Posted on 16 Mar 2022

These 19 Films Gave Us Unsettling Scenes That We Did ~Not~ Sign Up For

Yes, the horrific "Thumb Thumbs" from Spy Kids will be discussed here.

by Luca Iacobucci

BuzzFeed Staff

I know this film is meant to be creepy in certain parts, but in this particular scene, the dancing is just too perfect and too well choreographed. The worst part? The dead eyes of the background characters as they stare lifelessly ahead. Chilling. — Warner Bros. Pictures

I know this film is meant to be creepy in certain parts, but in this particular scene, the dancing is just too perfect and too well choreographed. The worst part? The dead eyes of the background characters as they stare lifelessly ahead. Chilling.

Warner Bros. Pictures

I know this film is meant to be creepy in certain parts, but in this particular scene, the dancing is just too perfect and too well choreographed. The worst part? The dead eyes of the background characters as they stare lifelessly ahead. Chilling.

These films always make me feel ~off~, but the feeling is particularly strong here. The strange sets that look like indoor play centers are one thing, but when you have a gang of cheaply rendered thumb people running around them, it's more arthouse horror than a kids' film. — Miramax

These films always make me feel ~off~, but the feeling is particularly strong here. The strange sets that look like indoor play centers are one thing, but when you have a gang of cheaply rendered thumb people running around them, it's more arthouse horror than a kids' film.

Miramax

These films always make me feel ~off~, but the feeling is particularly strong here. The strange sets that look like indoor play centers are one thing, but when you have a gang of cheaply rendered thumb people running around them, it's more arthouse horror than a kids' film.

For those that don't know, this animation has the same director as Watership Down. If that wasn't traumatic enough for you, The Plague Dogs had a higher age rating, and you can see why in this scene. The eerie silence, the sudden cut to the man's bloody face as he makes no sounds of pain, and just the older style of animation. I don’t think you could recreate this unsettling vibe with modern animation. — United Artists

For those that don't know, this animation has the same director as Watership Down. If that wasn't traumatic enough for you, The Plague Dogs had a higher age rating, and you can see why in this scene. The eerie silence, the sudden cut to the man's bloody face as he makes no sounds of pain, and just the older style of animation. I don’t think you could recreate this unsettling vibe with modern animation.

United Artists

For those that don't know, this animation has the same director as Watership Down. If that wasn't traumatic enough for you, The Plague Dogs had a higher age rating, and you can see why in this scene. The eerie silence, the sudden cut to the man's bloody face as he makes no sounds of pain, and just the older style of animation. I don’t think you could recreate this unsettling vibe with modern animation.

There's something super eerie about the duo's first outing — maybe it’s the lunar setting or the fact that this is their first film. Whatever it is, I had nightmares about this vending machine rolling after me for years. — Channel 4

There's something super eerie about the duo's first outing — maybe it’s the lunar setting or the fact that this is their first film. Whatever it is, I had nightmares about this vending machine rolling after me for years.

Channel 4

There's something super eerie about the duo's first outing — maybe it’s the lunar setting or the fact that this is their first film. Whatever it is, I had nightmares about this vending machine rolling after me for years.

I genuinely feel as though I'm the one eating too much cake. I'll never look at the screen when this scene comes around — ever. — Sony Pictures Entertainment

I genuinely feel as though I'm the one eating too much cake. I'll never look at the screen when this scene comes around — ever.

Sony Pictures Entertainment

I genuinely feel as though I'm the one eating too much cake. I'll never look at the screen when this scene comes around — ever.

I'm assuming it's the head alien that appears, with its massive, gangly limbs. I really hate long-limbed creatures ok, but it's specifically the way it's ominously lit from behind, and NONE of the other aliens look like it. It always freaked me out with how it suddenly disappears when the camera cuts back. — Columbia Pictures

I'm assuming it's the head alien that appears, with its massive, gangly limbs. I really hate long-limbed creatures ok, but it's specifically the way it's ominously lit from behind, and NONE of the other aliens look like it. It always freaked me out with how it suddenly disappears when the camera cuts back.

Columbia Pictures

I'm assuming it's the head alien that appears, with its massive, gangly limbs. I really hate long-limbed creatures ok, but it's specifically the way it's ominously lit from behind, and NONE of the other aliens look like it. It always freaked me out with how it suddenly disappears when the camera cuts back.

This one's genuinely my least favorite in the series, and this scene was one reason why! It's ridiculously dark, something the filmmakers agree with! — Paramount Pictures

This one's genuinely my least favorite in the series, and this scene was one reason why! It's ridiculously dark, something the filmmakers agree with!

Paramount Pictures

This one's genuinely my least favorite in the series, and this scene was one reason why! It's ridiculously dark, something the filmmakers agree with!

Much has been said about director George Lucas' tinkering with the original Star Wars trilogy. I argue nothing is worse than this monstrosity. Breaking the fourth wall for Star Wars is a strange choice, but when it's done in a new CGI sequence for an '80s film, we've hit the rock bottom of the uncanny valley. Why is this thing screaming into the camera?! — Twentieth Century Fox

Much has been said about director George Lucas' tinkering with the original Star Wars trilogy. I argue nothing is worse than this monstrosity. Breaking the fourth wall for Star Wars is a strange choice, but when it's done in a new CGI sequence for an '80s film, we've hit the rock bottom of the uncanny valley. Why is this thing screaming into the camera?!

Twentieth Century Fox

Much has been said about director George Lucas' tinkering with the original Star Wars trilogy. I argue nothing is worse than this monstrosity. Breaking the fourth wall for Star Wars is a strange choice, but when it's done in a new CGI sequence for an '80s film, we've hit the rock bottom of the uncanny valley. Why is this thing screaming into the camera?!

This terrifying transformation belongs in a '70s horror film, and my friend wasn't happy I "unblocked" the memory of this scene for him. — Warner Bros.

This terrifying transformation belongs in a '70s horror film, and my friend wasn't happy I "unblocked" the memory of this scene for him.

Warner Bros.

This terrifying transformation belongs in a '70s horror film, and my friend wasn't happy I "unblocked" the memory of this scene for him.

Whenever a skeleton is used in one of these family-friendly films, it's always terrifying. I thought he was actually pulverized into a skeleton when I saw this as a kid. — Twentieth Century Fox

Whenever a skeleton is used in one of these family-friendly films, it's always terrifying. I thought he was actually pulverized into a skeleton when I saw this as a kid.

Twentieth Century Fox

Whenever a skeleton is used in one of these family-friendly films, it's always terrifying. I thought he was actually pulverized into a skeleton when I saw this as a kid.

Ok, I know it's played for laughs, but the existential crisis the man has before being crushed STILL bothers me. But the true horror is that, for the rest of the film, he's just stuck under that dome. — Twentieth Century Fox

Ok, I know it's played for laughs, but the existential crisis the man has before being crushed STILL bothers me. But the true horror is that, for the rest of the film, he's just stuck under that dome.

Twentieth Century Fox

Ok, I know it's played for laughs, but the existential crisis the man has before being crushed STILL bothers me. But the true horror is that, for the rest of the film, he's just stuck under that dome.

Wall-E has many points where people went “THAT’S our future," but nothing beats the diagram of how humans became weaker. It's shown as a cute visual joke, but maybe something along those lines could happen? — Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Wall-E has many points where people went “THAT’S our future," but nothing beats the diagram of how humans became weaker. It's shown as a cute visual joke, but maybe something along those lines could happen?

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Wall-E has many points where people went “THAT’S our future," but nothing beats the diagram of how humans became weaker. It's shown as a cute visual joke, but maybe something along those lines could happen?

It starts fine, but the CGI takes over the scene in a not great way. It looks like cheap video-game footage — why does everyone look like rubber?! When it cuts back from CGI Neo and Agent Smith to the real footage, it's like two different films. — Warner Bros.

It starts fine, but the CGI takes over the scene in a not great way. It looks like cheap video-game footage — why does everyone look like rubber?! When it cuts back from CGI Neo and Agent Smith to the real footage, it's like two different films.

Warner Bros.

It starts fine, but the CGI takes over the scene in a not great way. It looks like cheap video-game footage — why does everyone look like rubber?! When it cuts back from CGI Neo and Agent Smith to the real footage, it's like two different films.

The Rock is such a recognizable dude, so it's utterly impressive how it takes me a second to go "oh yeah, that's him" whenever I see this CGI nightmare. — Universal Pictures

The Rock is such a recognizable dude, so it's utterly impressive how it takes me a second to go "oh yeah, that's him" whenever I see this CGI nightmare.

Universal Pictures

The Rock is such a recognizable dude, so it's utterly impressive how it takes me a second to go "oh yeah, that's him" whenever I see this CGI nightmare.

The masks remind me of the film Eyes Without a Face, which, for a comedy, shouldn't be the goal, right? — Sony Pictures Entertainment

The masks remind me of the film Eyes Without a Face, which, for a comedy, shouldn't be the goal, right?

Sony Pictures Entertainment

The masks remind me of the film Eyes Without a Face, which, for a comedy, shouldn't be the goal, right?

I know Finding Dory cleared this up, but for YEARS those fish were trapped in their plastic bags in my mind. I wouldn't stop asking my parents whether they died or not! — Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

I know Finding Dory cleared this up, but for YEARS those fish were trapped in their plastic bags in my mind. I wouldn't stop asking my parents whether they died or not!

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

I know Finding Dory cleared this up, but for YEARS those fish were trapped in their plastic bags in my mind. I wouldn't stop asking my parents whether they died or not!

When a film anthropomorphizes animals, the filmmakers SURELY know how horrifying it is to see them used as food!? The scene is meant to have dangerous energy to it, but just look at those lifeless fish being gutted...

When a film anthropomorphizes animals, the filmmakers SURELY know how horrifying it is to see them used as food!? The scene is meant to have dangerous energy to it, but just look at those lifeless fish being gutted...

There're a lot of deliberately cursed moments in this movie, and I love it. But we're literally seeing sea-creatures slowly suffocating! And there's the truly evil touch of them becoming actual dried objects — beyond cruel!

There're a lot of deliberately cursed moments in this movie, and I love it. But we're literally seeing sea-creatures slowly suffocating! And there's the truly evil touch of them becoming actual dried objects — beyond cruel!

This film gives me a special brand of queasiness. Everything about the creatures is unsettling enough. But it's the drab color and the awful green screen that combine and send it beyond weird.

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