The 47 best DARK ANIMATION MOVIES you need to watch before you DIE
by paschan-1 | created - 08 Sep 2013 | updated - 10 Sep 2013 | PublicADULT THEMED / NON-DISNEY / NON-ANIME / NON-3D ANIMATED. The animated movies were not intended to focus towards kids but were another method of artistic storytelling.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. American Pop (1981)
R | 96 min | Animation, Drama, History
The story of four generations of a Russian Jewish immigrant family of musicians whose careers parallel the history of American popular music in the 20th century.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Mews Small, Ron Thompson, Jerry Holland, Lisa Jane Persky
Votes: 5,498 | Gross: $6.00M
2. The Secret of NIMH (1982)
G | 82 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
To save her ill son, a field mouse must seek the aid of a colony of rats, with whom she has a deeper link than she suspected.
Director: Don Bluth | Stars: Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise, Arthur Malet
Votes: 45,066 | Gross: $10.14M
3. Watership Down (1978)
PG | 91 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
Hoping to escape destruction by human developers and save their community, a colony of rabbits, led by Hazel and Fiver, seek out a safe place to set up a new warren.
Directors: Martin Rosen, John Hubley | Stars: John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson, Michael Graham Cox
Votes: 39,379
4. The Iron Giant (1999)
PG | 86 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy.
Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel
Votes: 227,028 | Gross: $23.16M
5. Æon Flux (1991–1995)
TV-14 | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
There is a mysterious and immoral secret agent from the country of Monica. Her motives and background remain unexplained, as do those of her antagonist/lover, Trevor Goodchild.
Stars: Denise Poirier, John Rafter Lee, Max Redmond, Julia Fletcher
Votes: 7,047
6. When the Wind Blows (1986)
16+ | 84 min | Animation, Drama, War
A naive elderly British rural couple survive the initial onslaught of a nuclear war.
Director: Jimmy T. Murakami | Stars: Peggy Ashcroft, John Mills, Robin Houston, James Russell
Votes: 12,619 | Gross: $0.01M
7. Felidae (1994)
TV-MA | 82 min | Animation, Drama, Mystery
A cat must investigate brutal murders of other cats in a neighborhood he has moved into with his owner.
Director: Michael Schaack | Stars: Ulrich Tukur, Mario Adorf, Helge Schneider, Wolfgang Hess
Votes: 4,940
8. The Maxx (1995)
TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Confused hulking homeless superhero The Maxx tries to protect his social worker and friend Julie from an omniscient serial killer Mr. Gone both in the real world, which may or may not actually be real, and the subconscious fantasy world.
Stars: Amy Danles, Glynnis Talken, Tony Fucile, Michael Haley
Votes: 4,059
9. Fantastic Planet (1973)
PG | 72 min | Animation, Sci-Fi
On a faraway planet where blue giants rule, oppressed humanoids rebel against their machine-like leaders.
Director: René Laloux | Stars: Barry Bostwick, Jennifer Drake, Eric Baugin, Jean Topart
Votes: 36,742 | Gross: $0.19M
10. The Plague Dogs (1982)
PG-13 | 103 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
Two dogs escape from a laboratory and are hunted as possible carriers of the bubonic plague.
Director: Martin Rosen | Stars: John Hurt, Christopher Benjamin, James Bolam, Nigel Hawthorne
Votes: 8,794
11. The Last Unicorn (1982)
G | 92 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
A beautiful unicorn sets out to learn if she truly is the last of her kind in this sparkling animated musical.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Alan Arkin
Votes: 29,494 | Gross: $6.46M
12. A Cat in Paris (2010)
PG | 70 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
In Paris, a cat who lives a secret life as a cat burglar's aide must come to the rescue of Zoe, the little girl he lives with, after she falls into a gangster's clutches.
Directors: Jean-Loup Felicioli, Alain Gagnol | Stars: Dominique Blanc, Bernadette Lafont, Bruno Salomone, Jean Benguigui
Votes: 11,921 | Gross: $0.31M
13. The Land Before Time (1988)
G | 69 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
An orphaned brontosaurus teams up with other young dinosaurs in order to reunite with their families in a valley.
Director: Don Bluth | Stars: Pat Hingle, Gabriel Damon, Helen Shaver, Bill Erwin
Votes: 98,553 | Gross: $48.09M
14. Fritz the Cat (1972)
X | 78 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
Fritz drops out of college, starts a riot in Harlem and hits the road with an ex-girlfriend before getting mixed up with domestic terrorists.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Skip Hinnant, Rosetta LeNoire, John McCurry, Judy Engles
Votes: 14,321 | Gross: $25.00M
15. Gandahar (1987)
PG | 78 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
An evil force begins to destroy the idyllic paradise of Gandahar, where the citizens are in perfect harmony with nature.
Director: René Laloux | Stars: Glenn Close, Christopher Plummer, Pierre-Marie Escourrou, Catherine Chevallier
Votes: 5,288 | Gross: $0.37M
16. Fire and Ice (1983)
PG | 81 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
At the end of the ice age, an evil queen and her son are set on conquering the world using magic and warriors. The lone survivor of a crushed village fights back as does the king of Fire Keep.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Randy Norton, Cynthia Leake, Steve Sandor, Sean Hannon
Votes: 12,599 | Gross: $0.76M
17. Chico & Rita (2010)
Not Rated | 94 min | Animation, Crime, Drama
Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unites them, but their journey - in the tradition of the Latin ballad, the bolero - brings heartache and torment.
Directors: Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba | Stars: Eman Xor Oña, Limara Meneses, Mario Guerra, Jon Adams
Votes: 9,685 | Gross: $0.35M
18. Broken Saints (2001–2003)
Not Rated | 720 min | Animation, Drama, Horror
Four strangers from around the world experience a series of apocalyptic visions and attempt to uncover their origin.
Stars: Kirby Morrow, Michael Dobson, Janyse Jaud, Colin Foo
Votes: 563
19. Waltz with Bashir (2008)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
An Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict.
Director: Ari Folman | Stars: Ari Folman, Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ori Sivan
Votes: 60,368 | Gross: $2.28M
20. An American Tail (1986)
G | 80 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
While emigrating to the United States, a young Russian mouse gets separated from his family and must relocate them while trying to survive in a new country.
Director: Don Bluth | Stars: Dom DeLuise, Christopher Plummer, Erica Yohn, Nehemiah Persoff
Votes: 58,000 | Gross: $47.48M
21. The Secret of Kells (2009)
Not Rated | 75 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
A young boy in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids is beckoned to adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives with an ancient book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers.
Directors: Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey | Stars: Evan McGuire, Brendan Gleeson, Mick Lally, Christen Mooney
Votes: 38,246 | Gross: $0.69M
22. Comment Wang-Fo fut sauvé (1987)
15 min | Animation, Short, Fantasy
Among the aged master painter Wang-Fô's impeccable paintings, exists a mediocre and unflattering portrait of the pale Celestial Emperor that has merited him execution, nevertheless, how is this possible?
Director: René Laloux | Stars: Olivier Cruveiller, Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Votes: 684
23. Persepolis (2007)
PG-13 | 96 min | Animation, Biography, Drama
A precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution.
Directors: Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi | Stars: Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Gena Rowlands, Danielle Darrieux
Votes: 100,094 | Gross: $4.45M
24. Time Masters (1982)
78 min | Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Piel, a 7 or 8 year old boy, is alone on the desert planet Perdide, only survivor of an attack by giant hornets. Calling for help, Piel's father's friend Jaffar keeps contact with the kid and hurries across space toward Perdide.
Director: René Laloux | Stars: Jean Valmont, Michel Elias, Frédéric Legros, Yves-Marie Maurin
Votes: 6,094
25. La prisonnière (1988)
7 min | Animation, Short, Fantasy
Two kids travel to a city where silence is kept sacred.
Directors: Philippe Caza, René Laloux
Votes: 510
26. Renaissance (2006)
R | 105 min | Animation, Action, Sci-Fi
A young gene researcher, Ilona, is kidnapped in a future Paris. Police Captain Karas and his team are in charge of finding her.
Director: Christian Volckman | Stars: Daniel Craig, Catherine McCormack, Jonathan Pryce, Romola Garai
Votes: 16,431 | Gross: $0.06M
27. The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)
Not Rated | 80 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
A handsome prince rides a flying horse to faraway lands and embarks on magical adventures, which include befriending a witch, meeting Aladdin, battling demons and falling in love with a princess.
Directors: Lotte Reiniger, Carl Koch
Votes: 6,878
28. Heavy Metal (1981)
R | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
A glowing green orb that embodies ultimate evil terrorizes a young girl with an anthology of bizarre and fantastic stories.
Directors: Gerald Potterton, John Bruno, John Halas, Julian Harris, Jimmy T. Murakami, Barrie Nelson, Paul Sabella, Jack Stokes, Pino Van Lamsweerde, Harold Whitaker | Stars: Richard Romanus, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks
Votes: 38,106
29. Wizards (1977)
PG | 80 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a wizard and his faire folk comrades fight an evil wizard who's using technology in his bid for conquest.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Bob Holt, Jesse Welles, Richard Romanus, David Proval
Votes: 12,989 | Gross: $9.00M
30. Rock & Rule (1983)
PG | 77 min | Animation, Fantasy, Music
A malevolent rock star kidnaps a singer to force her to participate in the summoning of a demon, and her band must help her stop him.
Director: Clive A. Smith | Stars: Don Francks, Paul Le Mat, Greg Salata, Susan Roman
Votes: 4,026 | Gross: $0.03M
31. Coonskin (1974)
R | 100 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
Rabbit, a country-born trickster, takes over the organized crime racket in Harlem, facing opposition from the institutionalized racism of the Mafia and corrupt police.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Barry White, Charles Gordone, Scatman Crothers, Philip Michael Thomas
Votes: 3,733
32. The Lord of the Rings (1978)
PG | 132 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
The Fellowship of the Ring embark on a journey to destroy the One Ring and end Sauron's reign over Middle-earth.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt
Votes: 35,830 | Gross: $0.92M
33. Anastasia (1997)
G | 94 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
The last surviving child of the Russian Royal Family joins two con men to reunite with her grandmother, the Dowager Empress, while the undead Rasputin seeks her death.
Directors: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman | Stars: Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Kelsey Grammer
Votes: 135,863 | Gross: $58.41M
34. Waking Life (2001)
R | 99 min | Animation, Drama, Fantasy
A man shuffles through a dream meeting various people and discussing the meanings and purposes of the universe.
Director: Richard Linklater | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Trevor Jack Brooks, Lorelei Linklater, Wiley Wiggins
Votes: 66,872 | Gross: $2.89M
35. The Story of the Fox (1937)
63 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When Renard the Fox's mischievous pranks go too far, King Lion is forced to attempt to bring the trickster to justice.
Directors: Irene Starewicz, Wladyslaw Starewicz | Stars: Claude Dauphin, Romain Bouquet, Sylvain Itkine, Léon Larive
Votes: 1,550
36. Animal Farm (1954)
Approved | 72 min | Animation, Drama
A successful farmyard revolution by the resident animals vs. the farmer goes horribly wrong when the victors create a new tyranny among themselves.
Directors: Joy Batchelor, John Halas | Stars: Gordon Heath, Maurice Denham
Votes: 18,978
37. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
PG-13 | 80 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno team up with the Belleville Sisters--an aged song-and-dance team from the days of Fred Astaire--to rescue him.
Director: Sylvain Chomet | Stars: Michèle Caucheteux, Jean-Claude Donda, Michel Robin, Monica Viegas
Votes: 57,047 | Gross: $7.00M
38. Heavy Traffic (1973)
R | 77 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
An underground cartoonist contends with life in the inner city, where various unsavory characters serve as inspiration for his art.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Joseph Kaufmann, Beverly Hope Atkinson, Frank DeKova, Terri Haven
Votes: 3,706 | Gross: $1.34M
39. Alice in Wonderland (1949)
Not Rated | 83 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
This exceptional theatrical version of Lewis Carroll's 1865 classic features a combination of live characters and stop-motion animation.
Director: Dallas Bower | Stars: Stephen Murray, Ernest Milton, Pamela Brown, Felix Aylmer
Votes: 874
40. Arzak Rhapsody (2003– )
4 min | Animation, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Arzak Rhapsody is based on comics by artist/author Jean 'Moebius' Giraud. This compilation of 14 short stories follow the adventures of Arzak, a silent warrior who rides a pterodactyl-like creature through strange, desolate landscapes.
Stars: Bruno Devoldère, Jean 'Moebius' Giraud, Raoul Delfosse, Catherine Lachens
Votes: 192
41.
Star Wars: Droids (1985–1986)
Episode:
The Great Heep
(1986)
TV-Y7-FV | 48 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
In this hour-long special, the Galactic Empire dispatches a gigantic droid to take control of a planet. R2-D2 and C-3PO arrive to find their new master captured and must work with locals to defeat the Great Heep.
Director: Clive A. Smith | Stars: Anthony Daniels, Long John Baldry, Winston Rekert, Graeme Campbell
Votes: 291
42. Les escargots (1966)
10 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
In a distant planetoid, an industrious but hapless old farmer strives to make his vegetables flourish, however, to no avail.
Director: René Laloux
Votes: 1,986
43. Sita Sings the Blues (2008)
Not Rated | 82 min | Animation, Comedy, Fantasy
An animated version of the epic Indian tale of Ramayana set to the 1920s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw.
Director: Nina Paley | Stars: Annette Hanshaw, Aseem Chhabra, Bhavana Nagulapally, Manish Acharya
Votes: 4,954
44. The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009 Video)
R | 77 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
A washed-up luchador and a super-spy investigate Nazi zombies, a nefarious scientist, and a stripper with a Satanic birthmark.
Director: Rob Zombie | Stars: Joe Alaskey, Ken Foree, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tom Papa
Votes: 8,191
45. Les temps morts (1965)
10 min | Animation, Short
What is man ? Man makes war, man kills man, man hunts, man is executed. A montage mixing original drawings by Topor, original shots and stock shots that ironically analyze what man is.
Director: René Laloux | Star: Roland Dubillard
Votes: 867
46. City of Rott (2006 Video)
Not Rated | 78 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Desperately losing his mind while searching for a new pair of shoes, an old man and his trusty Walker wander the City of Rott, saturated with thousands of rotting zombies, driven to feed the blood-hungry worms residing in their skulls.
Director: Frank Sudol | Star: Frank Sudol
Votes: 848
Tell Your Friends