10 animated movies that are actually pretty dark

Contrary to what some may believe, Animated movies are not always happy, family-friendly films. Many animated films have taken surprisingly dark tones, exploring serious themes and challenging viewers’ preconceived notions of what animation can be. The art style has evolved quite dramatically since the first cartoons came out, and modern animated movies have broken the mold of what is possible. Nowadays, filmmakers are pushing boundaries and using animation to tell their stories in exciting new ways, which could be why animated movies are dominating the box office.

There are many reasons why filmmakers may decide to make dark animated features. For one, animation allows filmmakers to make narrative decisions that would otherwise be impossible to convey. Even if the story doesn’t necessarily feel like something that would typically appear as an animated film, filmmakers may recognize that animation is simply the most effective means of telling it. Another reason would be involved The creators are looking to introduce more mature stories to younger audiences in a way that would be more palatable to them; For example, animated movies dealing with mental health. Whatever the reason may be, many animated films end up much darker than viewers expect.

10

The Lord of the Rings (1978)

Directed by Ralph Bakshi

Years before Peter Jackson’s critically-acclaimed trilogy was produced, Ralph Bakshi took the director’s chair for a very different adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s, The Lord of the Rings. Because The film was originally meant to be part of a seriesBakshi’s employment does not cover the whole story of The Lord of the RingsBut the part covered in the film follows the popular story quite closely. While the subsequent trilogy used a budget of over 280 million dollars, the original animated film was made for less than ten million.

Fans of any iteration of The Lord of the Rings Will be well aware that although the series follows an epic journey through a fantasy world, it is not exactly a lighthearted story. On their challenging journey to destroy the One Ring, The main characters face many terrible enemies and deadly obstacles. Death is a very real and persistent threat throughout The Lord of the RingsWith characters that are not spared just because the film is an animation. The animated style, however, allows for many stunning visuals throughout this dark story.

9

Watership down (1978)

Directed by Martin Rosen

Based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Richard Adams, Watership down Is Easily among the darkest animated films to have an all-animal cast of characters. The dramatic film follows a group of rabbits who must flee their home after learning of an impending residential development, prompting them to go on a dangerous quest to find their new home.

Although the film received some opposition for being too intense for younger viewers, critics offered praise for its brutal, realistic depiction of nature. While many animal-led animated films touch on darker subjects, few commit to exploring them quite as deeply as the original Watership down.

The gritty nature of the film may come as a surprise to many audiences, as the animation style does not immediately suggest that the film will follow such an intense, realistic path. Instead, the animation feels more reminiscent of most Disney features of the era, initially portraying the characters as warm, cuddly creatures. This makes it all the more shocking when The film explores the true extent of violence and death in the animal kingdom.

8

The secret of NIMH (1982)

Directed by Don Blood

Once you understand what NIMH stands for, it becomes clear The secret of NIMH is not likely to be a lighthearted animated feature. This 1982 fantasy film tells the story of A widowed mother mouse who must find a way to relocate her family (including her very sick son) before the local farmer can plow through their home.

The secret of NIMH Clearly a dark story goes all-around, presenting genuine dangers to the characters that feel far more gritty and believable than young audiences are typically accustomed to. the title, The secret of NIMHRefers to the National Institute of Mental Health. In this movie, the protagonist is introduced to a small group of rats, all of whom have been subjected to various experiments at Nima.

The idea of Turning genetically influenced lab rats into famous characters In an animated film immediately adds a dark twist. Without giving away too much detail, it’s pretty clear that the NIMH rats were massively influenced by the experiments that were done on them, which were certainly done against their will. The mere presence of these characters contributes a palpable darkness to the film.

7

Perfect Blue (1997)

Directed by Satoshi Kon

Animated movies don’t always have family-friendly plots and lovable characters. After all, there is nothing stopping filmmakers from creating violent psychological thriller stories and using animation as the medium through which to tell them. This is the case for Perfect BlueAn anime film directed by Satoshi Kon. Perfect Blue Follows a former pop singer looking to launch her acting career.

Things immediately take a dark turn, as she begins to be stalked by an obsessive fan, and various people around her begin to be murdered. Don’t let the animation fool you; Perfect Blue is a truly intense thriller, exploring the darkest side of fameAnd all the disruptive changes that come along with it.

The film deals with murder, obsession, paranoia, and even the mental difficulties that arise as a result of these things. Perfect Blue was well-received overall by critics, with praise offered for the gripping mystery at its heart. Regardless of whether you enjoy the movie, it is impossible to ignore the ways Perfect Blue Pushes the boundaries of what can be shown in an animated feature.

6

The Iron Giant (1999)

Directed by Brad Bird

One of the main advantages of animation is the ability to present complex topics in ways that are more accessible to younger audiences. That was the goal for the team behind The Iron GiantThe 1999 directorial debut of future Pixar powerhouse, Brad Bird. The animated science fiction film depicts the touching friendship between a young boy named Hogarth and the massive, otherworldly robot he discovers one day.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to see the giant’s warmth and tenderness like Hogarth, and he begins to face violent, paranoid opposition from the government. While The Iron Giant Explore lighter themes like family and friendship, It manages to dive into much more complex topics too.

The whole film can be seen as an allegory for immigrationWith giants arriving from a distant land, and immediately facing strong prejudices from the government and civilians about who he is inside. Although younger viewers may not fully grasp the depth of the story they are being shown, The Iron Giant And its perfect ending Yet manage to effectively teach them valuable lessons about acceptance, acknowledging the dangers of a lack of it.

5

Coraline (2009)

Directed by Henry Selick

Henry Selick’s stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novella, Coralinehas become A fan favorite in the world of dark animation over the years Since its release. The year-old film follows the titular eleven-year-old as she discovers a mysterious alternate universe through a portal in her new house, and becomes all-too-familiar with the dark secrets hiding in it.

Coraline Not only follows a spooky story, but It consistently employs dark, unsettling visuals (Especially for those who feel uneasy around needles and spiders). Even beyond the grim idea of ​​being trapped in a bleak, alternate version of the world, Coraline is rooted in an even darker backstory. After all, Coraline isn’t the only person to discover the mysterious portal in her new house.

Three children before you all lost their lives after succumbing to the temptation of venturing into the other world. CoralineStill relevant since its release in 2009, Creatively capitalizes on his stop-motion style to create chilling images of death and disfigurement, ones that are bound to stick in viewers’ minds long after the credits roll.

4

9 (2009)

Directed by Shane Acker

with Tim Burton attached as a producerIt’s no big shock that the 2009 animated film, 9Employs a rather dark premise. The film is primarily set in an alternate version of the 1940s where life on Earth has been wiped out by a superintelligent machine. The only remaining traces of life are nine human-like rag dolls (dubbed “Stitchpunks”), each containing a piece of the original scientist’s soul, created as his last-second effort to create something capable of destroying the machine he designed. .

9 is a rather unique story to be told through animation, as post-apocalyptic features are rarely told without the use of vast, live-action sets and extremely difficult sequences. The visuals of 9 Are consistently stunning, offer A bold, blurry representation of a lifeless version of Earth. The film was made on a budget of 30 million dollars, which would certainly have been considerably higher if it had not been animated, because it relies heavily on the visual effects and the atmosphere they create.

3

ParaNorman (2012)

Directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler

The 2012 animated feature, ParanormanAnother stop-motion horror movie like CoralineChillingly presenting a spooky story, while simultaneously keeping it rooted in a really dark chapter of America’s history. In the film, the protagonist, Norman, is a social outcast with a very special talent; He is able to not only see, but fully interact with the dead.

When an annual ritual fails to be performed, a group of zombies begin to rise from their graves, sending Norman and his friends on a frantic chase to figure out how to end the mysterious curse. Although any story involving the undead is bound to have a rather dark feel, Paranorman Take things a step further by rooting The story in the all-too-real events of the Salem witch trials.

The curse that wreaks havoc in the film is caused by the spirit of an innocent young girl who was sentenced to death after being accused of witchcraft in the 1690s. Although the film’s primary story is clearly a work of fiction, the ways Paranorman Ties in real events give the supernatural film a gritty sense of reality.

2

Marcel the shell with shoes on (2021)

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp

Based on a series of short videos created by the same team about a decade earlier, Marcel the shell with shoes on Is A 2021 mockumentary-style film that blends stop-motion animation with some live-action elements. The film presents itself as a documentary made by the director (Dean) himself, focusing on his daily interactions with the titular one-eyed shell and his grandmother, Connie.

Forming a friendship with Marcel and Connie, Dean makes it his goal to use his documentary to help them find the rest of their family. Although Marcel is infectiously optimistic, it’s hard to ignore the film’s dark undertones. At the time the film begins, Marcel and Connie are the only two remaining members of their once huge family, having no way of finding them after they mysteriously disappeared one day.

Dean only comes into the story because he is going through a difficult divorce, leaving him with no other place to stay. To top things off, Connie is seriously ill, with her condition only getting worse as the movie progresses. Fortunately, Marcel’s unwavering courage consistently manages to shine through all the darkness.

1

Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro (2022)

Directed by Mark Gustafson and Guillermo del Toro

The story of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet who is magically transformed into a living human child, has been told and retold many times over the years. While most iterations of the classic tale tend to include some elements on the darker side, none embrace the darkness with more force than Guillermo del Toro Pinocchio. This should come as no major surprise, though, given the name in the title.

Guillermo del Toro is known for his many nightmarish horror works over the yearsAnd he certainly found a way to implement his trademark style when remaking the old fairy tale. Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro Explores the theme of death in much more depth than most animated movies would venture to do.

In del Toro’s retelling, Pinocchio is given immortality; Each time he dies, he is soon revived, although he must remain dead for a longer period of time each time it happens. moreover, The film is set in a tumultuous time in Italy’s historyWith the fascist leader Benito Mussolini even appearing as a character. The ways in which the film looks at death and the realities of wartime Europe Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro An intriguing, darker take on the age-old tale.