What movie had you hidden under the covers as a kid, fighting your brain as it forced you to relive the horror of that one scene on repeat until sleep kicked in to save you? You might be too embarrassed to admit that a movie made for kids had you covering your eyes, but this article is your safe space to fess up with the rest of us. The internet is teeming with tales from adults who admit there were times children’s movies turned darker than they should have, leaving them with memories they’d rather forget. Today we’ll be taking a look at a handful of seriously creepy kids’ flicks that had us hollering for our parents to double-check under our beds at night. These movies were so dark that many refuse to rewatch them as adults, but even the fearless can agree they were questionably frightening for little ones to watch.
Earth’s Favorite Alien Was Frightening
I saw E.T. for the first time on my fourth birthday and bawled my eyes out because the awkward little alien went home rather than living happily ever after on Earth with Elliott. I hated it for breaking my heart. The internet agrees it was traumatizing, but for different reasons.
E.T. isn’t a villain, but his otherworldly anatomy was an uncomfortable sight, even when he was dressed up like a nice old church lady. Then there’s the emotionally taxing scene where the scientists poke and prod at an ailing E.T. and Elliott. We also can’t forget E.T. was discovered lurking around in Elliott’s backyard woods, lending to our fears of what lives in the forest at night.