10 Surprisingly Dark Children's Movies From The 80s

Directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara and Tim Curry, Legend was far from a commercial success when it was released back in 1985. Regardless, the film was nominated for numerous awards – including an Academy Award for Best Makeup – and was generally a tremendous success with casual audiences, especially children.

With that being said, the film is tremendously dark, the plot borrowing heavily from ancient myth and legend, emphasising the darker aspects of classical stories.

The plot revolves around a satanic lord of darkness, and his attempt to murder the last unicorn, thereby releasing him from his perpetual imprisonment. Visually, the film references everything from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs to Pinocchio, recreating the style and aesthetic of the even the most classic Disney animations.

Besides the depiction of murder, sacrifice and animal cruelty, Tim Curry’s portrayal of Darkness (aka Satan) is remarkably unnerving, the actor utterly unrecognisable in the role, wreaking havoc in his attempt to plunge the world in darkness. Robert Picardo (The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager) also plays a hideous witch in the movie - Meg Mucklebones - the effect of which resonaes with audiences to this very day.