When it comes to animated movies, there is no name better known thanDisney.Children and adults alike have been falling in love with Disney movies for generations, ranging all the way from classics likeSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs(1937) to modern favorites likeEncanto(2021). Audiences around the world loveDisney’s animated filmsfor their family-friendly stories, fun songs, and lovable characters.
However,not every animated film by Disney falls within this mold. Every so often, the company releases a film that challenges the audience’s preconceived notions of what a Disney movie can be. Whether this is done bydepicting dark turnsor covering mature topics, these films have often surprised their viewers. Of course, this is not to say that the movies that don’t fall within the typical Disney mold are bad by any means. Rather, these animated features simply push the boundaries of what a Disney movie can be, and in doing so leave a lasting impact on their viewers.
10The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
A Dark Disney Tale with Strong Religious Themes
In 1996, Disney made a bold move in deciding to adapt Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel,The Hunchback of Notre Dame, into a family-friendly animated movie. Like the original novel, the film tells the emotional story of the isolated bell-ringer of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.The bell-ringer, dubbed “Quasimodo,” faces severe prejudice based on his appearance, and bears witness to the brutal persecution of Paris’s Roma population, as commanded by his cruel adoptive father, Judge Claude Frollo.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Cast
Disney’s take on the original novel written in 1831, The Huntchback of Notre Dame is an animated musical drama that sees a kind-hearted, deformed young man named Quasimodo who yearns to see the outside world is forced to live alone in the Notre Dame Cathedral as a bell ringer. When a group of traveling performers arrives in town, Quasimodo takes his chance to head out to see them, and his life is changed forever by a chance encounter with the equally kind-hearted Esmerelda. However, his caretaker, the cruel and iron-fisted Frollo, intends to hunt the Romani people down, jeopardizing the travelers' lives.
WhileThe Hunchback of Notre Damedoes feature Disney staples like lovable characters and catchy tunes, it also depicts immense prejudice, widespread persecution, and prominent religious overtones.The film is bound to be rather intense for younger viewers, regardless of whether they fully understand the events playing out onscreen.
The film is bound to be rather intense for younger viewers, regardless of whether they fully understand the events playing out onscreen.
It must also be noted that Frollo is undoubtedly one of the most frightening antagonists Disney has used in an animated film, as his existence is entirely plausible; he possesses no magical powers or abilities, but rather is driven purely by his intense beliefs.
9Chicken Little (2005)
A Surprisingly Intense Alien Invasion Story
Disney’s 2005 animated film,Chicken Little, offersa modern, science-fiction-heavy spin on the classic folk tale. In the film, the titular chicken is mercilessly ridiculed by the people of his town, none of whom believe him when he claims that a piece of the sky has fallen to Earth. Matters quickly escalate as Chicken Little must help save his community from an alien invasion after an alien child gets lost in the town.
Chicken Little
Zach Braff’s Chicken Little creates panic when he claims the sky is falling when a piece falls and hits him.Outcast for his claims, Little seeks redemption by joining the baseball team, and plays a key part in winning a crucial game. He’s once again hit by “falling sky” - which turns out to be a UFO - and must convince everyone that he wasn’t lying.
Even with itscast of animal characters with silly names,Chicken Littledoes not have the same lighthearted feel as most of Disney’s animated movies. In the first half of the movie, the bullying and ostracization Chicken Little experiences definitely feel more mean-spirited than Disney films typically show. In the latter half, the arrival of the aliens (who appear to rip apart the sky) is bound to be upsetting to young audiences, especially when they begin appearing to vaporize the townsfolk. All in all,Chicken Littlehas a much more grim tone than one would expect from Disney.
8The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
A Haunting and Incredible Holiday Tale
Anyone familiar with the dark, twisted works of Tim Burton would likely be surprised to hear that he would be helping with a project for Disney. Though directed by Henry Selick,The Nightmare Before Christmasisa stop-motion animated film that has the undeniably spooky feel of a Burton film.
The Nightmare Before Christmashas a Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 95%.
The eerie film tells theunique story of Jack Skellington, who decides he wants to change gears and try running Christmas instead of Halloween. The film has exploded in popularity among both children and adults over the years. Even with this growth in popularity, though,The Nightmare Before Christmasfeels starkly different in tone from most Disney features. The film not only highlights a dark overall tone, but consistently celebrates it.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Henry Selick directs The Nightmare Before Christmas, a stop-motion fairytale from the mind of Tim Burton. Jack Skellington is the king of Halloween and one of Halloweentown’s most beloved citizens, but he longs for something more. When he stumbles across a magical door that leads him to discover Christmas, he makes it his mission to replace Santa Claus and bring festive cheer to his perpetually spooky hamlet.
Many of the characters are designed to unsettle their viewers, embodying the ghoulish spirit of Halloween. Plus, one shouldn’t forget the fact that there are multiple characters in the film who aim to kidnap and kill Santa Claus.The Nightmare Before Christmasmay be an enjoyable holiday film, but it hardly feels like Disney.
7The Black Cauldron (1985)
A Darkness-Fueled Fantasy Story
The 1985 fantasy film,The Black Cauldron, has not had nearly the same level of lasting impact as the majority of Disney animated films. Based on stories fromThe Chronicles of Prydainby Lloyd Alexander,The Black Cauldronfollows a young farmhand named Taran on his journey to destroy the legendary black cauldron before the Horned King can find it and use its mystical powers for evil.
The Black Cauldron
The Black Cauldron is an animated fantasy film from Walt Disney Studios, directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich. Released in 1985, it follows the young hero Taran and his quest to prevent the evil Horned King from obtaining a powerful magical relic known as the Black Cauldron. Featuring the voices of Grant Bardsley, Susan Sheridan, and John Hurt, the film combines elements of adventure, mystery, and dark fantasy.
The film failed to recuperate even half of its budget, and quickly fell by the wayside in the history of Disney animation. Part of whyThe Black Cauldrondidn’t have much success was because it hardly felt like a Disney movie at all.The overall story is consistently dark, with death feeling like a genuine threat to the characters throughout.
A 39-Year-Old Disney Classic Remake Can Be The Studio’s First True Horror Movie
Disney’s live-action remakes have tended to be straight retellings of earlier films, but one project has the potential to explore the horror genre.
The film also relies on characters/stories that its audience is likely to be unfamiliar with, as opposed to trying to capitalize on more recognizable elements. Throw ina genuinely frightening villain and an army of the dead, and you end up with a film that feels more like a horror movie than a Disney feature.
6Big Hero 6 (2014)
A Disney Animated Film Starring Marvel Superheroes
Nobody was surprised when Disney began churning out superhero movies after the company purchased the rights to Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The real surprise came in 2014, when Disney released an animated feature film about a little-known team of heroes from Marvel Comics, and then revealed that it would not be connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in any way (despite its cameo from Stan Lee).
It feels highly unlike the studio to capitalize on its ownership of Marvel for a non-MCU animated film.
The film,Big Hero 6, followsa child genius named Hiro who helps form a team of superheroesas he struggles to find the man responsible for his brother’s death. While the movie itself does highlight themes and messages that are fairly typical of Disney animation, it feels highly unlike the studio to capitalize on its ownership of Marvel for a non-MCU animated film.
Big Hero 6
In Walt Disney Animation Studios' Big Hero 6, the child genius Hiro Hamada works with his brother Tadashi’s inflatable robot, Baymax, to assemble a superhero team in the fictional city of San Fransokyo. The titular group of geeky heroes, composed of Honey Lemon, Go Go Tomago, Wasabi, and Fred, help Hiro and Baymax take down a masked villain powered by nanobots.
Big Hero 6was a critical and commercial success, but it still manages to feela bit out of place in the long line of Disney animated films. Its inclusion of Marvel characters leaves it feeling likea hybrid between a Marvel hero movie and a Disney animated film, not completely belonging to either category in particular.
5Dinosaur (2000)
An Epic Blend of Animation and Live-Action
When hearing the words “dinosaur” and “Disney,” many minds will immediately head toDinosaur, the thrilling attraction inDisney’s Animal Kingdomtheme park. Not as many people realize that the ride is actually directly tied to an animated film of the same name.Dinosaurtells the story of a young Iguanodon who has been raised by a family of lemurs. Whentheir island home is destroyed by a meteor shower, the unique family must embark on a journey to find a new place to live.
Dinosaur (2000)
WhereDinosaurstands out most from other Disney animated films is in the style of animation it uses.Dinosauruses an interesting blend of both computer-generated animation and live-action elements. While the dinosaur characters themselves are all digitally rendered, many of the landscapes/scenery used in the film were actually recorded on site with real cameras. The technology used to do this was still very new at the time the film was made, makingDinosaura rather unique, experimental entry into Disney’s history.
4The Fox and the Hound (1981)
A Dramatic Story About Identity and Friendship
In 1981,Disney decided to take a swing at a more dramatic storyfor a change with their new film,The Fox and the Hound. The film explores the tender friendship that exists between Tod (a fox) and Copper (a hound), diving deep into how the friendship evolves as the characters grow older and are pressured into acting as natural enemies. Despite its stark differences from most Disney movies, the film did prove to be a financial success.
The Fox and the Hound
Dodo is an orphaned fox who was adopted by a lady after her mother was killed by a hunter. She grows up alongside Toby, a hound puppy, and the two become great friends. The problem is their different natures: one is a hunter and the other is supposed to be the prey.
Even with its adorable animal cast,The Fox and the Houndis still, at its heart, a much more dramatic filmthan one would typically expect from Disney animation. When stripped of its colorful artwork, the film is a heart-wrenching story about two best friends who were pressured to hate each other because that’s what society expected of them. The film abandons the idea of musical numbers, instead relying on an instrumental musical score to further boost the dramatic tone.
3A Christmas Carol (2009)
A Motion-Capture Take on the Classic Holiday Story
Though it is not the only time Disney has adapted the classic Charles Dickens story, the 2009 retelling ofA Christmas Caroleasily stands out as the least Disney-like. The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis (the same mind behindForrest GumpandBack to the Future), is a rigidly faithful adaptation, as Zemeckis was determined to tell the story exactly how Dickens would have envisioned it.
The film stars Jim Carrey not only as Ebenezer Scrooge, but as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come as well. Because the film is a faithfuladaptation of the original version ofA Christmas Carol, it highlights several darker moments that are often glossed over in modern interpretations.
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol (2009) is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novella, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jim Carrey in multiple roles. The film employs motion capture technology to bring to life the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Through these supernatural encounters, Scrooge is compelled to reevaluate his life and change his ways.
This includes scenes from all three chapters of Scrooge’s life, portraying how his greed ruined his relationships in the past, the dangers of Ignorance and Want in the present, and the cold, deadly future that awaits Scrooge if he doesn’t change. The use of motion-capture technology for the animation furtherseparatesA Christmas Carolfrom other Disney films, both thematically and stylistically.
Two Unusual Tales Rolled into One
At the time thatThe Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toadwas released, Disney had only been making animated feature films for barely over a decade. The studio was still finding its footing, and deciding which stories they really wanted to tell.With this 1949 film, they actually decided to tell two different stories, dividing the film into two distinct segments.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, directed by James Algar, Clyde Geronimi, and Jack Kinney, combines adaptations of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows and Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The film explores the misadventures of J. Thaddeus Toad and the eerie tale of Ichabod Crane.
The first segment,The Wind in the Willows, follows the antics of the vehicle-obsessed Mr. Toad. The second segment,The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, tells the haunting tale of the Headless Horseman. Both in terms of style and content,The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toadis drastically different from the modern expectations of Disney films.
10 Best Plot Twists In Disney Movies
Some of the best Disney plot twists elevate movies including Frozen, Coco, Cruella, and Pirates of the Caribbean by subverting narrative expectations.
For one, it is unusual for the film to utilize an anthology style, telling two completely distinct stories, as opposed to one cohesive narrative. Additionally, the film (particularly theSleepy Hollowportion) isvery dark for Disney’s standards, even going so far as to end with the implication that the main character has been killed by a headless spirit. This is a direct contrast from the “happily-ever-after” endings audiences tend to expect from Disney.
1Frankenweenie (2012)
A Black and White Sci-Fi Horror Story
Years afterThe Nightmare Before Christmas,Tim Burton and Disney reunited for another horror-driven collaborationwith the 2012 film,Frankenweenie. The black and white stop-motion animated feature follows a boy named Victor who manages to bringhis beloved dog back to life, prompting his jealous classmates to perform similar experiments with their own deceased pets.
Frankenweenie
Frankenweenie is a 2012 stop-motion animated remake of Tim Burton’s eponymous 1984 short film. It tells the story of young scientist Victor Frankenstein, who brings his dog Sparky back to life and tries to stop his experiment from wreaking havoc across his town.
Though meant to be a family-friendly adaptation/parody ofFrankenstein,the film does dive deep into the idea of death, contributing to its horror-filled atmosphere.Frankenweenie’s grim story and macabre visual style feel vastly different from the fun, upbeat nature of most of Disney’s popular films.
ThoughFrankenweeniewas a critical and commercial success, it hardly fits the mold of what one would expect from a Disney movie.
The film clearly puts an uncommonly strong emphasis on death, and is even willing to show the deaths and bodies of various animals. Theuse of strictly black and white colors and stop-motion animationalso contrast heavily with Disney’s typical, bright style. ThoughFrankenweeniewas a critical and commercial success, it hardly fits the mold of what one would expect from a Disney movie.
