Disney is known for tugging at heartstrings. It's a major reason why so many of the studio's films have persevered over the decades. So many people remember watching these movies as kids and learning about the tragedy of death or connecting a little too closely to a family in disarray. Many Disney films, and by extention Pixar Animation productions, take place in fantastical worlds, but they don't sugarcoat harsh realities.
Fortunately, the saddest Disney movies don't really get on the level of something
like "Manchester by the Sea," where it becomes unbearable to watch at a certain point. Disney films at least end on an uplifting note, proving that no matter how sad life gets, there's always a silver lining. Still, the following movies can be tough to get through, especially if you're at a point in life where you can really relate to losing a parent or going through a pet's death. Best of luck making it through this list without tearing up just a little.
Here are the saddest Disney movies, ranked by how much they make us cry.
Read more: The 12 Worst Best Picture Oscar Winners Of All Time
Encanto
"Encanto" firmly remains one of the best films of 2021 with its dazzling musical numbers written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. However, despite "We Don't Talk About Bruno" becoming a viral hit, it's easy to forget just how tragic the story is. "Encanto" is all about generational trauma, which is gleaned first-hand during the scene where a young Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz) goes to receive her magical gift, only to get nothing. Mirabel constantly feels like she's letting down her family, even though she's done nothing bad at all.
In fact, when you dig deep into "Encanto," the film's all about intergenerational trauma. All the Madrigal family members feel broken and not good enough because the demands of Alma (María Cecilia Botero) are too high. That's something many folks can relate to, and sadly, many family members who put those kinds of expectations on their loved ones don't learn the same lesson Alma does by the end.
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
No one wants to see animals in peril. There's an entire website where people can check whether an animal dies throughout a film's runtime before they even put it on. Fortunately, none of the main three pets perish in "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" die, but that doesn't mean you'll make it out emotionally unscathed.
Our three furry heroes — Chance (Michael J. Fox), Sassy (Sally Field), and Shadow (Don Ameche) — get lost and attempt to find their way home. The plot alone makes it difficult to watch, but things really come to a head during the climax when Shadow injures his leg after falling into a mud pit. He tells the others to go on without him, and it's soul-crushing to see an old dog almost meet such a depressing end. Shadow gets out of the bind all right, but it's a good reminder that our pets love us more than we could ever imagine. We just want what's best for them, which makes the idea that Shadow would die away from his family all the more heartbreaking.
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" remains one of Disney's most daring movies. It goes places no other Disney films dare tread, like calling out hypocrisies and cruelties present within organized religion. Judge Claude Frollo (Tony Jay) kills Quasimodo's (Tom Hulce) mother and reluctantly raises her child, keeping him locked away from the rest of civilization. All Quasimodo wants to do is feel like he belongs, but he's denied even that.
The film's sad because Frollo's machinations are all too real, with him even seeking to commit a genocide against the Romani population of Paris. Frollo others Quasimodo by constantly making him feel like there's no place in the world for him, which he accomplishes by having his guards humiliate Quasimodo during the festival. Quasimodo has every right to feel hatred toward humanity, and still, the look of misery on his face when he believes Esmeralda (Demi Moore) has died) is unbearable. Talking gargoyles aside, it's a brutal film to endure.
Coco
Seeing as it's a film all about death, it's understandable for Pixar's "Coco" to make the list of saddest Disney movies ever. You'd need a heart made of stone not to tear up when Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) sings to his great-grandmother, Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía), to get her to remember her long-dead father.
Death is naturally a heavy subject matter, but "Coco" gets to the heart of something far more existentially terrifying: the idea that someday we'll all be forgotten. The film reminds us not just to not only appreciate our loved ones while they're still with us but to continue talking about them long after they've passed away. "Coco" confronts the tragic reality of death in a far more nuanced way than many children's films attempt. Life shouldn't be consumed with fearing death but by living in a way where our family and friends will want to continue telling our stories.
Pixar has confirmed "Coco 2" is on the way, but it's hard to imagine the sequel hitting all of its emotional beats as effectively as the first.
Brother Bear
"Brother Bear" takes the expression, "Walk a mile in my shoes," and delivers heartbreaking profundity. Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) begins the film with a hatred toward bears so immense that he kills one. But when he suddenly gets transformed into a bear, he forms a bond with the young cub Koda (Jeremy Suarez) and realizes the bear he killed was Koda's mother.
This leads to the movie's most emotional moment when Kenai, consumed by guilt, confesses to Koda what exactly happened to his mom. It's the kind of betrayal that really has no way of getting better, but Kenai tries, deciding to stay a bear to look after Koda as recompense for what he's done. Many Disney films tackle death, but few go as far as "Brother Bear," which sees our protagonist directly responsible for it. In a way, "Brother Bear" is so sad because it's like seeing the hunter from "Bambi" come to terms with the fact he's caused so much pain.
Inside Out
Many "Inside Out" ideas were left on the cutting room floor, but maybe it's for the best. What we're left with is a nuanced look into how it's important for everyone to feel sad now and then. It's no surprise it's one of the saddest Disney movies because it's a story about how we shouldn't try to feel happy if we're genuinely not feeling it.
In an almost meta way, the film forces viewers to confront sadness on multiple occasions. There's something devastating about watching Riley's (Kaitlyn Dias) imaginary friend Bing Bong (Richard Kind) stay behind and be forgotten so that Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) can escape. Boy, Pixar really wants to drive home the idea that being forgotten is just as bad as death itself. Then there's Riley's confession to her parents where she's finally allowed to break down and cry. It's sad but beautiful to watch her parents comfort her. Disney movies might be sad, but hopefully, we feel better after realizing many others have felt the same way we do.
Dumbo
You have to go through a lot of misery to get to the eventual happy ending of "Dumbo." Due to the titular character's giant ears, he's the source of much ridicule, and when his mother stands up for her baby, she's locked away. This leads to one of the most heartbreaking moments in Disney history where she sings "Baby Mine" to her child, with the two only able to get close enough to wrap their trunks around one another.
It's depressing to see Dumbo go through so much abuse, but at least in the beginning, there was a semblance of solace that he had his mom by his side. When that's taken away, the movie becomes almost unbearable to watch. "Dumbo" is sure to hit home for children who have ever felt ostracized over something they had no control over. "Dumbo" becomes even sadder once you become a parent and realize there's only so much you can do to protect your kids from the awfulness of the world.
Finding Nemo
One of the saddest moments in any Pixar film trumps almost everything Disney Animation has done. It's par for the course for many Disney protagonists to have a dead parent (or at least a dead loved one). It serves as the catalyst for many plots and drives home the point that one day we'll all be on our own. But "Finding Nemo" opens with Marlin (Albert Brooks) unable to save his partner and hundreds of their eggs, all except little Nemo.
It's perhaps the quickest tonal whiplash one can receive. One minute Marlin's joking around, and the next, he's left to confront the fact the massive family he was looking forward to has been eaten by a barracuda. That sadness informs everything going forward, because any parent would swim across the ocean to be reunited with the last reminder of everything they've lost. Just like it's every kid's fear to lose their parents, it's every parent's fear to lose their children.
The Lion King
Many Disney films see a parent die offscreen. It doesn't make it any less tragic, but there's still something gut-wrenching about watching Simba (Matthew Broderick) lose his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones), in front of him. We've gotten to know Mufasa greatly up to this point in the film as he guides his son to be a great ruler one day. Of course, Simba assumes that won't happen for a while, but life has a funny way of throwing you into the deep end when you least expect it.
What makes Mufasa's death all the more depressing is that Simba blames himself initially. It was naturally all orchestrated by his scheming uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons), but Simba comes of age believing he's responsible, sending him into the "hakuna matata" lifestyle to avoid thinking about his past mistakes. Mufasa's death broke the rules of Disney animation to an extent. Characters have died before, but it usually occurs early in the film before the audience forms any emotional attachment to the deceased. But Mufasa became a father figure to all of us before departing.
Toy Story 3
There comes a time in everyone's life when they must say goodbye to childish things. It just usually isn't presented in media as terrifyingly as in "Toy Story 3." There's a tinge of sadness throughout the entire film, as Andy (John Morris) hasn't played with his toys in a while and is preparing to leave for college. Woody (Tom Hanks) and his pals wind up in a daycare and eventually a dump.
The ending of "Toy Story 3" hits you in the feels not once but twice. The first comes when our main toys are being pulled toward an incinerator and rather than try to escape, they join hands and accept their fates. They may be saved in the end, but they were fully willing to be destroyed, as long as they could do it as friends. Despite surviving, the next gut punch comes when Andy decides to donate his playthings to young Bonnie (Emily Hahn), knowing she'll appreciate them in a way he can't anymore. No one can stay young forever, but maybe we can make the world a little more bearable for the next generation.
Bridge To Terabithia
Anyone who read "Bridge to Terabithia" for school knew they were in for heartbreak when Disney adapted it into a 2007 film. Everyone else was walking into a trap, especially considering the movie's marketing made it look like a fun fantasy adventure flick. All those sequences are simply part of the kids' imaginations, building the world of Terabithia. The story's all about two friends — Jess (Josh Hutcherson) and Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) — creating a place where they can belong outside of the troubles of school and family.
But when Leslie ventures to Terabithia without Jess, she hits her head on a rock and dies. A child dying is always tragic, but there's the added layer of how easily avoidable it could've been. Jess blames himself for ditching Leslie, knowing that he could've perhaps gone for help and saved her. But all he can do is carry on her memory knowing he was the as good of a friend as Leslie could've asked for. The movie shows that no matter how much we try to escape the hardships of life, they'll always find a way to resurface.
Old Yeller
While we're on the subject of sad books adapted into sad movies, it's impossible to overlook Disney's "Old Yeller." The 1957 film recounts a family taking in the best, most loyal dog there ever was — Old Yeller. He's a huge asset to the Coates family until one day he fights off a rabid wolf, contracting rabies himself. It's bad enough knowing Old Yeller is going to die, but Travis (Tommy Kirk, who also starred in "The Shaggy Dog"), knowing it's the right thing to do, decides to put the dog out of his misery and shoot the pooch himself.
The reason "Old Yeller" remains a quintessential "sad movie" is that most people's first brush with death is via a pet. Kids may have to go through the death of a dog, cat, or something else and realize that nothing lasts forever. Such a moment marks a turning point in anyone's life where they become aware of how fleeting life can be. "Old Yeller" goes the extra mile by having Travis grow up in more ways than one. Travis does the responsible thing by putting Old Yeller down for his own well-being, even though it's tough emotionally on him.
Bambi
No list of the saddest Disney movies would be complete without "Bambi." It's the film that introduced many to the concept of death, and it's still impactful all these decades later. Part of this stems from how random the big death feels. One day, Bambi (Donnie Dunagan) is out finding food with his mother (Paula Winslowe) when a hunter approaches. Bambi manages to escape, but his mother isn't as lucky.
It's a slow, painful revelation, as Bambi comes out of hiding, calling for his mother in the snowfall. As the audience, we know what to expect, and waiting for Bambi reach the same revelation is heart-wrenching. It only gets worse as we experience déjà vu later in the film when a fire overtakes the forest and Bambi himself suffers a gunshot wound (albeit surviving). In a strange way, "Bambi" is the perfect Mother's Day movie, as it shows just how important moms are in all of our lives, even when they leave us far too soon.
Up
Pixar has garnered a reputation for making movies far more complex and nuanced than folks typically expect out of children's media. Nowhere is that better exemplified than the beginning of "Up." We're introduced to two kids — Carl (Jeremy Leary, later Ed Asner) and Ellie (Elie Docter) — and basically get a montage of life's greatest hits, both joyful and tragic. The "Up" montage went through numerous changes, but in the end, we get to see Carl and Ellie marry and fix up a house. Then, there are moments like the pair receiving the news that Ellie has miscarried.
The montage climaxes with Ellie's death. Granted, she had a long life, but it does show how every human being is filled with such profound complexities. Everyone experiences triumphs and defeats, and it's easy to allow the latter to warp you into something bitter, which is what Carl is once the montage is over. But instead of regretting what was taken from you, you can find the joy that a new adventure is always around the corner.
The Fox And The Hound
Many Disney movies have a sad scene, but "The Fox and the Hound" just makes you want to sit down and bawl your eyes out throughout its entire runtime. There's the complicated friendship between Tod the fox (Mickey Rooney) and Copper the hound dog (Kurt Russell). They meet when they're younger and vow to remain friends, even knowing that'll be impossible, as Copper's trained to hunt and kill foxes. It may seem like Tod is at least protected by Widow Tweed (Jeanette Nolan), but soon, she becomes unable to look after him and leaves him in the woods for his own well-being.
Death is always sad, but "The Fox and the Hound" hits on other themes that are just as sad, like friends being kept apart simply due to their upbringing. There's also the idea of abandonment, as Tweed driving away from Tod remains one of the most heartbreaking scenes in any Disney film ever. No one can escape death, but Tod and Copper could've stayed friends had people been a little more compassionate and understanding. Copper protects Tod in the end, and the film gives us one final gut punch: The two give one another a final look that let's everyone know that, even though they may be forced to stay apart, they'll find ways to have each other's backs.
If you're looking for the easiest way to keep up with all the major movie and TV news, why not sign up to our free newsletter?
Read the original article on SlashFilm.
