Remember when kids’ movies were scary – the kind of scary that kept you up at night? As a child of the ’90s, I sure do. These were movies that gave sinister meaning to the phrase “fun for the whole family,” and as countless companies convinced my parents that their films were completely harmless — I knew I’d still be having Watership Down nightmares well into my 20s.
Before we continue, if uninitiated, bite the bullet and watch Watership Down. It’s a simple tale of talking rabbits. What could go wrong? Well, a lot actually because it’s also one of the scariest animated movies of all time. I didn’t sleep without blankets over my toes as a kid because I thought that rabbits would slink into my room and nibble them off under the cover of darkness. If that’s not childhood trauma, I don’t know what is.
To be fair though, I love movies like that – the kind that cater to kids while presenting the dark realities of our own human experiences – stories that don’t pull punches, and keep things real. An Instagram account dedicated to all things ’80s and ’90s seems to agree, and recently posted a tribute to some of the most haunting moments in children’s cinema.
These scenes really are the four horsemen of childhood nightmare fuel, and it’s no secret why.
First we have a moment from The NeverEnding Story where Atreyu’s beloved horse Artax is lost to the Swamp of Sadness because his little horse mind was overtaken by sadness itself. Helpless to stop it, Atreyu is forced to watch his faithful companion sink into the muck and die. How were kids even allowed in theaters for this one?
Next: The Fox and the Hound. I’m already crying. Surrounding the friendship and eventual betrayal between animal friends Tod and Copper, this Disney movie is a doozy. As babies, Tod and Copper transcend their roles as predator and prey long enough to become proverbial partners. That partnership is eventually broken though, when Copper leans into his hound dog instincts and turns against Tod the fox – breaking our hearts in the process.
Another Disney joint, how could we forget about Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey? Sometimes I’ll watch the film’s final scene just to feel something — and so should you, you cynical old scrooge. Following the adventures of Chance, Shadow, and Sassy as they find their way back to family, Homeward Bound is way too real. In the photo above, we find Shadow collapsed in a muddy pit. Old, tired, and unable to get up, Shadow tells his animal friends to go on without him.
As a moment that exists to teach kids about the importance of letting go, it’s unmatched. I really only have one question: what’s with all these kids movies and mud?
Last but not least: The Land Before Time. I won’t even go into much detail on this one. It’s about an ensemble of baby dinosaurs and their journey to “the Great Valley,” but more than that, it’s the first on-screen death I ever got to see.
Even before Mufasa bit the dust in The Lion King, I was watching Little Foot’s mother die protecting her son. It speaks to a parent’s love for their children, and articulates the more etherial aspects of death in a way that kids can understand. In truth, scenes like these are as responsible for my perspectives now as they were way back when I was kid — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Just don’t get me started on The Dark Crystal.
