Childhood films that made you think, why the hell did they make this for me?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

To take our minds off... everything.

Watership Down goes without saying.

Plague Dogs - two abused dogs escape from laboratory. Swim out to sea and drown (which, incidentally, was NOT how the book ended).

Animal Farm. Why make a cartoon about that? Boxer

I would be interested to know if anyone else remembers Little Nezha (pronounced NIGH-ah). Chinese animated film about (TLDR) a small boy who cuts his throat after his father rejects him. There's a bit more to it than that (dragons) but that's the gist.

As an adult, bloody marley and me, haha.
My exH told me not to watch it as I will get upset. Scoffed at him and said its a film about a dog, how sad can it be.

Que me ugly crying locked in the bathroom with hoards of tissues for about 45 minutes

Never again.

I dont think I was ever upset by tele as a child! My brother however was scared of loads of things.

I brought watership down for my DC (6) and now im thinking I better give it a watch before showing it him? I can remember it being sad, but not being scared.. is it really that bad?

DS screamed the cinema down at quite an advanced age, 6 or 7, when presented with the BFG.
Watership Down - what were they thinking of!.

Came on to say Return to Oz!

Fucking terrifying! The strapping to the trolley, the wheelers!! The mombie, the heads in the gallery, the rock monster. What drugs were they on??

Dumbo gets me every time. It's heart-breaking.

Does anyone remember Granpa? I watched it from the age of about 2 and used to sob every time. Why my mum still put it on for me I'll never know?

I brought watership down for my DC (6) and now im thinking I better give it a watch before showing it him? I can remember it being sad, but not being scared.. is it really that bad?

The original?

Do not show it to him. There is nothing specific in it that an adult might find that bad. It's just the whole terrifying set up, animated in a scary way. It's already scarred one generation - don't introduce it to another

The newer one wasn't so bad but still worth you watching it first to see what you think.

"Little Nezha (pronounced NIGH-ah). Chinese animated film about (TLDR) a small boy who cuts his throat after his father rejects him."

I think I remember this! I have a really vagur memory of it - I've wondered for years what it was. Off to Google it now!

Big Daddy. remember watching it with ds who is now in his 20s.
it really made us cry.

Dumbo - how did anyone think that was suitable for children? It's a horrific film about child and animal abuse dressed up as entertainment.

My mum wouldn't let me watch or read Plague Dogs. From this thread, clearly a good decision.

ET is repulsive. I've never got over the bit where he's white and ill 🤮

Also, the Christmas episode of Old Jack's Boat on cbeebies. Me and Dsis were sobbing at him talking about Sailor Sue -and we're in our 30s!

Watership Down, bloody hell. I'm 45 and if i hear the opening bars of Bright Eyes, I'm a streaming mass of snotty tears. My favourite animals are rabbits, have been since i was around 2, no idea why my parents thought i'd enjoy that film.

My 9yo had to turn off Neverending Story about 20 minutes in when the horse is stuck in quicksand and cried all evening. This is the child who, at 6yo, sat happily through all 26 Harry Potters with not a blink! Small weirdo.

The smooze in my little pony, I had nightmares about that.

The wheelers in return to oz, bloody terrifying. And momby and her heads.

Also, something called Tottie and the dolls house, in the 80s, not a film but a tv adaptation of a novel. That traumatised me

ET is repulsive. I've never got over the bit where he's white and ill 🤮

I thought I was the only one!

When The Wind Blows, I watched it with friends when we were around 13, we all cried without shame, even the boys. The film has stayed with me for 30 years.

yeah, but what about that one scene with the horse in that one film? Traumatised an entire generation!

Tarka the otter - never seen it on tv though so this generation will be fine.
Bambi - why did they have to kill the mum??

@Cakeorchocolate

The Dark Crystal The Never Ending Story Labyrinth

These are the exact 3 films I was going to say! I still watched them all the time though (and still do a rewatch as least once a year). Labyrinth has always been my favourite film though, despite the terrying fireys. Watership Down - I am still too traumatised from that film and can not bring myself to watch it again. Return of Oz always scared me as well, especially the heads scene.

Watership down traumatised me to. When my pet rabbit died my mum thought it would be a great idea to buy me the video "to cheer me up". It did not.

The black cauldron was also terrifying for a kids film.

Oh my god, I swore I dreamt Little Nehza! My mum can't remember it.

Also Last Unicorn (I rewatched it recently, love it and amazing soundtrack but agree about the bull and the harpy!)

And Flight of Dragons!

Remembered two more!

Unico
Secret of Nimh

@FishDontHaveFingers it's on YouTube! Little Nezha Fights Great Dragon Kings.

Yep, Secret of Nimh was another one!

And The Mouse and his Child - bloody horrible.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Ghostbusters with the old lady ghost terrified me in the cinema but I love it now
Dragonslayer. My dad took me to see it in the cinema and I bawled about baby dragons getting killed, I literally remember nothing else but will never watch it again!

Already been said but in agreement with...

The Smoooze!!! The creepy faces it had

Return to Oz...the heads..the wheelers..the king bloke..the rocks!

Animals of farthing wood...the Hedgehogs...adders partner killed by rats..the bird who stuck mice on spikes

Pinocco when they turned into donkeys!

[quote JesusInTheCabbageVan]@FishDontHaveFingers it's on YouTube! Little Nezha Fights Great Dragon Kings.

Yep, Secret of Nimh was another one!

And The Mouse and his Child - bloody horrible.[/quote]
Well I know what I'm watching tonight!!

I do also remember another one no one in my family has a memory of - cartoon in the eighties, little boy on a strange planet who can't find his mother, big plants everywhere with some massive strawberry type plants that he can eat. Really weird but I remember it!!! Anyone??!!

@FishDontHaveFingers YES I REMEMBER THAT! They got drunk eating the plants and there was a bit with an arena/colosseum type thing with a giant Dougal (?). Who can name it?

I love a good guy wrenching, my life will never be the same sad film (DH says my film choice makes him want to carve out his eyes with a spoon) but a few in particular have stood with me since childhood. Definitely Ring of Bright Water. The sound of that spade coming down....
Neverending Story - Atreyu
All good dogs go to Heaven
My Boy Jack has me sobbing from the start, just because I know how it's going to end. I visited Kipling's house and started crying when I went into his son's preserved bedroom, looked like a right weirdo