Top 10 Films We Can't Believe We Watched as Kids
#10: “Coraline” (2009)
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Buttons for eyes? No thanks. Based on the 2002 novel of the same name, “Coraline” is just one of those kids movies that’s tailor-made to give you nightmares. We’re sure you all remember it just fine - yes, we all share the same trauma - but, in case you don’t, we’ll give you a refresher. Our protagonist, Coraline, wishes she had adults around who cared about her more. This wish is ultimately granted when she discovers a portal to a parallel universe. As is the narrative standard, there’s always a catch. Unsurprisingly, there’s something more sinister at play in this world - and we’re not just talking about the button eyes! The movie is also comprised of stop-motion animation, which perfectly fits its creepy vibe.
#9: “All Dogs Go to Heaven” (1989)
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Dogs are great. It’s hard to imagine wanting to see anything bad happen to them – which is what makes this next movie so difficult to watch. Don Bluth’s “All Dogs Go to Heaven” follows Charlie, a dog whose life is taken by his best dog friend. That’s already wild as it is, but then Charlie decides to cheat death so he can return to earth and murder his murderer. Yeah, dark stuff. The movie is actually quite poignant and has a lot of say about the nature of life and death – but it’s still a tough pill to swallow either way when you’re about ten years old. There’s one sequence in particular, where Charlie dreams about Hell, that still gives us nightmares to this very day.
#8: “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968)
You probably associate Roald Dahl with a lot of your favorite kids books – “The Big Friendly Giant,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and “Matilda”, to name a few. You can also probably draw a line directly back to him from the things that scared you most as a child – including this movie. Dahl co-wrote the screenplay for “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” and while we have no proof, the Child Catcher feels like something straight out of his brain. “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” has some normal, family-friendly musical moments, but the Child Catcher totally scared the ever-loving “chitty” out of us when we were kids!
#7: “Stand By Me” (1986)
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This film is a wonderful coming of age movie. Having said that, it might be best to wait a little while before you show it to your kids. “Stand By Me” follows four boys who set out looking for a dead body, hoping it will garner them some positive attention from their town. The movie explores themes of death, growing up, and friendship, and has some genuinely beautiful moments between the four boys on their adventure. But, the moment where they actually discover the body is quite jarring, and definitely had us losing sleep after we saw it. Again, this is a great movie that deserves to be seen – maybe just at a bit of an older age.
#6: “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
Harrison Ford! Adventure! Historical relics! What could go wrong? The first installment in the Indiana Jones franchise is one of the best films to come out of the past 50 years. It may offer swashbuckling adventures for viewers of all ages, but it certainly has its fair share of scarring moments too. Throughout the film, Indy is trying to recover the ancient Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do. The Nazis eventually take hold of the Ark and open it to discover its power – much to their detriment. The level of face-melting that takes place on screen is kind of crazy, even for those of us years beyond our coloring book days. Let’s face it, though, we all watched this when we were way too young.
#5: “Return to Oz” (1985)
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The 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” is one of the most beloved children’s movies of all time. Sure, it has its scary moments but, for the most part, it introduces kids to a magical, colorful world of enchantment. If you don’t want to ruin that for yourself, we suggest skipping out on “Return to Oz.” In the movie, Dorothy finds herself in a very different, much more terrifying version of Oz. This Oz is ruled by the evil Nome King, and everything Dorothy remembers – the Yellow Brick Road, Emerald City, the lively citizens – has fallen into ruin. And it’s not just Oz that’s scary, no. The film opens with Dorothy in a sanitarium because her aunt and uncle don’t believe her stories about Oz. Big yikes all around.
#4: “Gremlins” (1984)
Christmas is usually a time of cheer… Usually. And, while the gremlins in this movie might start out as cute little furby-looking things, they certainly don’t end up that way. This 1984 classic follows Billy, who receives a very unusual, very alive present from his father for Christmas. He names the creature Gizmo, and his father tells him three very specific rules for Gizmo’s care. No light, no water, and absolutely NO feeding after midnight. Of course, rules end up broken and Gizmo and his ilk end up terrorizing the town over the holidays. These cute little guys quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
#3: “Pinocchio” (1940)
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Disney sure has a knack for inadvertently scaring kids out of their wits, and “Pinocchio” is probably its worst offender. The story of a puppet who wants to be a real boy is known to all, but we, for one, have blocked out the more terrifying details of this 1940 children’s film. Throughout the course of the movie, one of Pinocchio’s adventures takes him to Pleasure Island. At Pleasure Island, little boys are allowed to drink, smoke, and gamble. As if that’s not enough, the island is also cursed. In a horrifying sequence, the boys are turned into donkeys and sold off to work in salt mines. There’s also a monstrous whale, fittingly named Monstro of all things, at the end of this movie. You know, for kids.
#2: “Watership Down” (1978)
Most people love rabbits. If that’s how you feel about the cuddly little animals, we suggest you skip this one. “Watership Down” follows a group of rabbits on their search for a new home. Along the way, they face peril, destruction, and death (yep, death for the kiddos, why not!). The film might be animated, but that doesn’t stop it from feeling nauseatingly realistic. “Watership Down” has it all – blood, guts, and violence galore. The contrast between the gore on screen and the 2D animation style is really difficult to reconcile. More than anything, the film is just extremely unsettling – and we’re saying that as adults. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Brave Little Toaster” (1987) This One Made Us So Sad for Inanimate Objects “Beetlejuice” (1988) Don’t Say His Name! “The Witches” (1990) Roald Dahl Strikes Yet Again “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” (1988) Judge Doom’s Death Haunts Us To This Day “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) Again with the Stop Motion - When Will It End?!
#1: “Labyrinth” (1986)
With muppets creator Jim Henson and “Star Wars” creator George Lucas at its helm, you might think that “Labyrinth” would be perfect for kids. Think again! In the film, Sarah (played by a young Jennifer Connelly) wishes that her baby brother would disappear. The Goblin King – played by David Bowie – suddenly appears and makes her wish come true. He gives her 13 hours to find and save her brother but, to do so, Sarah has to solve horrifying riddle after horrifying riddle. Some of the visuals are absolutely petrifying, solidifying this movie as one of the craziest we ever watched as kids.
