History NightmareFuel / TheSecretOfNIMH

* The tractor scene, with the heavily [[{{Rotoscoping}} rotoscoped]] tractor slowly creeping through the field and [[UncannyValley deliberately clashing]] with the rest of the film's {{Disneyesque}} style. And it all takes place from the perspective of the animals, turning a simple farming job into Armageddon as The Shrew runs through the field screaming "THE PLOW IS HERE!!"

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/secret_of_nimh_disneyscreencapscom_3312.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''[[AC:WHY HAVE YOU COME?!]]'']]

*** The chase scene wasn't even all that bad, at least compared to the buildup. There was a fakeout with the rabbit, and then a slow buildup of Dragon creeping up, the audience only able to watch as the cat got ever closer. He doesn't even sound like a cat. More like a Hellhound. While is few scenes in the novel aren't nearly so intense, it's stated that he's still just as terrifying: the Fitzgibbons' only named the kitten "Dragon" for a joke initially, but he grew up to be as fierce as the name.

*** The chase scene wasn't even all that bad, at least compared to the buildup. There was a fakeout with the rabbit, and then a slow buildup of Dragon creeping up, the audience only able to watch as the cat got ever closer. He doesn't even sound like a cat. More like a Hellhound. In the novel, the Fitzgibbons' only named the kitten "Dragon" for a joke.

[[caption-width-right:292:''[[AC:WHY HAVE YOU COME?!]]'']]

[[quoteright:292:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_owl_7842.bmp]]

* [[KnightOfCerebus Jenner]], for his actions, demeanor, and utter ruthlessness in getting what he wants. In the scene where he tells Sullivan about his plan to kill Nicodemus, he tells about how the Brisby house will "crush his bones" while pulling off a NightmareFace. When asked what to do about Justin, Jenner's response is an echoing "{{Leave him to me}}... to me... to me..."

* [[KnightOfCerebus Jenner]], for his actions, demeanor, and utter ruthlessness in getting what he wants. In the scene where he tells Sullivan about his plan to [[spoiler:kill Nicodemus]], he tells about how the Brisby house will [[spoiler:"crush his bones"]] while pulling off a NightmareFace. When asked what to do about Justin, Jenner's response is an echoing "{{Leave him to me}}... to me... to me..."

* The expression on [[spoiler:Jenner]]'s face as he is killed by the knife [[spoiler:Sullivan]] threw into his back.
** How about that... ''[[HellIsThatNoise sound]]'' he makes when [[spoiler:Justin]] stabs him in the gut?

** How about that... [[HellIsThatNoise ''sound'']] he makes when [[spoiler:Justin]] stabs him in the gut?

** Not to mention his chosen weapon, an ''electrified spear''.

[[caption-width-right:292:''[[AC:WHY HAVE YOU COME?]]'']]

-->[-Step inside my house.-]

* -->[[AC:Step inside my house.]]

-->[[AC:Step inside my house.]]

'''[[AC:Step inside my house.]]'''

--> '''[[AC:Step inside my house.]]'''

--> '''[[AC: Step inside my house.]]'''

*** For the most part the rats' eyes in this sequence are dark, like real rats' eyes, but later the fear and confusion is apparent in the poor creatures' [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1136.jpg eyes]].

** The rats being shown bending over and clutching their red-glowing abdomens as the drugs take effect, with the rising heartbeat sound, is horrifically visceral.

*** The chase scene wasn't even all that bad. There was a fakeout with the rabbit, and then a slow buildup of Dragon creeping up, the audience only able to watch as the cat got ever closer. He doesn't even sound like a cat. More like a Hellhound. In the novel, the Fitzgibbons' only named the kitten "Dragon" for a joke.

* [[KnightOfCerberus Jenner]], for his actions, demeanor, and utter ruthlessness in getting what he wants. In the scene where he tells Sullivan about his plan to [[spoiler:kill Nicodemus]], he tells about how the Brisby house will [[spoiler:"crush his bones"]] while pulling off a NightmareFace. When asked what to do about Justin, Jenner's response is an echoing "{{Leave him to me}}... to me... to me..."

* Jenner, for his actions, demeanor, and utter ruthlessness in getting what he wants. In the scene where he tells Sullivan about his plan to [[spoiler:kill Nicodemus]], he tells about how the Brisby house will [[spoiler:"crush his bones"]] while pulling off a NightmareFace. When asked what to do about Justin, Jenner's response is an echoing "{{Leave him to me}}... to me... to me..."
* The Great Owl, from the perspective of a little field mouse like Mrs. Brisby, really ''is'' a Great Wyrm (minus the firebreathing). His opening act is messily crushing a spider right next to Mrs. Brisby and it gets worse from there. But perhaps the most shiver-inducing scene is [[NothingIsScarier before we ever see him]]. When Mrs. Brisby calls into the seemingly bottomless dark hole that is his lair, this drifts up almost lazily from within:

* The spider that he crushes is even ''more'' frightening.
* Dragon, the farmer's massive cat. It's much worse than it sounds.

* The tractor scene is very [[UncannyValley unnerving]], with the heavily [[{{Rotoscoping}} rotoscoped]] tractor slowly creeping through the field and deliberately clashing with the rest of the film's {{Disneyesque}} style. The fact that the whole thing takes place from the perspective of the animals, with The Shrew running through the field screaming "THE PLOW IS HERE!!" turns a simple farming job into Armageddon.
** Music/JerryGoldsmith's score only serves to make the whole thing more frightening, particularly the ScareChord to accompany the tractor turning over. [[SchmuckBait Have]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALF1DnfuBVU a listen]].