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10 Disney Films with Dark Original Stories

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Disney movies are known for being all about magic, fairy tales, and happy endings. They’re the stuff childhood dreams are made of. From Cinderella to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Mulan, Disney’s been making animated movies since the 1930s, and they’ve been inspiring kids and adults alike for generations. But did you know that many of these movies have super dark and disturbing origins? Like, seriously messed up stuff. So here’s a list of 10 Disney movies with original stories that’ll freak you out.

We all love Disney movies, right? They’re full of magic, fairy tales, and happy endings. But have you ever stopped to think about the original stories that inspired them? Like, Cinderella, Snow White, and Mulan. They might not be as lighthearted and fun as the Disney versions. Just something to think about.

1. Mulan Was Defeated!!!

Disney Version:

Disney’s Mulan is shown as a girl who doesn’t quite fit in and ends up disguising herself as a dude to fight in the Chinese army. She does it all to protect her dad, who’s old and sick, cause she was worried about him. Along the way, she makes friends with a talking dragon and some crickets, and in the end, she saves the day and returns home.

Original Version:

Disney’s version of Mulan is all sunshine and rainbows, but the original story is a whole different ballgame. In the real deal, Mulan doesn’t come out victorious, and China loses the war. To make matters worse, Mulan gets captured and is given the ultimatum of marrying a Hun or facing death. But she manages to break free and make it back home. So basically, the original story is a lot darker and less magical than the Disney version.

2. Cinderella Had Too Much Gore.

Disney version:

We all know and love the classic Cinderella story, where she’s treated like crap by her stepsisters and stepmom. But have you ever wondered what really happened behind the glass slippers and pumpkin carriage? In the original story, Cinderella’s fairy godmother pops up to help her get to the royal ball and meet the prince. But her evil stepmother tries to ruin her plans by tearing up her dress. But, thanks to some magic, she’s all set and ready to go to the ball.

We all know and love the story of Cinderella, a young girl mistreated by her stepsisters and stepmother who gets a chance to go to the ball and meet the prince. But in the original story, things are a bit different. Cinderella doesn’t have a fairy godmother to help her out, and instead of losing a glass slipper, she loses a heel, and the prince uses it to find her again and live happily ever after. It’s a classic tale with a twist.

Original Version:

We all know and love the story of Cinderella, a young girl mistreated by her stepsisters and stepmother who gets a chance to go to the ball and meet the prince. But in the original story, things are a bit different. Cinderella doesn’t have a fairy godmother to help her out, and instead of losing a glass slipper, she loses a heel, and the prince uses it to find her again and live happily ever after. It’s a classic tale with a twist.

3. Sleeping Beauty should be PG-rated.

Disney version:

The Disney version of Sleeping Beauty is a romanticized version of the original story. But let’s be real; the original story is pretty creepy. It’s about a princess trapped in a tower which gets cursed by a wicked fairy and falls into a deep sleep. Enter a prince who stumbles upon her sleeping in a glass coffin in the woods and decides to kiss her awake. They live happily ever after. But, honestly, it’s not the most romantic story when you think about it.

Original Version:

The original story of Sleeping Beauty has some twisted parts that Disney left out in their movie. For example, in the original story, the princess doesn’t wake up from a kiss of true love but from giving birth to twins. And it’s not just a kiss; the prince actually rapes her while she’s asleep. Disney definitely left that part out in their version.

4. The Little Mermaid Can Make You Cry

Disney version:

Ariel, the red-haired mermaid, is sick of living under the sea and wants to explore the land. So she makes a deal with Ursula, the evil octopus, to trade her mermaid tail for legs. The catch? Ariel has to give up her beautiful singing voice. She uses her new legs to catch the eye of Prince Eric, and they fall in love. But, of course, Ursula ain’t no pushover, and they have to defeat her to break the spell and get Ariel’s voice back. Ultimately, Ariel gets to live on land and sea and marries Prince Eric. Happy ever after, right?

Original Version:

The original story of The Little Mermaid is a lot darker than the Disney version we’re all familiar with. Instead of getting her happy ending with Prince Eric, Ariel makes a deal with the sea witch Ursula to give up her voice and tail for legs. But there’s a catch – her legs will constantly ache and hurt. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make her as attractive as she hoped, and Prince Eric ends up marrying someone else. Heartbroken, Ariel jumps into the sea and turns into sea foam.

5. Rapunzel’s Prince Ended Up Losing His Eyes

Disney version:

The original Rapunzel story is a bit different. Rapunzel is a young girl who is locked away in a tower by a witch who uses her long hair as a ladder to climb in and out of the tower. The witch raises Rapunzel as her own daughter, keeping her isolated from the world. Eventually, a prince comes across Rapunzel, and the two falls in love. But when the witch finds out, she cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and banishes her from the tower. The prince is blinded by the witch and wanders the forest until he finds Rapunzel, who has given birth to their twins. They are reunited, and the prince’s sight is restored, but they live in a small cabin in the woods, not in a palace.

Original Version:

The original Rapunzel story is pretty similar to the Disney version, but with a few key differences. Rapunzel’s parents were farmers who traded her to the wicked witch in exchange for some plants. The witch keeps Rapunzel locked up in a tower, and the prince comes across her singing and climbs up to see her; the two fall in love. In the end, Rapunzel gets pregnant, and the witch finds out. The witch cuts off Rapunzel’s hair, and the prince is blinded and wanders lost. Eventually, they are reunited, but they are not able to live happily ever after.

6. Pocahontas and John Smith Had no Relation

Disney Version:

The Disney version of Pocahontas shows a Native American girl who has a special connection to nature and befriends animals, like her trusty raccoon sidekick. She falls in love with an Englishman named John Smith, but their relationship is met with resistance from her tribe, which doesn’t approve of the intercultural marriage. Tensions between their two groups threaten to erupt into war.

Original Version:

The Disney version of Pocahontas is based on a true story that took place in the 1600s. The real Pocahontas, whose real name was Matoaka, was the daughter of the leader of the Powhatan Tribe in what is now known as Virginia. Unlike the Disney version, Pocahontas did not fall in love with John Smith; instead, she saved his life from the natives and saw him as a father figure. She eventually married an Englishman, but she passed away at 22, and the cause of her death is unknown.

7. Hercules Was a Horrible Person

Disney version:

The Disney version of Hercules tells the story of the mighty son of Zeus, who is known for his strength and warrior skills. In the movie, he sets out on a quest to save the beautiful Megara from the clutches of Hades, the god of the underworld. Along the way, he faces a series of challenges and battles but ultimately emerges victorious, proving himself a true hero. This leads him to be welcomed into the ranks of the gods on Mount Olympus. But in the original myth, Hercules had a lot more struggles and had to complete the famous twelve labors. In addition, he had to face monsters and gods, but in the end, he became a true hero and was also welcomed on Mount Olympus.

Original Version:

In the Disney version, they made Hercules out to be this perfect, heroic guy, but in reality, the original myth paints a different picture. In the tale, Hercules was a bit of a hothead and did some pretty terrible things. For example, he forced Megara, the King of Thebes’ daughter, to marry him, and they had kids together. But then, his mom got involved and manipulated him into turning on Megara, and he killed her and their kids. Eventually, he realized what he had done and did these tasks to make up for it, but it’s important to remember that he didn’t do it out of love or remorse but rather out of guilt. So the Disney version is a romanticized version of the original story.

8. Quasimodo Died of Hunger

Disney version:

The Disney version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the story of Quasimodo, a guy with a disfigured face who spends most of his time ringing bells in the Notre Dame cathedral. He’s pretty lonely, but he’s got a few stone friends (gargoyles) to keep him company. He’s always wanted to explore the outside world but is too scared to leave the tower. But one day, he finally gets the courage to leave and meets Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy dancer. Unfortunately, she’s being chased by an evil guy named Claude Frollo, who wants to capture her and harm her people. However, Quasimodo falls in love with Esmeralda and decides to do everything in his power to save her from Frollo’s clutches. The story is about Quasimodo’s bravery and his sacrifices to keep Esmeralda safe.

Original Version:

In the original story, Quasimodo doesn’t have a happy ending. He’s hopelessly in love with Esmeralda, but things don’t work out for them. He hands her over to the evil Frollo and watches as she’s killed. He can’t bear to be away from her, so he stays by her grave until he dies of starvation. Years later, when they open her grave, they find the skeletons of Quasimodo and Esmeralda holding each other tightly. Even in death, they couldn’t be separated. When people tried to separate the skeletons, they turned to dust. It’s a sad, tragic story with a bittersweet ending.

9. Pinocchio Remained a Puppet

Disney Version:

In the Disney version, Gepetto is a lonely carpenter who makes a puppet and wishes for it to come to life. His wish is granted, and the puppet, named Pinocchio, becomes a real boy. He’s got a little helper, Jiminy Cricket, who guides him and acts as his conscience. Pinocchio goes on adventures and makes mistakes but ultimately learns to be honest and brave, proving himself worthy of becoming Gepetto’s real son in the end.

Original Version:

In the original story of Pinocchio, things don’t go as smoothly as in the Disney version. Instead of being a well-behaved puppet, Pinocchio is more of a troublemaker. He causes problems for his father, Gepetto, and doesn’t always make the right choices. He’s known for lying and stealing, which leads to him being seen as a “wretched” son by Gepetto. Unfortunately, his actions ultimately lead to his death when he is killed by a cat and fox who hang him from a tree. They watch as Pinocchio dies and his body swings in the air.

10. Mowgli Killed Off a Whole Village

Disney Version:

The Jungle Book is a classic story about a young boy named Mowgli raised in the jungle by a pack of wolves. He becomes friends with a lovable bear named Baloo and a fierce black panther named Bagheera. Mowgli learns all about life in the jungle and how to survive with the help of his animal friends. But his life is put in danger when a fierce lion named Sher Khan wants to get rid of all humans. Mowgli must use all his skills to save himself from Sher Khan. The 1967 Disney movie added a character named King Louis, an orangutan who leads the primates and wants to learn how to use fire like humans.

Original Version:

In the original version of the story, Mowgli was not the innocent child raised by wolves and loved by all the animals in the jungle. Instead, he was portrayed as a ruthless and violent individual who killed off an entire village. As he grew older, Mowgli’s wild nature took over, and he became a fierce warrior, feared by all who knew him. He would often lead raids on nearby villages, killing anyone who stood in his way. Despite his violent actions, Mowgli was respected by the animals in the jungle for his strength and bravery. However, his actions ultimately led to his downfall as the villagers banded together to hunt him down and kill him.

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