Disney’s studios took a different approach to live-action films in the ’80s, producing movies with darker content that seemed to be geared towards adults rather than children. The result left behind an era of strange and mysterious movies that are forever cemented in the minds of adults who watched them as children.
Recently, Redditors had a fascinating conversation on r/movies about Disney’s mature and forgotten live-action movies from the ’80s. Several beloved films were included on the list, while a few obscure titles were mentioned. Take a look back at the decade that featured the studio’s first PG-rated movies.
10 ‘The Watcher in the Woods’ (1980)
Disney’s supernatural film The Watcher in the Woods is the spookiest of all their ’80s live-action movies. It tells the story of two young girls who move to a cottage in the English countryside where supernatural happenings occur. The movie features Bette Davis and a young Kyle Richards (who we all know from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills).
Reddit user bearvert222 points out that John Hough directed the film, “Who also did The Legend of Hell House and the two Witch Mountain movies. He also did Incubus and American Gothic.Kind of an odd minor director/producer,” they wrote. Despite a lukewarm reception from viewers at the time, The Watcher in the Woods remains Disney’s only true horror film.
9 ‘Night Crossing’ (1982)
Night Crossing is a Disney live-action film that feels like it’s geared toward adults instead of children. It’s about two men who plan to escape from communist East Germany on a hot air balloon with their families. Classic Hollywood stars John Hurt and Jane Alexander are featured in this film with extremely mature content.
Redditor lostwanderer02 opened the conversation, writing, “I can’t imagine a kid having the attention span to sit through a movie like Never Cry Wolf or Night Crossing neither of which feels like a traditional Disney film.” Another user, Mickeyflinn, responded, “I was a kid when they were released, and I saw both in the theater, and I loved them both.” In other words, kids in the ’80s did enjoy Disney’s darker films.
8 ‘Midnight Madness’ (1980)
Looking to watch a fun ’80s college romp? Look no further than Midnight Madness, Disney’s scavenger hunt movie. Five teams hunt for clues that span several cities over one night. It’s great to see Michael J. Fox make his debut, along with a who’s-who of the ’80s ensemble cast. This is college mayhem at its finest.
Reddit user Skater73 writes about the film, “It was an attempt at a raunchy comedy clearly not aimed at kids and families.” They went on to say that Disney left their name off of its official release. “It was before Touchstone existed, so I believe it was unbranded. Now the home video release goes under Walt Disney Pictures.”
7 ‘Never Cry Wolf’ (1983)
Another great ’80s live-action Disney movie is Never Cry Wolf. The plot centers around a research scientist sent to the Canadian tundra to research if wolves are responsible for killing herds of caribou. Directed by Carroll Ballard (the man behind another nostalgic great, The Black Stallion), the film is a must-watch for nature lovers.
Over at Reddit, reedzkee chimed in to say that they loved the film so much it moved them to tears. “Never Cry Wolf is a masterpiece. I cry every time. It’s so poignant.” For a film to have an emotional hold on a viewer all these years later is quite an accomplishment. Have a box of tissues nearby for this viewing.
6 ‘One Magic Christmas’ (1985)
Disney tackled a live-action holiday movie with One Magic Christmas. It tells the story of a mother who doesn’t have the Christmas spirit due to financial struggles until an angel appears to teach her the true meaning of Christmas. The movie features a young Mary Steenburgen and Harry Dean Stanton.
User Skater73 wrote about the mature themes Disney tackled during the 80s over at Reddit: “Even One Magic Christmas deals with financial and emotional struggles that many people face during the holidays that most Christmas movies don’t touch.” It’s a compelling and sweet story that stands the test of time.
5 ‘Flight of the Navigator’ (1986)
Sci-fi fans should check Flight of the Navigator for a retro look at time travel. Directed by Randal Kleiser (the creative force behind iconic films like Grease and The Blue Lagoon), the movie is about a boy (played by Joey Cramer) who travels eight years into the future, where he discovers a talking alien ship.
The film pushed the boundaries for Disney, earning a PG rating. Redditor Skater73 discussed how the movie was a departure for the studio, saying, “Flight of the Navigator includes much fantasy, but it also includes a four-letter word that seldom heard in a Disney branded movie at the time.” Ground-breaking and fun, kids of all ages will enjoy this one.
4 ‘Dragonslayer’ (1981)
Disney’s Dragonslayer is a dark fantasy film about a young wizard on a quest to kill a dragon that’s been devouring girls from a nearby village. It was directed by Matthew Robbins (who went on to films like Crimson Peak and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio). The VFX (which pale in comparison to today’s flashy standards) were cutting-edge at the time of its release.
“The dragon effects were new, never-before-seen types of puppet, stop-motion, and blends, by Phil Tippet of ILM,” MOOzikmktr wrote on Reddit. “It was really good but definitely NOT for kids. Some characters met with some pretty gruesome ends.” Dragonslayer is a hidden gem that’s totally worth a watch.
3 ‘Return to Oz’ (1985)
Return to Oz is a retelling of the famous film The Wizard of Oz, and it’s one of Disney’s darker live-action films from the era. Dorothy is saved from a psychiatric experiment and returns to Oz to fight a wicked king with a crew of new friends. It features a young Fairuza Balk (who we all know from The Craft), and the film is as freaky as it sounds.
“Return to Oz is another dark and mature movie with a terrifying scene depicting early questionable treatment of mental illness and may be triggering,” Skater73 wrote in a Reddit thread about Disney’s atypical live-action films from the ’80s.
2 ‘Tron’ (1982)
Disney’s live-action movie Tron took a deep dive into computers long before The Matrix came along. The plot follows a computer engineer (played brilliantly by Jeff Bridges) who is hijacked into a computer system after trying to hack it. He becomes a freedom fighter when he’s forced to play against the Master Control program.
Viewers either love or hate the film (most prefer the 2010 follow-up Tron: Legacy), but many Redditors think the original film holds up, despite its criticism. TheThetaDragon98 wrote, “I think the people who think the visuals are “rough” are hung up on photorealism. Tron was more about surrealism, clouds of energy coalescing in trippy ways.”
1 ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ (1983)
By far the most beloved live-action Disney movie from the ’80s is Something Wicked This Way Comes. It follows two boys living in a small town that face evil when a demonic carnival comes to town. Based on the book of the same name written by Ray Bradbury, Disney’s creepiest live-action film is hard to shake off.
“I haven’t revisited the movie in a long time, and likely because of its brutal themes of youth, age and regret. I remember watching it in theaters as kid.” MonsieurLeDude wrote on Reddit. “Now old and ‘lost’ myself, the scene is a nightmare and the movie is a masterpiece in my memory. May they never, ever remake it.”