Classic scary films; 'The Exorcist', 'Halloween', 'The Little Mermaid'?!
Forget what you thought you knew about horror and cast your mind back to those 'innocent' Disney films that warped your young fragile minds as a child. Sure Disney seems all cute and light but underneath the bright colours and catchy sing-a-longs, there are some darker moments that seem surprisingly messed up in retrospect. Damn you Walt!
Let's take a look back then at some of the scariest moments conjured up by the freaky House of Mouse, starting with my favourite Disney film, 'The Lion King'.
The Lion King (1994)
The story of Simba growing up to reclaim his kingdom from evil uncle Scar is one of the most successful Disney films of all time and for good reason. Full of catchy songs and loveable characters, 'The Lion King' is simply amazing but for anyone who's seen this classic animation, there is one scene in particular that always stays in your mind long after the credits have rolled.
The stampede!
Jesus effing Christ, that moment when Simba is left alone in the canyon and calls out for his dead father is just horrendous. And the look on Simba's face as Mufasa gets dragged away haunted me as a kid. Harrowing stuff!
And don't get me started on the Elephant Graveyard.
You know what Scar? You can keep all the shitty parts which the light doesn't touch! Enjoy!
The Little Mermaid (1989)
'The Little Mermaid 'is one of the all-time best Disney films and revitalised the studio after some of its poorer efforts from the 70s and early 80s. So why exactly does it rank alongside 'The Exorcist' and 'Halloween' as one of the scariest films ever made? Ok, so I may have exaggerated slightly but you know what? Ursula is one scary mutha!
Her deranged look and monstrous appeal rank Ursula as one of the best Disney villains of all time but what makes her so scary to me is how she punishes the mermaids and mermen (?) who oppose her.
What the bloody hell are they!? Those poor unfortunate souls. Their creepy little faces scared the crap out of me when I was younger. Watch Ursula transform the poor buggers here.
Pinocchio (1940)
While 'Pinocchio' might not be one of my favourites from the old-school run of classic Disney, it is easily one of the creepiest films ever made by the studio. From the awful kidnapping to the insanely huge and terrifying whale, 'Pinocchio' has more than its fair share of messed up moments.
For me however, the most freaky section of the film is where Pinocchio is lured onto Pleasure Island with all the other boys, where they are allowed to cause havoc and be as bad as they wish.
Just as they are all having fun, trashing the place and having cigars (!?), the large entrance doors are ominously closed by dark faceless figures. It turns out that all the boys have been trapped there and are being turned into donkeys as part of a slave force for the men who oversee the island.
As if this wasn't disturbing enough, Pinocchio's friend then begins transforming into a jackass before his very eyes!
No animation studio would be able to get away with these levels of creepiness anymore! The worst part for me is when you see the shadow of the boy as his body transforms. Freaky Disney!
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
From an early Disney classic to one of their best recent efforts, 'The Princess and the Frog' is a brilliant return to form for the studio and managed to show cinema-goers that 2D animation still has its place in film. The ending where a main character dies is pretty heartwrenching but my favourite scene in the whole film is where the villain Dr Facilier is properly introduced, AKA 'The Shadow Man'.
Some of the voodoo shit he comes out with is really freaky, with possessed masks and spirits flying around the place as his shadow dances and moves on its own. True to Disney though, the scare factor is lessened somewhat by the catchy tune, 'Friends On The Other Side', which accompanies the scene. Still has some surprisingly dark imagery though.
Gotta get me one of those masks!
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
In a similar way to 'Pinocchio', this old Disney film seems innocent but has a number of creepy ass scenes spread throughout its slim running time. The scariness of 'Sleeping Beauty' is all down to one iconic villain, Maleficent, who is arguably one of the best antagonists of all time.
Maleficent is so good that a live action film is even being made about her, starring Angelina Jolie as the bony old witch. Not the biggest stretch...
How many Disney villains can say that eh? So screw you Jafar! Ahem. Anyway, I love how Maleficent transforms into a scary-ass dragon at the end and her entrance at the beginning is equally chilling but I think the creepiest moment of 'Sleeping Beauty' is in the final stretch, when Maleficent puts Aurora under her spell, luring the princess to her doom.
Aargh the fireplace! What did Aurora ever do to that old hag anyway? Seriously!
So there you have it! While these films may not exactly freak you out to the point of mental illness, I think you'll agree that Disney can be pretty messed up, considering its target audience! If you think I missed out any major scary Disney scenes or just if you want to discuss your particular favourite, then don't forget to comment and share below. Happy halloween!
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