10 Unexpected Moments Of Horrific Violence In Kids' Movies
Magic, whimsy, friendship and... ultraviolence?
Studio GhibliUnlike several R-rated flicks, or the multitude of PG-13 movies released every year that quickly fade from memory, childrens films often have a timeless quality about them to enjoy. Parents, searching for wholesome entertainment for the family, often collect kids movies on their shelves for repeated watching, as will viewers feeling nostalgic longings for their childhood. What makes childrens films popular is the very absence of what draws an audience to the harder rated flicks. Crafting stories for children forces filmmakers (at least the good ones) to think outside the box and rely on clever subtlety without the aid of booze and bullets. That's not to say R-rated or PG-13 movies cannot be clever however, but there is a general expectation people have when watching childrens films that what they are about to see will be memorably cute and heart-warming. Obviously, this also means that it will remain safely devoid of copious amounts of sex, harsh language, and horrific violence. And they are, at least, most of the time. If asked to contemplate, many of us may be hard pressed to name the last movie we watched which was completely violence-free. Thats because at the heart of every story is conflict, and at the heart of every conflict is typically well something violent. Meaning, as far as cinema is concerned, while a kids film could never get away with dropping an F-bomb or showing the main protagonist get it on with the love interest, they will occasionally slip in a moment of violence that gets taken just a little too far. When this happens the effect of the brutality is always shocking. Lovable characters die, worlds get destroyed, and blood is spilled. Afterwards, the movie sometimes will try to go back to being cute, except now the mood is lost because unlike the occasional innuendo that flew over their heads kids understand a horrific death when they see one. Here are ten such moments of unexpected ultra-violence in kids films. Warning: spoilers ahead.