There are general fairy-tale themes of child abandonment, endangerment, and kidnapping.
A paranoia-inducing scene in Toby's darkened bedroom with goblins popping out from various places, laughing at Sarah behind her back, and then disappearing before she can turn around to see them.
Jareth's sudden arrival through the open bedroom window, accompanied by thunder and lightning. He produces a snake out of a crystal ball and throws it at Sarah.
Sarah's sudden drop into a pit and surreal encounter with the "helping hands" on its walls.
Ludo's tormenters has toothy stick monsters.
Sarah and Hoggle's encounter with the "cleaner" machine, a metallic tunnel-filling device that threatens them with numerous whirling blades and spikes that look capable of shredding flesh and bone.
The "Bog of Eternal Stench" makes anyone who falls into it stink forever. A couple of sequences in which characters are in serious danger of falling into it.
The surreal masquerade ball shows its participants' strange behaviour and Sarah's obvious confusion over Jareth's romantic overtures to her.