This is based on opinion. Please don't list it on a work's trope example list.
As the title indicates, this is one of Disney's darkest shorts. It is filled with hellish imagery and symbolism, along with the threat of such a beloved character as Pluto suffering eternal damnation. Even before he is "convicted", Pluto's
Nightmare Sequence contains many dark and creepy moments.
- When the nightmare begins, Pluto chases the cat that seals his fate, but is too caught up in it to pay attention to the landscape around him. It’s slowly growing darker and more threatening (and some of the trees are starting to resemble attacking cats), until it wouldn’t look out of place in the town below Bald Mountain, culminating in the scary cave entrance in the shape of a cat. Upon being lightened by the scary glowing eyes of the cave, it's too late for Pluto to escape the horrors to come as the cave swallows him trapping the poor dog in its insides and closes its mouth.
- The cats break the fourth wall a lot, and it's almost always creepy. After the prosecutor tells Pluto that the jury will decide his fate, they sing "And we promise, he'll get justice!" before turning to the camera and winking. Then the prosecutor looks at the camera, says "Justice..." and winks. Then the judge does the same. And so does the cat version of the Lady Justice statue. There's just something so strange and unsettling about it.
- The witnesses' testimonies are fairly comical for the most part, but the Background Music sounds rather gloomy and dismal when they're speaking.
- Speaking of music, the jury cats sing a very creepy-sounding tune after the first two witnesses testify. With their high-pitched voices, it almost sounds like Creepy Children Singing. The first time it happens, we see them pointing at Pluto accusingly, giving him rather murderous looks.
- After the first witness testifies (note that this happens while the jury is singing their creepy song, as mentioned above), we are treated to a lovely shot where the cat prosecutor steps towards Pluto, doing a downright demonic cackle. He gets right up to the screen and gives the audience a Death Glare with Reflective Eyes, which show us that Pluto is whimpering in pure terror. The prosecutor backs up as he laughs a little more, still looking at the camera. It's worth noting that when he gets up to the camera, we see a very detailed close-up of his face that really plays up the "demonic cat" aspect of his character.
- After the Notably Quick Deliberation, the jury sings a cheerful ditty about how they find Pluto guilty. Then a mob of cats pounces on Pluto, and while chanting, they take him to a pit of hellfire, which they leave him dangling above, while the flames start to burn the rope supporting him. And Pluto is now in for an eternity of suffering in hell; falling into the pit of hellfire is just the beginning of his eternal sentence.
- Given the testimonies, Pluto apparently has a body count, something you wouldn't expect from a character like him.
