9 Disney Movies With Upsetting And Dark Moments
2. The Headless Horseman Spirits Ichabod Away - The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr Toad
This lesser-known Disney title is a double-feature, adapting both The Wind in the Willows and Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and it's the latter that will send a shiver down the spine of any young audience member.
Irving's tale follows Ichabod Crane as he travels through Sleepy Hollow which is noted for being haunted by plenty of supernatural terrors. As he travels through a forest late at night, Ichabod develops a severe case of paranoia from the ambient noise of the ghosts and ghouls he starts to envision. His paranoia is eventually deflated when he sees the creatures around him are pretty harmless, but Ichabod doesn't get much time for relief.
That's because he's swiftly chased down by the Headless Horseman. The Horseman is nightmarishly brought to life, waving a sword and cackling maniacally. The end of the film closes with a painted backdrop which shows us all that is left of Ichabod; his hat, discarded on the path.
Being left to imagine just what exactly happened to the unlikely hero is exactly why this film would have disconcerted its young audience members. At the very least, it would have spurred some very awkward conversations as parents explain just what cruel fate might have befallen Ichabod.