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20 Childhood Movies That Traumatized An Entire Generation

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - May 31st 2025, 00:00 GMT+2

Cropped the wizard of oz — The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Oh sure, *The Wizard of Oz* might be a dazzling Technicolor dream with Judy Garland crooning “Over the Rainbow,” but let’s not pretend this movie didn’t give us the heebie-jeebies. Those flying monkeys? Straight nightmare fuel. The Wicked Witch of the West? A green-skinned, broom-wielding terror with a scream that could shatter windows and childhoods alike. And don’t even get us started on the haunted forest and that suspiciously smiley wizard behind the curtain. Beneath the sparkle of the ruby slippers and the singalongs lies a psychological minefield disguised as a family musical. Sure, it’s a classic – but it’s also a masterclass in giving kids trust issues about both strangers and tornadoes. | © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Cropped pinocchio — Pinocchio (1940)

Geppetto wanted a real boy. What he got instead was the most harrowing morality tale ever committed to celluloid. *Pinocchio* is a rollercoaster of surreal punishments: naughty boys literally turning into donkeys, a looming whale named Monstro, and a cricket who is *way* too calm about all this. Poor Pinoke’s descent into Pleasure Island still haunts generations – Disney really said “act up and you’ll become livestock.” Even Jiminy Cricket, voiced with charm by Cliff Edwards, can’t soften the sheer dread of the transformations and the concept of being eternally wooden. Honestly, after watching this, telling lies seemed a lot scarier than just getting grounded. | © Walt Disney Productions

Cropped bambi — Bambi (1942)

Raise your hand if your first existential crisis involved a deer. *Bambi* starts gently, with woodland creatures frolicking and Thumper teaching us how to ice skate. Then… the gunshot. That single moment – when Bambi’s mother dies offscreen – crushed spirits globally and introduced kids to grief *way* ahead of schedule. Disney pulled no punches, and the trauma still lingers like a phantom limb. Voice talents like Donnie Dunagan as Bambi and Peter Behn as Thumper brought innocent joy to the screen, only to be eclipsed by raw tragedy. Beautiful? Yes. Traumatizing? Also yes. This was many children’s first emotional gut-punch, courtesy of a forest fire and a hunter we never even see. | © Walt Disney Productions

Cropped Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

There’s whimsical, and then there’s Gene Wilder *locking children in candy-coated torture chambers* whimsical. *Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory* starts out like a sugary dream, but quickly descends into psychedelic dread as one bratty kid after another is eliminated in ways that feel a little too tailored – and permanent. Augustus in the chocolate river? Violet swelling up like a blueberry? Veruca’s swan dive into the garbage? Kids’ fates were sealed with Oompa Loompa ditties and moral judgment so heavy-handed you could spread it on toast. Wilder is delightfully unhinged, dancing between charming and sociopathic with masterful ease. And don’t even pretend you weren’t scarred by that tunnel scene. It’s not a boat ride, it’s a descent into the subconscious of a madman. | © Paramount Pictures

Watership Down (1978)

The opening credits say “animated film about rabbits,” but *Watership Down* is not here to coddle you. It’s here to destroy you. Within minutes, fluffy bunnies are dealing with death, prophecy, fascism, and full-on bloodshed. This British fever dream, based on the novel by Richard Adams, takes what should’ve been a pastoral romp and injects it with enough existential horror to make Sartre blink. With the likes of John Hurt and Richard Briers voicing our doomed fluffballs, the film plays out like a war movie disguised as a nature documentary – if the nature in question had a body count and screaming rabbits. There’s no moral sugarcoating here. Just fear, violence, and a sense of creeping doom wrapped in a soft watercolor style. | © Nepenthe Productions

Cropped the fox and the hound — The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Disney really woke up one day and decided, “Let’s emotionally wreck some kids.” *The Fox and the Hound* starts off with adorable baby animals – Tod, the fox, and Copper, the hound – cuddling and playing like they're in a Pinterest board of woodland besties. Then, BAM: life, prejudice, and mortality crash in like a freight train. The once-inseparable duo is torn apart by the cruel realities of society, hunting culture, and a growing-up arc that feels like it was written by someone still bitter about a lost friendship. Kurt Russell voices grown-up Copper with a mix of warmth and regret, while Mickey Rooney lends his charm to Tod – both actors delivering way more emotional nuance than we were ready for. By the time the forest fire hits, you’re not just crying – you’re sobbing into your Fruit Loops. | © Walt Disney Productions

Cropped the secret of nimh — The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Don Bluth didn’t come to play – he came to ruin your trust in mice and science forever. *The Secret of NIMH* is dark, intense, and full of moments that make you question everything you thought you knew about animated animals. When Mrs. Brisby, voiced with grace by Elizabeth Hartman, seeks to save her sick son, she dives headfirst into a terrifying underworld of genetically modified rats, glowing amulets, and government lab secrets that feel one step away from *The X-Files*. And then there's Nicodemus – old, mysterious, and creepy enough to make even a candlelit reading scene feel like a séance. Oh, and let’s not forget Jeremy the crow, voiced by Dom DeLuise, who’s supposed to be comic relief… and yet only makes things more unsettling somehow. | © Aurora Productions

Cropped the neverending story — The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Who knew a movie with a luckdragon would scar us more than any horror flick? *The NeverEnding Story* is a fantasy epic that throws kids into a whirlwind of crumbling worlds, disappearing friends, and existential dread wrapped in a magical book. Atreyu, played by Noah Hathaway, becomes our brave hero, but not even his brooding intensity can shield us from the emotional trauma of Artax sinking in the Swamp of Sadness. Like, seriously – who approved that scene?! Add in a haunting performance by Tami Stronach as the Childlike Empress and that eyeball-covered rock-monster thing (The Gmork!), and you’ve got a surreal nightmare dressed as a fairy tale. The title promised this story would never end, and it didn’t – because the trauma stayed with us for life. | © New Constantin Film

Cropped gremlins — Gremlins (1984)

It starts with a cute, wide-eyed furball named Gizmo and ends with carnage, blender deaths, and a kitchen full of tiny murderers. *Gremlins* taught kids an important lesson: always read the care instructions. Zach Galligan plays Billy, the teen who just wanted a cool pet and ended up babysitting chaos incarnate. Phoebe Cates also steals scenes as his love interest, especially when she drops that infamous story about her dad and the chimney (honestly, *what was that?!*). This film juggles slapstick and sheer terror with such dizzying glee, it left kids laughing one minute and sleeping with a nightlight the next. Cute? Yes. Family-friendly? Only if your family enjoys mayhem and scaly creatures in Santa hats. | © Warner Bros.

Cropped return to oz — Return to Oz (1985)

Filed under “sequels that should come with a therapist’s business card,” *Return to Oz* took the whimsical Oz we knew and loved and threw it down a psychological rabbit hole. Dorothy, now played by a young Fairuza Balk, gets electroshock therapy within the first 10 minutes. Casual! From there, it’s off to a dystopian Emerald City ruled by a head-swapping queen (Mombi), a screaming hallway of heads, and the Wheelers – creatures so creepy they made even Tim Burton flinch. The movie’s tone is bleak, the visuals are haunting, and somehow Tik-Tok the robot is still less weird than everything else. You came expecting Technicolor joy, but ended up in a surreal horror fantasy with claymation nightmares. Welcome back to Oz, I guess? | © Walt Disney Pictures

Cropped labyrinth — Labyrinth (1986)

On paper, *Labyrinth* sounds magical: a girl journeys through a fantastical maze to rescue her baby brother. What they left out was that the maze is ruled by David Bowie in glam-goblin drag, and everything from talking doorknobs to singing trash heaps might be a metaphor for growing up way too fast. Jennifer Connelly stars as Sarah, a teen navigating a dreamscape that’s equal parts Muppets and mind games. Jim Henson’s puppets? Brilliantly weird. Bowie’s tights? Etched permanently into your psyche. The whole film has this fever-dream energy that makes you question whether you were watching a fantasy or just hallucinating after eating too many Fruit Roll-Ups. Either way, good luck sleeping after that MC Escher staircase scene. | © TriStar Pictures

Cropped the brave little toaster — The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

If you thought a movie about small appliances couldn’t wreck you emotionally, you clearly never watched *The Brave Little Toaster*. This ragtag crew of household objects – led by a very anxious toaster – embarks on a harrowing journey to reunite with their owner. Sounds cute, until you meet the homicidal air conditioner voiced by Phil Hartman, the junkyard scene with a singing, seriously depressed car, and the vacuum’s nervous breakdown. It’s basically *Toy Story*'s nihilistic older cousin who’s seen some things and isn’t afraid to show the scars. With voices from the likes of Jon Lovitz (as the high-strung radio), the film juggles existential dread, abandonment, and electrical horror – all under the disguise of family entertainment. | © Hyperion Pictures

Cropped who framed roger rabbit — Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

This one lured us in with zany cartoons and then blindsided us with nightmares. *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* is a noir mystery where animated characters and real humans coexist… barely. Bob Hoskins, bless him, plays private eye Eddie Valiant with all the weary disbelief you’d expect from a man surrounded by homicidal toons. But the true menace here is Judge Doom, played by Christopher Lloyd, who melts cartoon characters in vats of “Dip” and turns into a red-eyed shrieking demon with a cartoon voice and a vendetta. Jessica Rabbit may have been “just drawn that way,” but Doom is pure nightmare fuel. It’s chaotic brilliance, equal parts Looney Tunes and Lynchian fever dream. | © Touchstone Pictures

Cropped the land before time — The Land Before Time (1988)

Ah yes, the prehistoric tear-jerker that taught a whole generation about death *before* they even learned long division. *The Land Before Time* follows little orphaned dino, Littlefoot, after his mom is tragically taken out by a T-Rex and an earthquake – because just one trauma wasn’t enough. Along with pals like Cera (voiced by Candace Hutson) and Ducky (“Yep, yep, yep!”), he embarks on a dangerous journey that somehow made extinction seem like the *least* stressful part. Executive produced by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, the film serves up heartbreak with a side of beautifully animated despair. Let’s be honest, the Great Valley was never going to be enough to fill the void in our tiny hearts. | © Universal Pictures

The witches 1990 msn — The Witches (1990)

Here’s a fun one: a movie where witches hate children so much, they literally turn them into mice. *The Witches*, based on Roald Dahl’s book, stars Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch, and she doesn’t just steal the show – she *scorches* it. When she peels off her human mask to reveal a grotesque rat-like demon face, millions of children suddenly understood the meaning of true fear. Rowan Atkinson pops up as the hapless hotel manager, providing some comic relief in between the transformations and child-targeted genocide. It's stylish, British, and aggressively traumatizing – all the things you want in a childhood film, apparently. | © Warner Bros.

Cropped the nightmare before christmas — The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

It starts with a skeleton singing about Halloween and ends with kids questioning the entire concept of holidays. *The Nightmare Before Christmas*, produced by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, follows Jack Skellington – voiced with eerie elegance by Chris Sarandon (with Danny Elfman handling the hauntingly iconic singing voice) – as he kidnaps Santa Claus and nearly ruins Christmas. We were sold a festive musical, and what we got was a spooky stop-motion fever dream complete with child-snatching trick-or-treaters, stitched-up love interests, and a villain who is literally a sack full of bugs. It's gorgeous, it's genius, and it’s also the reason you hesitate around holiday decorations that move on their own. | © Touchstone Pictures

Pans Labyrinth — Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Let’s be honest – most of us weren’t quite sure if *Pan’s Labyrinth* was a fairy tale or just a cinematic punch to the soul. Guillermo del Toro masterfully lured us in with whimsical creatures and secret realms, only to hit us with fascist soldiers, child endangerment, and the Pale Man – aka “the eyeball-hand guy,” aka “the reason you still leave a light on.” Ivana Baquero plays Ofelia, whose journey through this dark fantasy world feels like a twisted rite of passage into despair. It’s the kind of movie that makes you question whether magic is a gift or a trauma response. Visually stunning, emotionally devastating, and deeply unforgettable. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

Cropped bridge to terabithia — Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

What started as a tale of imagination and treehouse kingdoms turned out to be a sneak attack on your tear ducts. *Bridge to Terabithia* stars Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb as two kids who escape the doldrums of real life by creating a fantasy world in the woods – until the story pulls the rug out with a tragic twist that still has viewers asking, “Wait, wasn’t this supposed to be fun?” Zooey Deschanel appears as the hip teacher, bringing a moment of levity to a film that spirals into childhood grief and guilt. Honestly, no one was ready. It was supposed to be *Narnia*, and we ended up sobbing into our Capri Suns. | © Walt Disney Pictures

Cropped coraline — Coraline (2009)

Let’s talk about buttons. Because after watching *Coraline*, you’ll never look at a sewing kit the same way again. Dakota Fanning voices Coraline, a plucky girl who stumbles into an alternate world that’s “better” in all the wrong ways – especially when her “Other Mother,” voiced with chilling precision by Teri Hatcher, offers to sew buttons over her eyes. Henry Selick returns to traumatize us again with his signature stop-motion nightmares, filling every frame with creepy-crawly unease. The animation is beautiful, the story is clever, and the horror is *very real –* especially for a movie marketed to children. Seriously, why do we let kids watch these things? | © Focus Features

Cropped toy story 3 — Toy Story 3 (2010)

Pixar really said, “Let’s end this trilogy with a full-on emotional breakdown.” *Toy Story 3* takes Woody, Buzz, and the gang to daycare – and eventually, toward an incinerator in one of the most terrifying scenes ever animated. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return to voice the iconic duo, and their chemistry is as charming as ever… right up until they join hands and prepare to face death in a fiery blaze. And just when you think the coast is clear, Andy gives away his toys and YOU cry like you’ve just lost your childhood, because you kind of have. It’s heartfelt, yes, but also a little like Pixar gently holding your face and whispering, “Time marches on and everything you love will change.” Thanks, I guess? | © Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios

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Not all childhood movies are filled with sunshine and rainbows. In fact, some of the most iconic films marketed to kids came with scenes so dark, intense, or emotionally scarring that they left a lasting mark. For an entire generation, these “family-friendly” classics caused nightmares, tears, and lifelong fears of shadows under the bed. Whether it was the heartbreaking death of a beloved character or a villain that seemed a little too real, these 20 movies pushed the boundaries of what was considered suitable for young audiences. Let’s revisit the films that traumatized us in our formative years — and still haunt us today.

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Not all childhood movies are filled with sunshine and rainbows. In fact, some of the most iconic films marketed to kids came with scenes so dark, intense, or emotionally scarring that they left a lasting mark. For an entire generation, these “family-friendly” classics caused nightmares, tears, and lifelong fears of shadows under the bed. Whether it was the heartbreaking death of a beloved character or a villain that seemed a little too real, these 20 movies pushed the boundaries of what was considered suitable for young audiences. Let’s revisit the films that traumatized us in our formative years — and still haunt us today.