3. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
As it was primarily aimed at young children, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is widely considered one of the most scarring movies of a generation, because it contains a number of deeply horrifying moments. Some of Willy Wonka‘s most disturbing moments have contributed to its reputation as a deeply unsettling film, particularly as they’re so thoroughly mixed in with the film’s whimsical and fantastical elements that it’s hard to fully understand exactly what genre Willy Wonka is supposed to be.
For those that don’t know, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory tells the story of five “lucky” children who win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a tour of Willy Wonka’s factory. It’s a colorful and musical experience, but many of its elements are more in line with horror movies than one might expect. Wonka has a seemingly endless supply of diminutive slaves, all of which are trained to break into song and dance upon the death of children, which the confectioner shrugs off as inconsequential.
Willy Wonka also sees its lone survivor dubbed the “winner”, meaning that he inherits the death-factory. The story and premise are practically as dark as can be, and the hypnotically psychedelic aesthetic of the film makes it a jarringly vivid experience. How Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was ever considered suitable for young audiences, we’ll never know, because it’s one of the most disturbing movies ever made (in any genre).