or from renting them on video. Of course, that doesn’t stop some of these films from being cult-classics.
10Hocus Pocus (1993)
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocuswould go on to become a beloved cult-classic over the years, but the opening is surprisingly dark for a children’s film. Taking place in 1693 Salem, a young girl named Emily is lured by magic into the Sanderson sisters' cottage. The three witches plan to drain the girl of her life force and restore their youth. Emily’s brother Thackery sees her and tries to save her in time, but fails, leading to Emily dying at the hands of the witches, leaving her nothing more than an aged corpse.
“You’ll Never Know How Precious She Is… Until You Lose Her.”
While Disney movies often kill off characters as part of the protagonist’s backstory, seeing a young child die onscreen can be shocking for younger viewers. Notably, Emily’s death is not magically undone by the events of the story.
Emily’s death left such an impact on viewers that a spin-off book,Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel, even has the fourth Sanderson sister, Elizabeth, try to restore the girl. Of course, given the events of the movie, it is foregone to failure, with Elizabeth being hanged before she could save the girl.
Though this did not stop theSanderson sisters from becoming fan-favorites, some of the witches' actions are known to be unsettling. Winifred killing her lover Billy and reanimating him as a zombie has disturbed some viewers, especially when it comes to light that Billy is a “good” zombie. Even the shot of them hanging in the opening, while well-deserved, is known to have spooked viewers.
9Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,which takes place in a world where animated characters live alongside live-action people, shows that it isn’t always easy to be a cartoon. The antagonist, Judge Doom, proves himself to be a piece of work with a substance he’s cooked up: the Dip, which can dissolve a toon into nothing.
The first time it is used, Doom catches a friendly cartoon shoe that seems to have taken a liking to him. Doom then proceeds to cruelly, and slowly, lower the shoe into the Dip as it pathetically whimpers in pain.
Paint Thinner Has Never Looked Scarier
Many kids were horrified at the time of seeing the innocent shoe receive the death sentence for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For some, this is made all the worse with the implication that the shoe was effectively erased from existence. This is hinted at with Doom’s weasels becoming ghosts when they die, barring the one who was killed with the Dip.
Doom proves to be more and more dangerous and unhinged as the story goes on. This all culminates with the revelation of him being the toon that killed Teddy Valiant, mocking his brother, Eddie, by revealing his true eyes and voice. Somewhat fitting for a film that combined live-action with animation, it could be argued that Doom proved to be one of the more horrifying villains in both mediums.
8The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King
The Lion Kingis often said to be Disney’s take on Shakespeare’sHamlet, just acted out by lions, so dark and dramatic scenes seemed inevitable. Simba’s uncle Scar takes the role of King Claudius,orchestrating his brother’s deathin order to claim power for himself. The film plays Mufasa’s death for as much drama as possible, all starting with Scar luring Simba to a dangerous wildebeest stampede.
When Disney Does Shakespeare
Mufasa manages to save his son, but is left dangling from the edge of a gorge. Mufasa asks Scar for help, only for Scar to reveal his true colors, throwing him into the stampede. Viewers are treated to a look of sheer horror on Mufasa’s face as he realizes he’s about to die, possibly considering how Scar will target his son next. After the deed is done, Simba helplessly begs for his father to wake up. Soon, Scar appears, convincing his nephew he’s to blame for what happened.
There’s a special reason Mufasa’s death made an impact on viewers. While the protagonists in Disney’s animated films often lose a parent early on,The Lion Kingwas one of the rare times viewers got to know the character before he meets his demise. Making him a fleshed-out character makes it all the shocking when he is killed off. It is not for nothing the scene is often compared to the death of Bambi’s mother.
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7The Witches (1990)
The Witches
Coming out at the start of the 1990s wasThe Witches, a dark fantasy adapting the Roald Dahl book of the same name. The titular villains are portrayed as nightmarish hags who hide their true forms with human-like masks, ultimately plotting to turn children into mice. Early on, Luke’s grandmother recountshorrifying stories about witches, including one that trapped a girl inside a painting. However, they prove even more sinister once they make an appearance onscreen.
The End Was Still Happier Than the Book’s
When Luke tries to escape from them early on in the film, it’s made clear the witches will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals, with the Grand High Witch threatening a baby just to delay him. Luke manages to get to his grandmother’s room, only to find her in a sleeping spell as the witches appear, assuring the viewer that nowhere is safe. Even the witches transforming Bruno into a mouse proved so scary that the scene had to be cut down for the film’s British release.
Of course, for many, the most horrifying scenes were the witches' comeuppance of being turned into rodents themselves. That said,much to Dahl’s chagrin, the ending is at least happier than the original book: the Grand High Witch’s put-upon minion, Miss Irvine, has apparently become a good witch and restores Luke to normal, even returning his pet mice, before going on to restore Bruno.
Originally, Luke’s unnamed counterpart is left as a mouse and condemned to a shortened lifespan, although he takes some comfort in knowing he probably won’t outlive his beloved grandmother.
Rent on Apple TV
6James and the Giant Peach (1996)
James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peachis an adaptation of the Roald Dahl book of the same name. The story might have been one of Dahl’s first children’s books, but it’s still filled with tense moments.
Early on, James' parents are killed by a rhino. In the original book, this was merely a rhino that escaped from the zoo, but the film adaptation transforms it into a monstrous creature made of storm clouds. Adding to the horror, it’s never explained just what it is or where it came from, but it remains a threat throughout.
“And the Beast Will Get You, Too…”
Left an orphan, James is also left at the mercy of his abusive aunts, who overwork him and scare him with threats of the rhino. It’s only through the intervention of a mysterious old man that James escapes them, through the giant peach and his insect friends. The aunts die early on in the book, but remain a threat in the film, hunting down James and becoming more and more unhinged.
Notably, most of these scenes occur before the film switches to animation. Admittedly, this gives the story some levity, as James gets to interact with his new talking bug friends. However, the trippy animation and a few more spooky scenes, such as famous skeleton pirate scene, still left a lasting impression on audiences.
5The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas,an iconic stop-motion film, revolves around Jack Skellington, the “Pumpkin King” of Halloween Town, growing tired with the spooky holiday, falls in love with the idea of Christmas. Eventually, he plans to take over Christmas, giving “Sandy Klaws” a vacation of sorts.
There’s a Reason Jack’s the “Pumpkin King”
While Jack proves to be a nice enough guy, he earned his title of “Pumpkin King” by being frightening and he certainly lives up to it. Naturally, he and a few other residents of Halloween Town ended up spooking kids. Of course, when someone as amicable as Jack can scare people, it goes without saying that the actual antagonist Oogie Boogie, a sentient sackcloth filled with bugs, also proved frightening.
For some children, the very idea that someone would threaten Santa Claus proved especially unsettling, and the danger’s he’s in is highlighted throughout the story, from Oogie Boogie wanting to eat Jolly St. Nick to Lock, Shock and Barrel’s famous song, “Kidnap the Sandy Klaws.”
The idea that the movie would scare children was not lost on Disney, as it was why the film ended up released under the Touchstone Pictures label. Of course, once the movie proved to be a cult classic, later releases often brought it under the Disney name. Over the years, the film has also been credited with helping stop-motion to hand-in-hand with spooky stories, inspiring othersimilar stop-motion horror films.
Stream on Disney+
4The Land Before Time (1988)
The Land Before Time
The Land Before Timeisa late 1980s animated filmrevolving around a group of young, talking dinosaurs who are trying to reunite with their families. Over the years, however, the film has become well-known for its sad moments. Early on, Littlefoot, the protagonist of the young dinosaurs, loses his mother after she sacrifices herself to save him from a Sharptooth, the film’s name for a T. Rex.
“Littlefoot… Let Your Heart Guide You…”
Mortally wounded, Littlefoot’s mother struggles to get up despite her young son’s pleading. With her last words, she tells him she will always be with him in the Great Valley. Notably, the film shows Littlefoot processing his grief, with Littlefoot even believing his mother had come back at one point, while the viewers watching know what really happened. Even the narrator comments on Littlefoot accepting what has happened, saying he now knew he was “alone.”
In general, the world the film takes place in often appears threatening and dangerous, befitting a story about dinosaurs. Herbivores risk both starvation and getting eaten themselves.
3Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journeyrevolves around three petstravel through the American wilderness in the hopes of reuniting with their owners. As with any story set in the wilderness, danger can lurk around any corner. As if the bears and mountain lions weren’t enough, even the environment itself proves deadly. When Sassy, a cat, falls into a river, her canine companions assume she’s dead.
“Now All You Have To Learn… Is How To Say Goodbye.”
In particular, the climax of the film is known for haunting younger viewers. Shadow, one of the dogs, falls into a muddy pit and hurts his leg, ultimately giving up hope. The other pets reuniting with their owners initially plays out like a bittersweet ending until Shadow limps into view.
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2My Girl (1991)
My Girlisa 1991 coming-of-age filmrevolving around Vada Sultenfuss, a young girl living with her father, who runs her town’s local funeral parlor. However, among many movie fans, the film is famous for one twist in particular. Vada’s best friend, Thomas J., is killed after being attacked by bees, due to his allergies. Twisting the knife. Vada’s father naturally serves as the boy’s undertaker, leading to her breaking down after seeing him in the casket.
“Put His Glasses On! Put On His Glasses!”
At the time of the film’s release, Thomas J.’s death was especially infamous since the film came out after his actor, Macaulay Culkin, had just starred inHome Alone, sparking outrage from his fans.Syndicated columnist Marilyn Beckfamously spoiled the ending, feeling parents should know about the character’s death before bringing their children to see the film.
Allegedly, the filmmakers had even been reluctant to cast Culkin in the role, already fearing backlash from his fans at the time after seeing him die onscreen. While the death scene has become something of a meme over the years, the death of a young boy and his friend’s heartbreaking reaction to it has still left its mark on audiences.
Stream on Xumo Play
1Batman Returns (1992)
Batman Returns
Batman Returns sees the return of Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne after his victory over the Joker. This time, the Dark Knight faces a new threat in the form of The Penguin, an outcast who wants revenge on Gotham City. Featuring Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot, Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, and Christopher Walken as Max Schreck, Batman Returns is Tim Burton’s second and final movie based on the iconic DC comics character.
When it comes to film, it can sometimes be unclear if a film was meant for even kids in the first place, especially when promotional material can’t decide on a target audience.Batman Returnsis the first sequel to Tim Burton’sBatman, which sees The Penguin scheme to get his revenge on Gotham’s elite, while Selina Kyle starts her transformation into Catwoman. Batman must fight off a campaign against him while dealing withhis feelings for Catwoman.
A Dark Film With a Happy Meal Tie-In
The film was notably designed to be darker than previous Batman films, particularly with the sexualized portrayal of Catwoman. Much like the previous film, Batman was also portrayed as being willing to kill criminals.
However, this ended up backfiring on the film, with merchandise for the film catered towards children. In particular, McDonald’s even released a line of race cars based around the film as a Happy Meal tie-in. This all led tocomplaints from parentsover the movie scaring young children. Notably, the follow-up film,Batman Forever, took the series in a lighter direction.
