21 Most Traumatizing Kids Movies for Halloween 2024

Remember that time when you were young, snuggling up for a cozy feel-good animation before your 8PM bedtime with your cocoa and your hot water bottle, and suddenly you’re watching a man being dragged to hell by demonic forces? Or when you had to watch Mufasa get trampled to death by a herd of buffalo so Simba could learn how to eat bugs… or something. Yup, beneath the pretty colors and cute animal side-kicks, a lot of supposed “kids” movies were basically nightmare fuel with a bow on top.

So, in honor of the spooky season, let’s relive that trauma, shall we? And definitely not pass it on to the next generation. We wouldn’t do that. That doesn’t sound like us at all.

Warning: This post contains spoilers. Lots of them.

21 most traumatizing kids movies

The Black Cauldron (1985)

After a chaotic test screening resulted in hordes of crying children and upset parents storming out of the theater, the theatrical version of this 1985 classic had to be cut down by 12 minutes. The result? 

Well between the menacing Horned King, Gurgi’s sacrifice, and the Cauldron-born, there’s still plenty of horrific moments that probably made you wake up your parents in the middle of the night.

Which begs the question, what the hell was in those 12 minutes of removed footage?

Anastasia (1997)

This was a favorite of mine growing up, along with the spin-off of Rasputin’s (not so) evil henchman, Bartok the bat.

Still, the way Rasputin met his end was… intense.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

This one always makes me a little sad. Harkening back to the classic hand-drawn style of the golden-age of Disney movies, I, like most people, found myself hoping it would usher in a renaissance of traditionally animated films. But despite largely positive reviews from critics, it underperformed.

And honestly I don’t know why. Amazing characters, hilarious moments, and one of the best villain songs since Ursula.

I guess watching Dr. Facilier getting dragged unceremoniously to hell by his “friends” left a lasting impression on everyone’s mind.

 

The Witches (1990)

Roald Dahl just knew how to thread the needle perfectly between grotesque and heart-warming. 

The 1990’s adaptation of The Witches leaned all the way into the former, with one of the most terrifying transformation sequences caught on camera. You know. For the children.

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

You know the scene I mean. RIP Artax.

Watership Down (1978)

Did anyone else’s mom come home from the video store with a nice movie about bunnies for the little ones? For many, this is the quintessential traumatizing kids movies.

Watch back to back with Happy Tree Friends or Grave of the Fireflies for a day of family fun.

Return to Oz (1985)

This was a weird one. While The Wizard of Oz had its fair share of on-set horrors, the sequel was a bull-blown horror film.

It starts off with Dorothy being committed to a psychiatric hospital and receiving electro-shock therapy. It only gets worse from there. Some highlights include a headless princess that keeps children’s heads and a manic gang called the Wheelers. Not quite the whimsical follow-up we were expecting.

The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

That clown. That goddamned clown.

The Secret of NIMH (1982)

It’s been a while since I’ve seen this one, and I can’t remember what exactly it was that freaked me out so much as a child. The rats?

Anyway, I did some digging and it turns out I’m far from alone.

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

The scene where Todd gets white-fanged breaks my heart to this day. 

The Dark Crystal (1982)

I could blame the stabbings and pets getting thrown into a pit of fire. But you know the truth. Those puppets were creepy AF.

All Dogs go to Heaven (1989)

Of course, the hell sequence was truly horrifying, but the real impact came from that ending.

The saddest thing about it is the tragic death of Judith Barsi, the 10 year old actress voicing Anne-Marie. The scene where Charlie says goodbye was recorded after her death, and it allegedly took Burt Reynolds almost 70 takes to deliver the emotional scene.

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

I loved this movie as a kid. Still do actually. Ratigan was an amazing villain, and his transformation in the climactic battle atop Big Ben showed the thinly veiled beast that was always lurking beneath. Deliciously vulgar.

Pinocchio (1940)

So the “stupid little boys” get taken to “pleasure island”, and they never come back… as boys…

How long has this been going on, Hollywood?

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

The creepy child-catcher had me making (and wetting) my bed for weeks.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Gene Wilder was amazing as the titular Willy Wonka. He also gave me an irrational fear of going through a tunnel on a boat and getting turned into a blueberry.

Coraline (2009)

Imagine finding a door to your perfect life. And all you need to do to stay there is give up your eyes for a fashionable set of buttons (any color you like). 

The entire world in this movie feels like a coked-up liminal space.

I love this movie.

The Land Before Time (1988)

Damnit Don Bluth, this is your fourth film on the list! Who hurt you?

We’ve seen kids lose parents in movies before; Bambi, the Lion King, Frozen. But none of them hit quite as hard as seeing Littlefoot lose his mother and having to go it alone. A terrifying prospect for any child.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

This movie put so much anxiety in my little prepubescent body. First, the scene where Sassy falls into a river and gets pulled over the waterfall, then that ending. Why’d you have to do us like that? I need a nap just thinking about it.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

The face melting scene in Raiders left a dent on my young mind. Then for the sequel, they decided to take it up about ten notches with a death cult. Anyone notice the human skins in the background?

Jumanji (1995)

The idea of getting pulled into a terrifying world where you’re constantly fighting for your life as a kid, and then by the time you come back everyone you loved is gone is… unsettling, to say the least.

Also, the hunter trying to kill you looks just like your father. That one’s gonna take a while to unpack.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

I was not a kid when I saw this. Also, probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “traumatizing kids movies”. And yet, here we are. F*ck you, Lotso.

Conclusion: Most Traumatizing Kids Movies

So there you have it, 21 of the most traumatizing kids movies (in no particular order).

Let me know if I missed any movies that scarred you for life!