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.

@DickAndSizzy

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.

I believe it is the original, I shall 100% be giving it a watch and gauging it now! Thanks for replying and thanks for this thread.. Might have saved DC some trauma!

I have to say, I think some light perilous moments aren't always a bad thing if its age appropriate- I loved dumbo (although cry at it now), bambi, never ending story etc

although my brother was, and is, much more sensitive than I, and he was scared of the films I would happily sit through.

....I was also watching nightmare before Christmas at quite a young age, now I watch it with DC and think all the stuff kidnapping father Xmas is ....but DC doesn't seem to mind!

Also, the classic Disney film dumbo, bambi, pinoccio etc were made in the 50s/60s - when children were treated much differently to how they are now.

I refuse to watch who framed Roger rabbit even now. I was so upset over a cartoon shoe being killed
At primary school the last day of term treat was a showing of water ship down. Cue lots of hysterical nine years olds. The black rabbit was terrifying.
Also was freaked out by the bunjip in dot and the kanagaroo; and when one of the dolls was set on fire in totty and the dolls house.
Agreed moondial could be scary those kids in the masks chanting devil child.
Also one episode of fraggle rock were one of the found omething called the terrible tunnel. Had to be turned off as I was hysterical.

I've been trying to find Little Nezha for years! We only had a video recoding off the TV and my Dad spelt it wrong on the tape, so in all my googling I've never found it. Also remember The Masters of Time - thanks @JesusInTheCabbageVan for starting this thread!!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it terrified me for some reason

Artax died because he got too sad and gave up 😩😭 teaching a whole generation how to victim-blame in the process. Oh, Artax

Little Nehza was really rubbish when watching as an adult how DARE you? Been trying to get DS to watch it on and off since he was 3, and he's having none of it. (I'm watching Time Masters now too!)

Disturbing fact about Kes (may be one of those well known things) the caning scene was real. Ken decided it wouldn't look authentic enough unless it actually happened - they promised the kids it would all be fine and then went ahead and did it anyway.

Time Masters link!

There was a series on children's BBC back in the 70s. All I can remember is lots of shots of electricity pylons. Can't remember the story, but it might have been based in Wales? I know the pylons really freaked me out for years!

I spent a lot of time trying to find a film I remembered and thought it was called something like Donkejin, but here it was called the Quest and where it was made it was the Legend of Frog Dreaming. It was the boy from ET trying to find out the mystery of a lake monster and I sort of want to watch it to see why it's haunted me so.

@Notlostjustexploring

I need to throw in the "Animals of Farthing Wood".

I'm 34 and still traumatised by the fate of the hedgehogs.

And yes, BFG also is responsible for many a nightmare.

Poor badger! Kids stuff is so tame now by comparison.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

Artax died because he got too sad and gave up 😩😭 teaching a whole generation how to victim-blame in the process. Oh, Artax

Little Nehza was really rubbish when watching as an adult how DARE you? Been trying to get DS to watch it on and off since he was 3, and he's having none of it. (I'm watching Time Masters now too!)

Disturbing fact about Kes (may be one of those well known things) the caning scene was real. Ken decided it wouldn't look authentic enough unless it actually happened - they promised the kids it would all be fine and then went ahead and did it anyway.

Sorry Jesus

I feel (hope) I redeemed myself by remembering and watching Time Masters. Was still as traumatic as I remember, perhaps moreso now I have DC!

Remembered another one though - The Lord of the Rings cartoon version. Fucking terrified me!

The Schmooze! Haha Haha! Just cracked me up. I remember that! Not as bad as Watership Down.

@FishDontHaveFingers

Remembered another one though - The Lord of the Rings cartoon version. Fucking terrified me!

Yes! Starting to think you might actually be me

1970s childrens TV probably has contributed to need for therapy for a whole generation..

@Duckwit

Also a film called Scruffy about an orphaned dog. Her mum was shot dead (after they had been abandoned by their owners and had already escaped their house being burnt down) and then she got adopted by a tramp who had a heart attack and died, it was so sad!

Wow, I am so glad someone else remembers this! Was there a collie in it who was mothering a slipper??

@Seeline was it this:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Changes_(TV_series)

Russell T Davies' kids TV shows Dark Season and Century Falls were extremely creepy (and amazing). I'm sure a blonde virgin sacrifice was required to power The Behemoth machine at the end of Dark Season...?! I was about eight when I watched that FFS.

Always had a massive fear of the Wizard of Oz. Can't watch it now in my 40s. Return to Oz isn't as scary, weirdly.

@WorryWartOne Yes!!

It sounds scary just reading about it. I like that it was described as a serial for older children - I would have been about 7, no wonder it still haunts me!!

Escape into the Night. The rocks with eyes!

I also remember the pylons one.

The Black Cauldron scared the shit out of me

Tarka the otter traumatised me. The only bonus was a few years later we went to zoo and there was tarka happily living in an enclosure.
I hated lassie and the littlest hobo.
Never watched any beethoven film or any of the free willy ones.
I loved the labyrinth, the dark crystal and the never ending story.
My mother thought it was a good idea to read watershed down to us, to prepare us for the film, before we watched it atthe cinema.

I've just discovered that I was 6 when the film came out.

Masters of the Universe. A proper film based on the cartoon. Oh man. There were these tall bat like black creatures with massive wings that would envelope poor propel and they would suck them to death and then their wings would open and bare bones would fall to the ground!! Bloody Nora!! Remember seeing it with my neighbour at the flicks in Tunbridge Wells.

Also, The Box Of Delights. Not as terrifying, but man it was creepy.

Ohh the mouse and his child!
It's one of my favourite books though funnily enough but whoever thought it was suitable for a child both book and film

Water ship down traumatised me for years, still cant hear bright eyes without a lump in the throat