Top 10 Spectacular Historic Events We Wish We Had On Film

Caught on tape? If only. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Spectacular Historic Events We WishWe Had On Film.  For this list, we’re ranking the most important historical and pre-historical events that either occurred prior to the invention of moving film, or were otherwise not captured by the medium. For the record, we’re not arguing for or against some of the more controversial events on this list, but simply recognizing their relevance and how each of them shaped the course of history.

#10: Extinction of the Dinosaurs

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There are many theories as to what killed off arguably the most impressive species of creature to ever walk the earth. Was it a giant meteor strike, climate change, a lack of a sustainable food source? The answer remains one of life’s great mysteries, despite tons of reputable scientific research lending credence to some of these aforementioned theories. And, while it would be great to have recorded documentation of the dinosaurs’ extinction, imagine how brave and/or stupid one would have to be to film these beasts live and in the flesh. Braver than us, that’s for sure.

The history behind this gigantic crater can be traced back over two billion years, when one of the largest asteroids to ever strike the earth’s surface made impact upon what is now South Africa. The Vredefort Crater possesses a diameter of almost two hundred miles, and can be seen from space. Three towns are contained within its massive central dome, with Parys offering visitors tours of the general area. Even so, much of the original impact made by the meteor had eroded over time, so it would be astounding to see the caldera in all its former glory. Just imagine how fearsome the original disaster might’ve been to anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in its path.  

Some sixty to seventy thousand years ago this massive volcanic eruption occurred in the area of Lake Toba, in what is now the Sumatra region of modern day Indonesia. For a long time, some scientists theorized that the impact of this super explosion had a worldwide effect. It was hypothesized that it brought about what is known as a volcanic winter – a drastic reduction in global temperature – due to the excess of volcanic ash obscuring the sun. More recent findings discounted a lot of these claims, but did prove that the volcanic debris traveled twice as far as previously thought. Toba’s eruption was likely an impressive sight, and had it been caught on film, we would’ve had an even better idea of its effects.

Humanity has constructed a great many marvelous buildings and structures over the course of history, yet the Great Pyramids of Egypt remain among the most impressive. Specifically, the Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one to stand relatively intact, despite its age of over four thousand years. What’s particularly fascinating about the pyramids, however, is their iconic shape, the construction of which likely took between ten and twenty years to complete. This complicated construction process makes the Egyptian pyramids some of the most mysterious structures in the world, and an undertaking we would’ve loved to have seen documented on film.

#6: Battle of Waterloo

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Napoleon Bonaparte was one of history’s most celebrated and successful military minds, having conquered many opposing armies during his tenure as Emperor in the years following the French Revolution. The Battle of Waterloo, however, proved that not even Napoleon was invincible on the battlefield. This complex and fascinating military campaign resulted in Bonaparte’s defeat against a combined Prussian and English offensive. The opposing armies, led by Prussia’s General field marshal Blücher and the British future Duke of Wellington, routed Napoleon on that fateful 18th day of June, 1815. Yet Waterloo was, by all accounts, a clash between great military minds of the era, a battle that modern day historians surely wish has been preserved for posterity.

This 1859 historic event certainly wasn’t captured on film; however, the potential of it happening again in humanity’s lifetime makes it feasible, yet hopefully unlikely, that we could get another shot. The massive solar storm is referred to as the Carrington Event after one of the astronomers who observed the sunspots and flashes in the sky. The event resulted in heavy, electromagnetic damage to electronic equipment around the world. A similar solar storm disaster today would be even more severe, as so many aspects of our current society rely upon electricity. A storm of similar size and magnitude actually came dangerously close to the Earth in 2012, though thankfully missed impact by a scant nine days.

This epic battle between the Persian Empire and a combined force of Greek city-state soldiers was famously dramatized in director Zack Snyder’s 2006 film “300.” The film was itself based upon a graphic novel from Frank Miller and Lynn Varley which covered the Battle of Thermopylae, one of history’s most famously doomed final stands against decisive odds. The battle itself placed a comparatively small rear guard of 300 Spartans and just over a thousand fellow Greeks against a Persian army numbering over 100,000. Sparta’s King Leonidas and his men boldly held off Persia’s invading Xerxes I for as long as they could, before betrayal and insurmountable numbers doomed the defense to death. If the real thing was anything like “300,” it would’ve been an event made for film.

#3: Life and Death of Jesus Christ

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There have been numerous, dramatic depictions of the life and death of Jesus Christ on the silver screen, from the reverential to the controversial. Yet for many Christians the chance to have recorded film of Jesus’ actual existence is something whose worth would be indescribable. Biblical scholars agree that Jesus existed historically, but there is disagreement about which aspects of his recorded life are factual. A film record might help to settle some of these questions, both for Christians and for those from other religions who are impacted by his influence.  The Life and Death of Jesus Christ is something which intellectuals from both religious and secular sectors find compelling to this day.

The eruption of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD is one of the few historic events on our list with a written account, detailed in the letters of the man known as Pliny the Younger. The Roman born lawyer and magistrate wrote two epistles on the volcano’s eruption, explaining in great detail the ash, smoke and lava which destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum and many surrounding cities. These letters give incredible details as to just how disastrous and apocalyptic the Vesuvius Eruption was to anyone unlucky enough to have been caught in its path, but we still wish we could have caught a glimpse.  Before we reveal our top historic event, here are few honorable mentions - French Revolution - Gladiatorial Battles - Mongol Invasion of China - Fall of Constantinople - Construction of Stonehenge

#1: The Big Bang

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We know you’re probably thinking: “How could anyone have been there to film the origins of the universe?” And we know, you’re right, but how mind-blowing would it be to have recorded evidence of the moment when the universe expanded, cosmic density gave way, and then BAM! Existence? As impossible as filming it may’ve been, such a film record could give us answers about where we come from, how we got here, and where we’re going. These things unite us and keep us moving forward, with The Big Bang representing that moment of fantastic, universal possibility. Too bad God didn’t have a camcorder.   Do you agree with our list? Which spectacular historic event do you wish you could revisit on film? For more insightful top 10s published daily, please subscribe to WatchMojo.com!