Some of the most terrifying films out there are the ones considered “safe” for all ages
Growing up, I watched a lot of movies and many of them were rated G for "General Audiences." But some of them gave me the creeps more than rated R movies I wasn't supposed to be watching on premium channels.
A lot of the time, the most terrifying films out there are the ones that are considered “safe” for all ages. I mean, have you ever watched Disney's animated film Pinnochio?
The movie has human trafficking written all over it. Anyway, here's a list of 10 terrifying movies that somehow managed to keep a G rating.
The Secret of Nimh (1982)
This is one of Don Bluth's best work. It's a story based on Robert C. O’Brien’s 1971 children’s novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. This movie is creepy for nearly all 90 minutes of its viewing and it's even got animal experimentation thrown in the mix.
The Brave Little Toaster (1987)
Have you ever seen this traumatizing film? t’s about a group of abandoned appliances who seek to find purpose by finding the person who left them decades ago. Along the way, they almost get crushed at a scrap yard that murders beaten up cars. Yeah, you even have to watch the cars get killed, too.
Monsters Inc. (2001)
I mean, the whole point of this movie is to scare children, but that's not the scariest part.
It's a loveable tale about a couple of monsters who take care of a human toddler, and it also relies on the concept that the monsters under your bed are real. The scariest question about te film is what's the worse: the monsters or capitalism?
A Little Princess (1995)
Don't let the movie poster fool you. It's actually a morality tale about a privileged girl named Sara who’s forced into a life of service after her father dies in WWI. I never saw this movie as a kid, but I believe my sisters would watch it. Long story short, the whole movie is traumatic.
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
I really liked this movie and am glad I watched it as an adult.
The Princess and the Frog takes the cake for having one of the most traumatic villain deaths in Disney history. Dr. Facilier, having failed in his mission for his demonic masters, is dragged clawing and screaming to the depths of somewhere unknown.
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
There are plenty of older movies that have a G rating because the ratings system was still a bit new to the scene. However, this movie was just nuts. It's based on the Michael Crichton novel, which is about a biological weapon with extraterrestrial origins, and then eventually that kills everyone in its path.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
I always thought this movie was strange as a kid, but when you watch it as an adult it's even weirder. Don’t let the goofy gargoyles fool you because this is one of the darkest animated films in history. It takes about the evils of persecution, obsession, and other things.
The villain in the movie still creeps me out. Especially when he sings.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
The Toy Story series has always made me cry, but from out of nowhere Toy Story 3 made my heart beat a little on the irregular side. Much like The Brave Little Toaster, Woody’s goal is to return to his owner, but eventually the toys find they can never go back. I mean, they almost all burned alive in fiery inferno!
The Last Unicorn (1982)
Horror and fantasy are two genres that don’t cross nearly enough, but when they do, they offer some neat experiences. The Last Unicorn skews more towards fantasy, but it still packs enough spooky elements to make it a scary film for kids. Perhaps, the one lightening aspect of the movie is that the band America sings the theme song.
Pinocchio (1940)
I saved the oldest and scariest one for the end of this terrifying list.
Pinocchio really outdoes itself when it comes to creepiness. Who can forget the Pleasure Island sequence, where a bunch of young boys are transformed into donkeys and sold into slavery? Weirdest part of all is that we’re made to believe they deserved it.
By Matthew Sterner.
