25 creepy kid’s films that absolutely wrecked our childhood
[Photos by: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Coraline, Watership Down, The NeverEnding Story]

25 creepy kid's films that absolutely wrecked our childhood

Warning: These films may feature violence, blood, death and other triggering content.

They sure don’t make them like they used to, and maybe that’s a good thing. Between the dark animation or complex, haunting themes, these “kid” films never should have been marketed to children in the first place. These bad boys gave us nightmares well into our teen years; however, they still somehow managed to linger in our hearts (and dreams) years later. From Tim Burton to Hayao Miyazaki, here are the 25 films that absolutely wrecked our innocence.

Read more: ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ Funkos are coming just in time for Halloween

  1. Coraline (2009)

Directed by Henry Selick, this stop-motion had all of the right ingredients to make one of the most lovable nightmares of all time. Creating another world that taught viewers that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, Coraline’s ghastly aura and plot had us waking up at three in the morning to double check that our mother didn’t have buttons for eyes…just in case.

  1. Watership Down (1978)



Marketed as a “fun and cute adventure film about bunnies,”
Watership Down features a warren of rabbits literally ripping each other’s throats out. Based on the best-selling novel by Richard Adams, the film was rated “U,” which is equivalent to a U.S. “G.” We call bullshit. Additionally, the film contains themes relating to communism, anti-semitism, religion and the afterlife—that’s a lot for a kid to digest. Sure, this film gave us nightmares as kids, but its impeccable animation and storyline make Watership Down a mature classic worthy of so much more than its dark reputation.

  1. The NeverEnding Story (1984)

The NeverEnding Story did NOT have to go that hard, but it did. Setting all of the creepy characters and suspenseful storyline to the side, this film was downright heart-wrenching. We aren’t going to say anything about that “one scene” with that “one horse,” but we can still feel it over 20 years later.

  1. Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)

OK, this one is clearly not a children’s film, but if you were a die-hard anime kid you probably ventured out and immediately regretted watching this devastating movie. Discussing themes pertaining to the havoc of war and loss, Grave Of The Fireflies could leave you feeling empty and downright awful for weeks.

  1. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

This classic made its way into our little emo hearts and never left. A co-creation from Tim Burton and Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas either left you terrified of Santa or in love with an animated skeleton. There was no in-between.

  1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

This alien archetype was one of the pioneering kid’s films of the ’80s. That doesn’t make it any less creepy, though.

  1. The Brave Little Toaster (1987)



What could be so scary about a film about house appliances that come to life in search of their missing owner? Literally nothing, right? Right? Wrong. This movie has a suicidal air conditioner, for crying out loud. How did that get past multiple administrators and higher-ups? This shit may be the darkest Disney movie of all time, and it should absolutely be regarded as such.

  1. The Plague Dogs (1982)

From the same author and animation studio that brought you the magic of Watership Down comes The Plague Dogs. This inspirational storyline follows the adventure of two dogs that escape an animal testing ward and are believed to be infected with the black plague. With the U.S. military hot on their trail, the dogs find solitude in each other. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. Literally everything goes wrong in this movie.

  1. The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)



Based on the best-selling series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi,
The Spiderwick Chronicles had just enough creepy undertones to send kids into a mythical world of spooky happenstance.

  1. Beetlejuice (1988)

From beloved director Tim Burton, Beetlejuice quickly became an all-time classic. This ghost story sparked dozens of sleepless sleepovers and daunting double dares. We never once admitted we were scared shitless to say “Beetlejuice” three times in the mirror, though.

  1. Corpse Bride (2005)



Another quintessential Tim Burton film,
The Corpse Bride was every goth kid’s picture-perfect vision of love in the mid-2000s. To everyone else, however, it was nothing short of macabre.

  1. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

You would think that the first color movie of all time would pick a little more light-hearted subject matter. Instead, this chaotic film gave us flying monkeys and the Wicked Witch of the West. While attributing more than a few cruel production qualities, the film additionally garnered many dark conspiracy theories—all of which don’t make The Wizard Of Oz any less grim.

  1. Dumbo (1941)



The rest of 
Dumbo was fine, but this scene in particular was the weirdest thing we had ever seen at age 5. It’s no wonder Tim Burton was chosen to do the remake.

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  1. The Secret Of NIMH (1982)



From the same guy who brought us the wholesome series that was 
The Land Before Time, The Secret of NIMH was no cutesy talking-animal movie. Instead, the gloomy animation terrified us for a good chunk of our childhood. Packed with violence and a damn satanic owl, The Secret Of NIMH haunts us to this day.

  1. Labyrinth (1986)



Leave it to David Bowie to act in one of the creepiest children’s films of all time. Everything about this film was downright terrifying.

  1. All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)



One of the most beloved children’s films of all time could have also been your introduction to sinning. From alcoholic and gambling themes to escaping doggie death row and the dark depiction of burning hell,
All Dogs Go To Heaven was a little too real. Plus, the ending made us cry.

  1. The Last Unicorn (1982)



Based on a unicorn who believes to be the last, the plot follows the mythical creature on a journey to find others of her kind. In the process, the unicorn is turned into a human to escape a killer bull, falls in love and forgets where she came from and her sole purpose. This movie was one giant mind-fuck that terrified the shit out of us.

  1. Spirited Away (2001)

This Hayao Miyazaki masterpiece stole our hearts and our peaceful nights. Sure, the characters themselves are creepy, but the countless complex messages Miyazaki conveys in this film are the real things that keep us up at night.

  1. Gremlins (1984)

Gremlins’ special effects are enough to make us shiver even today. This movie is one big, giant “Nope!”

  1. The Addams Family (1991)



If you thought we were going to forget one of the most morbid families of all time, you were dead wrong. (Pun intended.)

  1. Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

The adaptation of this beloved children’s book left parents angry and concerned for their children. It comes as no surprise that many parents began reporting that their children started experiencing nightmares because of the movie. The dark tale explores a lonely group of monsters looking for a higher power, in which the film’s child protagonist is unable to live up to. Talk about heavy.

  1. Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

We don’t even have to say it. You already know.

  1. Charlotte’s Web (1973)



As soon as we came around to the idea of a spider in the role of a mother figure, Charlotte had to go and die on us. But it’s fine.

  1. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

We’re not sure who OK’d Ray Bradbury’s twisted tale to be made into a Disney movie, but regardless, it happened. While the film was watered down significantly to cater to a younger audience, it still had some gruesome scenes atypical of most Disney movies. No wonder this tanked at the box office.

  1. The Witches (1990)

All we’re saying is that this scene where the witches rip off their own their face was totally David Lynch’s inspiration for Season 3 of Twin Peaks.