Disney has always had a clean-cut, family-friendly image to the point where it borderlines on parody. Still, they've produced several films and other media directed at a more mature audience, even some that warrant PG-13 ratings. But what about those family features that toe the line between a G and PG rating?
It's true they've got more G films than they'll ever need, but Disney's not afraid to venture into PG territory. The question is how often is that rating really warranted? Have a look at some of these classics from the studio and see which ones are PG or just practically G.
Deserved: Pinocchio
Pinocchio is almost uncharacteristically dark. It might walk away with a G rating, but it definitely deserves a PG by today's standards.
Think about it, Pinocchio goes through some disturbing and harrowing scenes on his quest to become a real boy. He's enslaved by an evil puppet master, watches his friend turn grotesquely into a donkey, and swallowed by a terrifying whale! There's a lot of nightmare fuel here for a G-rated film.
Undeserved: Coco
This film toes the line with its rating. Yes, it deals with matters of death and the afterlife, but it's done in such a cartoonish fashion with comedic skeletons and lots of slapstick humor, a PG rating might be a bit of a stretch.
Although Hector's murder might be the main reason for the rating, it's more talked about and only visually alluded to. Plus, death by poisoning is pretty tame compared to those in other Disney films.
Deserved: Lion King
It might be considered one of the greatest family films of all time, but Simba's saga at Pride Rock definitely deserved more than a G rating.
In this movie, viewers were exposed to murder plots, emotional manipulation, and other mature themes that were essentially unseen in other movies under Disney's banner. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was something that would probably warrant a PG if released today.
Undeserved: Tangled
Flynn's "death" at the hands of Mother Gothel is basically why this film got a PG rating but is it really as bad as something like Mufasa's? The stabbing is only implied and the knife doesn't even have a drop of blood on it.
Not only that, but it's quick, subdued, and not even fatal thanks to Rapunzel's magical hair. Aside from that, there's not much more extreme anyone would see outside of a standard princess movie.
Deserved: Zootopia
Zootopia is unquestionably one of Disney's most mature movies, and it deserves to be applauded for it.
It gets intense on both an action level and a moral level, addressing several mature themes including bullying, prejudices, and even a fair amount of adult humor thrown in. Honestly, if it didn't feature animated animals, this would have all the makings of a film for more adults than kids.
Undeserved: The Good Dinosaur
This black sheep of the Pixar studio features cuddly dinosaurs, bright colors, and a practically ludicrous concept of dinosaur farmers in a prehistoric western film, and yet it earns a PG for moments of peril and thematic elements? Something seems like they were grasping at straws on this one.
Even the psychedelic fruit sequence, though really strange, doesn't particularly strike that many nerves. But let's face it, it's hard to save face for this movie.
Deserved: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Though it doesn't veer too off the deep end, it does get quite scary for a typical kids' film. Granted, there's nothing inherently sinister about Jack's world of Halloween.
Even Oogie-Boogie is grosser than outright evil. Still, certain visuals will definitely give some kids nightmares before and after Christmas.
Undeserved: Planes
Does a film set in the Cars universe really deserve a PG rating? Aside from some "mild rude humor" (if one could call it that) the film is, like Cars before it, a vehicle used to sell toys to impressionable audience .
While some planes and craft do get injured, there's nothing in the way of guts and gore, unless smoking parts are counted. Otherwise, it's a G film trying to be something it's not.
Deserved: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame doesn't just deserve a PG rating, it deserves a full PG-13! Disney would never get away with making something this adult today.
With themes of religion, racial persecution, corruption of power, and some seriously adult situations, this movie was breaking barriers long before Zootopia even hit the scene. If it weren't for the gargoyles, the Alan Menken soundtrack, and the Disney logo, it wouldn't seem like an average Disney flick.
Undeserved: Frozen
Disney's merchandise cash-cow does nothing to deserve that G rating. Yes, one could make the argument that the dramatic saga of Prince Han's evil plot is grounds for it, or that Anna turning to ice warrants it, or heck, even Anna's remark about Hans's shoe size might raise a few eyebrows.
But, at the end of the day, it's a Disney princess flick with only a sprinkling of edge. While it did change the perception of the genre, it's not exactly too intense.
