To put it quite bluntly, Walt Disney Pictures has been the king of making psychedelic movies before the term even existed. From combining pieces of classical music with stunning and sometimes experimental animated sequences to changing the way the animated medium works as a whole, the studio has had no shortage of mind-bending projects.
Luckily for Disney fans, Disney+ is home to nearly every single entry in the Disney library, including some of their more trippy projects. From a kaleidoscope of swirling colors to a vast supply of surrealist imagery, Disney knows how to stay weird in all the right ways.
Fantasia 2000
One of the most underrated classics of the Disney Renaissance, Fantasia 2000 took what its predecessor had done before and expanded on it beautifully. Not only did this film feature several new genres of music, but fresh and at the time experimental forms of animation.
Walt would have certainly been proud of the steps this second film took in the Fantasia legacy. From the cubist fantasy that is "Beethoven's 5th" to the zany spectacle of "Carnival of the Animals," it's a wild visual and musical experience.
The Sword in the Stone
It was the '60s, what else could be expected when the film's main character is an eccentric old wizard? The Sword in the Stone might seem like the typical Disney fantasy, but thanks to Merlin's magic, it's also home to some seriously psychedelic imagery.
From the characters constantly changing into animals to the famous Wizard's duel with Mad Madam Mim, growing up with Merlin as a mentor can be a serious trip for anyone.
Dumbo
The parade of Pink Elephants aside, Dumbo is a pretty out-there movie. Think about it, a Rudolph-the Rednosed-reindeer-styled story about an elephant who can fly with drunk clowns, talking trains, and some questionable crows? How does that not sound like a hallucination?
Truth be told, it's the Pink Elephants and the clowns that earn this flick a spot on the list. With plenty of twisted characters and psychedelic colors, this movie was twenty years ahead of its time.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Anything from the mind of Tim Burton is almost guaranteed to get a mention, but the title definitely has to go to The Nightmare Before Christmas. The film has described as a twisted Rankin/Bass special, which isn't too far from the truth with its creative use of stop-motion.
From Christmas Town to Oogie Boogie's casino, the mix of the weird and the wonderful makes this movie both visually and stylistically distinctive. Whether it's for Christmas or Halloween, fans continue to join Jack Skellington for a holiday adventure every year.
The Black Cauldron
Now, this Disney black sheep is the definition of a bad trip. While the '80s were caught up in the Dungeons and Dragons craze, Disney was dishing out this medieval madness. Trippy and psychedelic imagery is no stranger to the fantasy genre, but this one took fans places they might not want to go.
The magic spells and fairy folk are one thing, but the Horned King and his Cauldron Born Army are something ripped straight from a heavy metal nightmare. Still, fans don't mind if Disney gets a little dark sometimes.
Soul
When it comes to surreal and psychedelic movies, Pete Docter has been wearing the crown for a few years now. With his latest entry into the Pixar library, Soul, he ventures beyond the beyond as a struggling jazz musician shuffles off his mortal coil.
Though it might not be saturated in hippie-drippy colors, Soul pulls the viewers from the comfort of reality into some serious questions about life, the universe, and everything. But that's nothing compared to the film that came before.
Inside Out
What if emotions had emotions? Where Soul explored regions beyond, Inside Out explores regions within. Easily the most surreal project Pixar has ever created, this movie definitely comes with a case of the feels.
Exploring subjects like emotional health is one thing, but when cartoons start teaching viewers about deconstructed thoughts, abstract processes, and other mental-sciences, that's some heavy material. Maybe more animated films should take Inside Out's approach.
Alice in Wonderland
On the other hand, it's always fun to feed your head, isn't it? Alice in Wonderland is the quintessential psychedelic animated feature from Disney, and is it any wonder why?
The Lewis Caroll original has been a favored subject of psychedelic artists, writers, and musicians for decades, but Disney's is perhaps the definitive version. With its saturated colors against black backgrounds and larger than life characters, it makes every viewer want to jump down the nearest rabbit hole.
Fantasia
The only film that could possibly give Alice some competition has to be Walt Disney's Fantasia. The entire concept of the film revolves around letting the imagination wander at a concert hall.
Through the marriage of music and animation, Fantasia creates a magical dreamscape of visuals and sounds that essentially became Disney's first arthouse film. Even Mickey Mouse got in on the act.
Destino
If ever there was a more psychedelic Disney project than Fantastia, it's Destino. This collaboration between Walt Disney and Salvador Dali was, by no exaggeration, ahead of its time.
The plot might be virtually nonexistent, but its use of Dali's visuals and mythic themes is like bringing a surrealist painting to life. Don't let the strange imagery dissuade, it's one alternative Disney flick that no fan should miss out on by any means.