5 Actually Terrifying Moments From Family Movies: Flying Monkeys, Face-Peeling Witches and More
These films may have been made for kids, but the scary moments in them have stayed with us into adulthood
If a film is made to be enjoyed by the whole family, it shouldn’t be too scary, right? Over the decades, this belief has been proven wrong over and over, as classic films like The Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and The Witches have become notorious for their surprisingly scary moments.
As we enter spooky season, we’re taking a look back at some of the most terrifying scenes from family movies—even years after first watching them, we still get the creeps just thinking about these moments.
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939): Flying monkeys
It’s pretty impressive to consider that The Wizard of Oz was made way back in 1939, well before the advent of special effects as we know them today. The flying monkeys have scared many generations of kids with their devious appearance (monkeys aren’t necessarily scary, but the idea of them flying and doing the bidding of the Wicked Witch? Eek!) and creepy sounds. We’ll forever be relieved that Dorothy was able to escape their capture, but it was a pretty close call!
2. Return to Oz (1985): Princess Mombi’s heads
This cult-favorite Wizard of Oz sequel is notorious for being one of the most disturbing children’s films of all time. The scene in which Dorothy encounters the villainous Princess Mombi, who keeps a collection of disembodied heads that she can put on and take off at will, is seriously spooky—and it’s just one of many ominous moments in this wild take on an iconic story.
3. Pinocchio (1940): Donkey transformation
Disney movies may be beloved childhood touchstones, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have scary moments. One of the most haunting of these moments takes place in Pinocchio, when the boy-puppet witnesses his new friend, Lampwick, being turned into a donkey as a punishment for his mischief. The transformation is shown in shadow, which makes it even more disturbing—as we hear screams of anguish and watch the shadows change, we can only imagine how horrified Lampwick must be.
4. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971): Tunnel of terror
Sure, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory has catchy songs, bright colors and tasty candies, but the film also features an absolutely chilling sequence in which Willy Wonka leads a group of unsuspecting youngsters and their parents on a boat ride through a tunnel of terror. While he sings a creepy song and stares into the camera with a deranged expression, the boat becomes surrounded by darkly psychedelic imagery, and the families have no choice but to scream.
5. The Witches (1990): The big reveal
It’s no surprise that The Witches is totally weird—after all, it was directed by Nicolas Roeg, who was known for helming the disturbing and sexually provocative 1973 thriller Don’t Look Now. While The Witches is ostensibly a family film, Roeg gets characteristically freaky with it, and the scene in which the formerly glam Anjelica Huston removes her wig and peels off her face, revealing her true monstrous self, has fueled many a ’90s kid’s nightmare.
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