My therapist asked me last month what childhood movie scared me most. I said The Witches (1990), and she immediately nodded – apparently 60% of her millennial patients cite that exact film.
Anjelica Huston’s Nightmare
The Witches (1990) – Roald Dahl’s story directed by Nicolas Roeg features Anjelica Huston removing her face to reveal a hideous witch underneath. That transformation scene traumatized children worldwide. The film earned PG rating despite kids literally being turned into mice and killed. Anjelica Huston said parents complained for years that she gave their children nightmares.
Chocolate Factory Horror
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) – Gene Wilder’s tunnel scene was pure psychological torture disguised as family entertainment. The boat ride through hallucinogenic imagery while Wilder maniacally recites poetry wasn’t in Roald Dahl’s book – director Mel Stuart added it to deliberately unsettle audiences. Wilder insisted on playing the scene completely unhinged without telling his child co-stars what to expect. Their genuine terror is what you see on screen.
Spielberg’s Dark Side
Gremlins (1984) – Joe Dante’s Christmas horror-comedy earned PG rating before PG-13 existed. The microwave scene where a gremlin explodes, the blender death, and Phoebe Cates’ monologue about her father dying in a chimney while dressed as Santa proved too intense. This film directly led to the MPAA creating PG-13 rating.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – Steven Spielberg’s beloved alien film includes genuinely terrifying sequences. E.T.’s death scene traumatized millions of children. Government agents in hazmat suits invading a suburban home felt like home-invasion horror. Spielberg later admitted he made the film scarier than necessary.
Stop-Motion Terror
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Tim Burton and Henry Selick’s musical isn’t overtly scary, but Oogie Boogie’s torture chamber and the evil toys Santa’s elves create disturbed young viewers. Disney originally released it under Touchstone Pictures because executives worried it was too dark for the Disney brand.
Coraline (2009) – Neil Gaiman’s story animated by Henry Selick features the Other Mother with button eyes and a spider-like body. The transformation from loving parental figure to predatory monster created lasting fears. Many theaters reported children leaving mid-movie too scared to continue.
Muppet Madness
The Dark Crystal (1982) – Jim Henson’s fantasy featured Skeksis draining essence from gentle creatures to extend their lives. The trial by stone scene and Chamberlain’s whimpering horrified children expecting Muppet-style comedy. Henson deliberately made it darker than his usual work, not anticipating how it would affect young audiences.
Return to Oz (1985) – Disney’s sequel to The Wizard of Oz opens with Dorothy receiving electroshock therapy in a mental institution. Princess Mombi keeps severed heads in glass cases and can remove her own head. The Wheelers – humans with wheels for hands and feet – caused widespread nightmares. Disney executives later admitted the film went too dark.
Don Bluth’s Trauma
The Secret of NIMH (1982) – Don Bluth’s directorial debut showed a rat caught in farm equipment bleeding out while his family watches helplessly. The Great Owl’s glowing eyes and the scene where Mrs. Brisby nearly drowns in mud proved too intense for children. Bluth intentionally made darker animated films than Disney, believing kids could handle mature themes.
All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) – This supposed family film features a dog being murdered by his best friend, descending to Hell, and experiencing an apocalyptic nightmare sequence. Charlie’s death scene and Hell imagery traumatized children who expected another Land Before Time-style adventure.
British Nightmares
Watership Down (1978) – Martin Rosen’s adaptation of Richard Adams’ novel depicts graphic rabbit violence including close-up deaths, a warren massacre, and disturbing visions of blood-soaked fields. The bright animation style made the violence even more shocking. British parents filed complaints for years about this “children’s” film.
Modern Mistakes
ParaNorman (2012) – Laika’s stop-motion film about a boy who sees ghosts includes genuinely frightening zombie sequences. The witch’s backstory – she was an 11-year-old girl burned alive by Puritan settlers – proved too heavy for young viewers despite PG rating.
Monster House (2006) – The house eating people, the origins of Constance’s spirit, and the climax where children enter the monster’s stomach disturbed many kids. Motion-capture animation made it feel more realistic than traditional cartoons.
Brave (2012) – Pixar’s Scottish tale features Queen Elinor’s terrifying transformation into a bear and genuinely scary demon bear Mor’du. The mother-daughter relationship breaking down alongside literal monsterification created anxiety in young viewers.
Rating Failures
These films prove the MPAA rating system fails to protect children from traumatizing content. Parents trust G and PG ratings assuming safety, but filmmakers often sneak genuinely disturbing material past censors through animation or fantasy contexts.
Modern streaming services compound this problem by recommending “family” films that aren’t actually appropriate for young children. Parents need to preview movies rather than trusting ratings alone.
Also Read: Disney Built Its First Cinematic Universe in 1959 With Shaggy Dog