Normally, when one thinks of a G-rated film, kids are what come to mind. But honestly, animated movies can be scary as hell. The G-rated movies released in the ‘80s-’90s? There are some very disturbing characters and scenes. And, probably, most of them would be rated much higher if they were released today. Even the original The Land Before Time (1988) has moments that could easily frighten a child (It’s me, I’m “child”). But it’s not remotely as scary as other G-rated films that came out before or around that time.
Revisiting these films doesn’t put a damper on your cool factor, either, adults can still indulge in kid’s stuff! Especially when that kid stuff has some very adult themes and frights. So, these are some of the scariest G-rated films I’ve found. Let me know if there’s anything I’ve missed that still gives you the chills in the genre!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Disney is problematic, no ifs ands or buts. And some of these films, especially the early ones, have some not-so-great (meaning terribly offensive) moments. But the movies are so ingrained into pop culture that they’re hard to avoid. Plus, from a historical film perspective, they can be interesting to revisit.
And let me tell you, if you revisit Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), it is scary.
The movie is based on a Grimm fairytale about a queen (Lucille La Verne) who grows increasingly jealous of her stepdaughter. The queen orders the death of Snow White (Adriana Caselotti), who ends up being spared by the huntsman (Peter Buchanan) and is taken in by seven lovable miners with dwarfism (again, it’s problematic).
Fear-wise, there are some bone-chilling moments—the transformation of the queen, the talking mirror, the huntsman trying to kill Snow White, and the queen showing up with a poisoned apple. Of course, the heteronormativity is another thing you could label as scary in the film. Though, that’s just me being petty, I guess.
The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Lab experimentation, animals trying to survive peril, and the cruelties of life—sounds fun, right? Not. Believe it or not, The Secret of NIMH (1982) was inspired by horrendous lab experiments done by a man named John B. Calhoun. The movie is about a widowed mouse who seeks help for her son from a colony of rats. But her connection to the rats runs much deeper than she realizes.
This isn’t a horror movie by any means, though there’s a sense of dread throughout the movie. Everything is very life or death for the animals so the stakes are frightening. The images are pretty freaky for a movie geared to children, and the backstory of the lab experiments is all too real. The content is just pretty upsetting when you dive into it.
All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)
To this day, Charlie (Burt Reynold)’s nightmare about going to (his version) of hell is very graphic for a kid’s movie. How this isn’t PG, at the very least, is still quite surprising to me.
The film is about a German Shepherd, named Charlie, who gets murdered by a former friend. In an attempt at revenge on Carface (Vic Tayback) for killing his ass—he sends himself back down to Earth from Heaven. Charlie then seeks the help of his best friend, Itchy (Dom DeLuise), to help him with his quest. Though, he soon befriends an orphan named Anne Marie (Judith Barsi) who helps him learn about love, friendship, and genuine kindness. It’s heartfelt overall, but with genuinely frightening scenes sprinkled in. And the themes throughout the movie are even scarier now than before.
Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
This film was way ahead of its time surrounding climate change, the destruction of forests, and pollution. And how the destruction of nature is all greed based. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992) follows fairies in an Australian rainforest and a young logger named Zak (Jonathan Ward) who gets shrunk by them. When the loggers and pollution entity, Hexxus (Tim Curry), seeks to destroy the rainforest, the fairies and Zak come together to stop them. Hexxus is a terrifying villain and the accuracy of pollution (especially considering where we are now) is terrifying in a different way. It’s also one of the best-animated films I’ve personally watched. And Tim Curry absolutely delivers.
Thumbelina (1994)
Out of all the animated ‘90s films, this one takes the cake for being one of the most disturbing. There’s so much objectification, predatory characters, and scenes that are just uncomfortable to watch. Thumbelina (1994) follows a woman who wishes for a child and is given one by a witch in a seed. Only the girl that emerges is no bigger than the woman’s thumb. Hence, the name of the movie.
This is a problematic movie on multiple levels and there’s no ignoring that. The movie hasn’t aged well. Full stop. But there’s no denying that it’s frightening.
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)
Talking about Scooby-Doo is a must when you’re on the topic of gateway horror. Even when most times the monsters were people in costume. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998), however, is about the gang encountering real monsters.
After a year-long hiatus, the gang comes back together to investigate a bayou island. Which is said to be haunted by the ghost of pirate Moonscar. For the gang, and even the audience, it’s wild when the monsters end up being real. Considering the usual routine for them is to run away from what appears to be a monster—only to discover there’s a very human explanation. When these monsters don’t take off any masks, that’s when it’s truly terrifying. It’s actually a solid Scooby-Doo entry and one of the most loved. Of course, there’s some stuff that’s very problematic, you’ll see for yourself if you watch.
(featured image: 20th Century Fox)
