By this point, we are all aware that Disney likes to sneak some fun adult references into
their films, but did you ever realize just how disturbing and potentially scarring some
of their movies actually are?
For this list we are taking a deep dive into some of the most messed up Disney movies of
all that likely had a serious emotional impact on people.
Enjoy the video and let us know what you think and before you leave be sure to subscribe
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Here are 10 Disturbing Disney Movies We Didn’t Realize Scarred Us For Life
The Lion King This is truly one of the greatest movies that
Disney has ever made with a compelling plot, interesting characters and truly addicting
songs.
That being said, The Lion King also features one of the most heart breaking and scarring
movie moments of all time.
When Mufasa is trampled to death in the stampede, we are crushed.
But when Simba is trying to wake up his father while he lies dead in front of him – well,
that’s one moment that just changes you.
This was likely a lot of kids first experience seeing a major emotional death in a movie
and for those who were old enough to understand it, it definitely left some wounds.
Luckily, the creators of The Lion King added in Hakuna Matata to distract audience members
from the horrific tragedy they had just witnessed!
Finding Nemo Finding Nemo is fan favorite and the movie
was so loved that even over a decade later fans were begging for a sequel.
However, while this underwater adventure might seem like a heart-warming story for the whole
family to enjoy – it’s actually much darker than that!
Once you stop and think you realize that Finding Nemo is actually the terrifying story of a
weak father fish who is unable to prevent his wife and unborn children from being brutally
murdered in a vicious home invasion.
Then, the child who does survive (Nemo) is left with a disability from the attack and
is then kidnapped and taken to a very hostile environment.
If this exact story was told with humans instead of adorable animals, we have to think there
would be a lot of parents that wouldn’t have let their kids watch!
The Little Mermaid Here is one movie whose messages have angered
people for a long time now.
In The Little Mermaid Ariel basically makes a deal with the devil as she quite literally
trade away her voice (and agency) for the chance of being with some dude.
Voiceless and helpless, she instantly becomes a perfect match for Prince Eric – that’s
a pretty strange message to send to kids…
If that wasn't bad enough, Ariel has to literally change herself for love as she transforms
from a mermaid into a human.
This movie, while admittedly a lot of fun, sends some pretty backwards messages about
gender roles and patriarchy and we have to hope that young girls don’t look up to Princess
Ariel too much!
Pinocchio Look, Pinocchio is a super weird movie, but
have you ever realized how actually messed up a lot of the stuff in the film really is.
For starters, the film is full of child abductions and no one really seems to mind.
These kidnapped children are then taken to a place called Pleasure Island, which is a
creepy name for reasons we need not explain!
Then, on this island, the kids drink, smoke and then are turned into donkeys for their
supposed sins.
Then, after all that weirdness, the donkey kids are then sold into slavery and forced
to work in the salt mines for the rest of their days.
Kids may have not totally picked up on the bizarre storyline here but anyone who did
was definitely left with feeling totally weirded out.
Bambi Arguably the most traumatizing moment in Disney’s
cinematic history is the death of Bambi’s mother.
Although it was created over 70 years ago, that devastating scene still packs a powerful,
gut wrenching punch as we learn that a deer hunter has killed Bambi’s mother.
Although the actual shooting happens off-screen, many generations of kids list that moment
as scarring for their childhood.
The moment that really pulls at your heartstrings is when Bambi is yelling “Mother, Mother…”
and you have to just sit there knowing that she is already dead.
This scene is right up there with Mufasa’s death from The Lion King and definitely makes
you wonder why Disney likes making us cry so damn much!
Pocahontas This Disney classic may have taught kids to
paint with the colors of the wind, but it also promoted some other pretty questionable
messages.
Pocahontas completely white-washes the story of a 16-year-old girl who gets kidnapped by
a group of conquerors and leaves out a lot of the slaughter and subjugation that took
place.
Then, the movie goes on to suggest that the only way Pocahontas is able to escape imprisonment
is by marrying one of the men who attacked her people.
This definitely is not a good message to send to kids and we have to think that impressionable
youngsters in the audience left feeling very confused.
Hopefully, all of the fun songs and talking animals were able to distract kids from the
truly scarring material.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame The Hunchback of Notre Dame isn’t the most
popular Disney movie of all time but it does in fact tell a pretty great story.
Perhaps one reason why the movie never became super famous is due to one particular scene
that definitely scarred viewers.
Quasimodo is undoubtedly an outsider in the film and to get this point across the movie
presented a scene where the character was literally tied down and pelted with vegetables
in the middle of the town.
Watching this scene as a kid, you may have not thought much of it but looking back now
it’s so brutal that we have to question Disney’s choice to include it in the film.
Toy Story 3 There is no denying that Toy Story 3 is a
masterpiece and it definitely one of the greatest animated movies ever made.
The film is full of all your favorite characters, a wild story and some pretty great references
too.
Unfortunately, the ending of this movie is one of the most emotionally scarring third
acts we’ve ever seen.
If your entire childhood didn’t flash before your eyes when the beloved team of toys was
about to fall into the incinerator, you may have no heart (or you are just too young to
have this hit you in the feels!).
On top of that horrifying moment, the movie also closes up with a final scene that shows
Andy giving away his toys and his youth and anyone in the crowd who grew up watching Woody
and the gang was definitely left with tears streaming down their face.
Inside Out Although it was billed as a kid’s movie,
Inside Out is one of the most complex and mature films that Disney has ever made.
Yes, the movie a lot of fun but it also deals with some pretty serious stuff like the emotional
well being of kids going through a rough time.
Such an honest depiction of a kids struggle likely left a lot of the parents in the audience
with a case of the feels.
On top of that, there was one moment that was truly emotionally scarring for everyone
watching Inside Out and that was when the imaginary friend Bing Bong sacrificed his
life in the name of Riley’s happiness.
This moment, while beautiful, was truly heart wrenching – especially for anyone in the
audience who grew up with an imaginary friend!
Beauty and The Beast With the new live action adaptation of Beauty
and The Beast dominating the news, it’s due time to take a closer look at the famous
and really think about just how messed up and potentially scarring it is.
First of all, Belle basically develops Stockholm Syndrome by falling in love with her captor,
the Beast.
On top of that, The Beast is verbally abusive to Belle for the entire film and also uses
a lot of physical threats against her and her family.
But, for some reason, Belle keeps on coming back to him.
While Disney claims this sends a message of “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”
we have to think that it also puts a weirdly positive spin on very abusive relationship.
And that wraps up our list of 10 Disturbing Disney Movies We Didn’t Realize Scarred
Us For Life.
Which one of these films left you feeling a little messed up?
Which other Disney movies do you think scarred kids?
Let us know all your thoughts in the comments section below and be sure to subscribe to
CBR for more fun videos – like this one!