In 'Bambi', the death of Bambi's mother is a very dark moment. It's a sudden and tragic event that many children find quite disturbing. In 'Sleeping Beauty', Maleficent's curse on Aurora is also dark. She curses an innocent baby just because she wasn't invited to a party. This shows extreme vengeance and malevolence.
The darker side often makes the stories more memorable. Take '101 Dalmatians' for instance. Cruella de Vil's desire to skin the puppies is extremely dark. However, it makes the message of good vs evil stronger. It makes us root for the Dalmatians and their owners more passionately, highlighting the importance of protecting the innocent.
One example is in 'Snow White'. The Evil Queen's jealousy is quite dark. She tries to kill Snow White out of envy for her beauty. Also, in 'The Little Mermaid', Ariel gives up her voice for a chance at love with a human, which can be seen as a rather dark aspect as she loses a crucial part of herself.
One example is in 'Snow White'. The Evil Queen's jealousy and her attempts to kill Snow White are quite dark. Also, in 'The Little Mermaid', Ariel gives up her voice which can be seen as a rather dark sacrifice in the pursuit of love.
It can attract an older audience. Disney is known for family - friendly content, but darker stories can draw in teenagers and adults who are looking for more sophisticated storytelling.
It could also be a way to compete in the market. Other studios were creating darker, more mature content that was gaining popularity. Disney may have felt the need to enter this space to maintain its position as a leading entertainment provider. They could use their well - known characters and universes as a base and then add darker elements to make the stories more engaging and relevant to a broader audience.
The story of the Sith in general is quite dark. Their thirst for power, their use of dark side magic, and their constant scheming against each other and the Jedi. For instance, the Rule of Two among the Sith, which led to constant backstabbing and power struggles within their ranks.
The Disney dark side stories can be quite fascinating. Consider the story of Cruella de Vil in '101 Dalmatians'. Her obsession with fur coats made her willing to kidnap and kill puppies, which is extremely dark. In 'Aladdin', Jafar's thirst for power and his willingness to use dark magic to achieve his goals is another example. He tries to trick Aladdin and take over the kingdom. And in 'The Lion King', Scar's plot to kill Mufasa and take over the pride is a dark and tragic part of the story. Scar's jealousy and his alliance with the hyenas led to many sad events in the movie.
One dark side is the lack of agency in some stories. For example, Snow White. She was mainly a passive character, waiting to be rescued by the prince. Another is the emphasis on beauty as the most important trait. Cinderella was only noticed by the prince because of her beauty at the ball. And in some princess stories, there is a kind of class divide that is not really challenged. The princesses often end up with princes, which might give the idea that marrying into royalty is the only way to a happy ending.
One 'Dark Side Disney Story' is the theory about the hidden meanings in 'Pinocchio'. Some believe that the Island of Pleasure where naughty boys turn into donkeys represents the dark side of temptation and the consequences of giving in to vices. Another is the idea that in 'Snow White', the Queen's obsession with beauty and her downfall can be seen as a dark exploration of vanity.
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Frollo's obsessive and cruel nature towards Esmeralda is quite dark. He represents religious extremism and lust, which are dark themes. His actions of trying to hunt down Esmeralda because of his 'forbidden' desires are part of the story's darkness.