Contrary to what some may believe,animated movies are not always happy, family-friendly films. Many animatedfilmshave taken on 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 were released, and modernanimated movies have broken the moldof what’s possible. Nowadays, filmmakers are pushing boundaries and using animation to tell their stories in exciting new ways, which could be whyanimated movies are increasingly dominating the box office.
There are many reasons why filmmakers may decide to make dark animated features. For one, animation allows filmmakers to make storytelling decisions that would be otherwise 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 medium to tell it. Another reason would involvethe creators looking to introduce more mature stories to younger audiencesin a way that would be more palatable to them; for example,animated movies that deal with mental health. Whatever the reason may be, many animated films end up being far darker than viewers expect.
10The 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 J.R.R. Tolkien’s,The Lord of the Rings. Becausethe film was originally meant to be part of a series, Bakshi’s adaptation does not cover the entire narrative ofThe Lord of the Rings, but the portion covered in the film does follow the popular story quite closely. While the later trilogy used a budget of over 280 million dollars, the original animated film was made for less than ten million.
The Lord of the Rings (1978)
Fans of any iteration ofThe Lord of the Ringswill be well aware that, while the series does follow 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 fearsome foes and deadly obstacles. Death is a very real and persistent threat throughoutThe Lord of the Rings, with characters not being spared simply because the film is an animation. The animated style does, however, allow for many stunning visuals throughout this dark story.
9Watership Down(1978)
Directed By Martin Rosen
Based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Richard Adams,Watership Downiseasily among the darkest animated films to feature an all-animal cast of characters. The dramatic film follows a group of rabbits who must escape their home after learning of an impending residential development, prompting them to go on a dangerous quest to find their new abode.
Though the film did receive some opposition for being too intense for younger viewers, critics did offer praise for its brutal, realistic depiction of nature.
Though the film did receive some opposition for being too intense for younger viewers, critics did offer praise for its brutal, realistic depiction of nature. While many animal-led animated films do touch on darker subjects, few commit to exploring them quite as in-depth asthe originalWatership Down.
Watership Down
Cast
Watership Down is an animated adaptation of Richard Adams' novel, directed by Martin Rosen. The film follows a group of rabbits as they escape their warren to find a new home, facing various threats and challenges along the way. The narrative explores themes of survival, leadership, and community against the backdrop of the English countryside. Featuring the voices of John Hurt and Richard Briers, the film blends adventure with poignant social commentary.
The grim 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 whenthe film explores the true extent of violence and death in the animal kingdom.
8The Secret of NIMH(1982)
Directed By Don Bluth
Once you realize what NIMH stands for, it becomes clear thatThe Secret of NIMHis not likely to be a lighthearted animated feature. This 1982 fantasy film tells the story ofa 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.
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The Secret of NIMHclearly follows a dark story all-around, presenting genuine dangers to the characters that feel much more grim and believable than young audiences are typically accustomed to. The title,The Secret of NIMH, refers to the National Institute of Mental Health. In the film, the protagonist is introduced to a small society of rats who were all subjected to various experiments at the NIMH.
The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH follows the courageous journey of a field mouse, Mrs. Brisby, who seeks the aid of a group of secretive, highly intelligent rats to save her home and ill son. Battling various threats and uncovering hidden truths, the film blends adventure and mystery within an intricately animated world.
The idea ofturning genetically influenced lab rats into prominent charactersin an animated film immediately adds a dark twist. Without giving away too much detail, it is abundantly clear that the NIMH rats were massively influenced by the experiments performed on them, which were certainly done against their will. The mere presence of these characters contributes a palpable darkness to the film.
7Perfect Blue(1997)
Directed By Satoshi Kon
Animated movies don’t always need to feature 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 forPerfect Blue, an anime film directed by Satoshi Kon.Perfect Bluefollows 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 start getting murdered. Don’t let the animation fool you;Perfect Blueis a truly intense thriller, exploring the darkest side of fame, and all the disturbing changes that come along with it.
Perfect Blue
Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller directed by Satoshi Kon. The film follows Mima Kirigoe, a pop idol who transitions to acting, only to find herself stalked by an obsessive fan and plagued by mental instability. As she grapples with her evolving career and identity, Mima’s sense of reality begins to blur, culminating in a suspenseful and haunting narrative.
The film deals with murder, obsession, paranoia, and even the mental hardships that arise as a result of these things.Perfect Bluewas well-received overall by critics, with praise being offered for the gripping mystery at its core. Regardless of whether one enjoys the film, it is impossible to ignore the waysPerfect Bluepushes the boundaries of what can be shown in an animated feature.
6The Iron Giant (1999)
One of the major advantages of animation is its ability to present complex topics in ways that are more accessible to younger audiences. This was the goal for the team behindThe Iron Giant, the 1999 directorial debut from future Pixar powerhouse, Brad Bird. This 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 the way Hogarth does, and he begins to face violent, paranoid opposition from the government. WhileThe Iron Giantdoes explore lighter themes like family and friendship,it manages to dive into much more complex topicsas well.
The Iron Giant
Set in 1957 Maine against the backdrop of the Cold War, The Iron Giant follows Hogarth Hughes, a young boy who finds an alien robot crashlanded in the woods outside his hometown. Determining that the robot is friendly, Hogarth quickly becomes its protector against forces in the US Army who wish to use the robot for their own means. Eli Marienthal voices Hogarth, with a further cast that includes Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., and Christopher McDonald.
The entire film could be seen as an allegory for immigration, with the Giant arriving from a distant land and immediately facing strong prejudice from the government and civilians alike, regardless of who he is on the inside. While younger viewers may not fully grasp the depth of the story they are being shown,The Iron Giantand its perfect endingstill manage to effectively teach them valuable lessons about acceptance, acknowledging the dangers of a lack of it.
5Coraline(2009)
Directed By Henry Selick
Henry Selick’s stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novella,Coraline, has becomea fan-favorite in the world of dark animation over the yearssince its release. The eerie film follows the titular eleven-year-old as she discovers a mysterious alternate universe through a portal in her new house, becoming all-too-familiar with the dark secrets hiding within it.
Henry Selick’s stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novella,Coraline, has become a fan-favorite in the world of dark animation over the years since its release.
Coralinenot only follows a spooky story, butit 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,Coralineis rooted in an even darker backstory. After all, Coraline is not the only person to discover the mysterious portal in her new house.
Coraline
Based on Neil Gaiman’s novella, Coraline follows Coraline Jones, a lonely young girl who, after moving to a new house with her inattentive parents, discovers a portal to another, more sinister alternate reality behind one of the house’s many doors. Written and directed by Henry Selick, the film uses stop-motion animation and stars Dakota Fanning as Coraline.
Three children before her all lost their lives after succumbing to the temptation of venturing into the other world.Coraline, still relevant since its release in 2009,creatively capitalizes on its stop-motion style to create chilling images of death and disfigurement, ones that are bound to stick in the minds of viewers long after the credits roll.
49(2009)
Directed By Shane Acker
WithTim Burton attached as a producer, it is no major shock that the 2009 animated film,9, employs a rather dark premise. The film is primarily set in an alternative 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 make something capable of destroying the machine he designed.
9
9 is set in a post-apocalyptic world where sapient ragdoll-like creations must survive against menacing machines. The film follows 9, freshly awakened and voiced by Elijah Wood, as he joins a group of similar beings. Together, they navigate a barren landscape, forging strategies to combat the mechanical threats.
9is a rather unique story to be told through animation, as post-apocalyptic features are seldom told without the use of vast, live-action sets, and gore-heavy sequences. The visuals of9are consistently stunning, offeringa bold, dismal representation of a lifeless version of Earth. The film was made on a budget of 30 million dollars, which certainly would have had to be significantly higher if it wasn’t animated, as it relies heavily on its visual effects and the atmosphere they create.
3ParaNorman (2012)
Directed By Sam Fell and Chris Butler
The 2012 animated feature,ParaNorman, anotherstop-motion horror movielikeCoraline, chillingly presents a spooky story, while simultaneously keeping it rooted in a truly dark chapter of America’s history. In the film, the protagonist, Norman, is a social outcast with a very special gift;he is able to not only see, but fully interact with the dead.
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When an annual ritual fails to be performed, a group of zombies begins to rise from their graves, sending Norman and his friends on a frenetic chase to figure out how to put an end to the mysterious curse. While any story featuring the undead is bound to have a rather dark feel,ParaNormantakes things a step further by rootingthe story in the all-too-real events of the Salem Witch Trials.
ParaNorman
ParaNorman is a stop-motion animated movie about a young boy who uses his ability to see and communicate with the dead to save his town from an ancient witch’s curse. The voice cast includes Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jodelle Ferland, Bernard Hill, Tucker Albrizzi, and John Goodman.
The curse which 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. Though the primary story of the film is clearly a work of fiction, the waysParaNormanties in real events give the supernatural film a grim sense of reality.
2Marcel 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 before,Marcel the Shell with Shoes Onisa 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.
Upon 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. While Marcel is infectiously optimistic, it is difficult to ignore the dark undertones of the film. At the time the film begins, Marcel and Connie are the only two remaining members of their once-giant family, having no way to find them after they mysteriously disappeared one day.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) is a charming mockumentary that follows Marcel, an anthropomorphic seashell voiced by Jenny Slate. Living with his grandmother, Marcel navigates life in a human household, using resourcefulness and wit to tackle everyday challenges. Dean Fleischer-Camp directs this adaptation of the popular web series, expanding the whimsical world of Marcel while maintaining its unique blend of humor and heart.
Dean only enters the story because he is going through a difficult divorce, leaving him with no other place to stay. To top things off, Connie is gravely ill, with her condition only getting worse as the movie progresses. Fortunately, Marcel’s unwavering courage consistently manages to shine through all the darkness.
1Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio(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 more dismal side, none embrace the darkness with more vigor thanGuillermo del Toro’sPinocchio. This should come as no major surprise, though, given the name in the title.
The movie won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2023.
Guillermo del Toro is known for his many nightmarish horror works over the years, and he certainly found a way to implement his trademark style when remaking the old fairy tale.Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchioexplores the topic of deathin much more depth than most animated movies would venture to do.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
From director Guillermo del Toro comes Pinocchio, a stop-motion animation reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s original tale, The Adventures of Pinocchio. A darker story than the Disney original, this Pinocchio takes place during the fascist regime in 1930s Italy after the passing of Gepetto’s son, Carlo. When Gepetto’s grief overcomes him, he finally seeks an outlet by creating a wooden boy who comes to life. However, Gepetto’s new wooden son is more of a trickster than a well-behaved boy, as he pranks the people he comes across and tends to lean on the wild side. Pinocchio will struggle to make his father proud and learn what it means to be a real boy while avoiding the pursuit of the film’s main antagonist, Count Volpe.
In del Toro’s retelling, Pinocchio is granted immortality; every time he dies, he is soon revived, although he must stay deceased for an increasingly long period each time it happens. Additionally,the film is set during a tumultuous period in Italy’s history, with the fascist leader Benito Mussolini even appearing as a character. The ways the film looks at death and the realities of interwar Europe makeGuillermo del Toro’s Pinocchioan intriguing, darker take on the age-old tale.
