Looking closer at some of the best, most realistic, most brutal depictions of war in the history of entertainment.

Wars on Screen

Military

Making an action blockbuster tends to be an incredibly expensive business, and there’s not a studio executive alive who doesn’t want to cut production costs wherever possible. One way to have all the neat stuff on screen and still keep the bean counters happy is to borrow some gear from Uncle Sam. The US military and Hollywood have been working together for the better part of a century. Provided the producers are willing to meet conditions and make requested changes, the Pentagon is only too happy to help.&nbsp;The support of the military can make or break a project - where else can you borrow an aircraft carrier, or a jet, or hire thousands of extras without actually having to pay them? But there is a price for that level of cooperation, and not every writer or director is willing to meet it. To qualify for military support, there are three main conditions: &nbsp;<ul><li>The film must portray the military in an authentic and accurate way.</li><li>The film must inform the public and present the military in a positive way.</li><li>The film must have a positive impact on recruitment and retention. &nbsp;</li></ul>This collection examines the times films asked for help but wouldn't meet the demands of the US Department of Defense, and were thus denied approval.

The Oddly Specific Reasons The Military Refused Assistance To 12 Movies

General

M. Muir

US History

The history of North America spans centuries, extending back far before settlers from Europe arrived. Much of the earliest history of what became the United States is shrouded in colonialism, lost forever due to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-important-missing-historical-documents/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">missing documents</a>, or linked to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/modern-archaeological-facts/zach-seemayer" target="_blank">archaeological discoveries</a> that continue to be made.&nbsp;

A lot of what most of us know about American history comes from the textbooks we had in school, documentaries and television shows, and books or other materials we encounter throughout our lives. It&#39;s impossible to learn everything about history, of course, which makes it all the more exciting to find out new facts and details over time.

In 2021, we uncovered a lot of American history that often left us asking, &quot;How are we just now hearing about this?&quot; Vote up the facts that leave you asking&nbsp;the same question.&nbsp;

15 Facts About American History We Learned In 2021 We Wish We'd Known Earlier

Facts About American History We Learned In 2021

Melissa Sartore

Are you the "Sports Guy" on your trivia team? Welcome to your new secret weapons: lists of fascinating facts and obscure info you need to know yesterday.

You Think You Know Athletes?

The old cliche “go while they still want you to stay” is worthy advice for almost anyone - from movie stars who want to be remembered for the roles and beauty at their pinnacles, to house guests who want to ensure they'll receive another invitation in the future.It's also relevant to professional athletes, who devote years - sometimes even decades - to reaching the height of their careers. Many are then content to retire from their chosen sports on a high note. However, some push themselves to keep competing even when they're past their prime, whether via a continuous run, or after an ambiguous period of retirement.Check out the following list, and vote on which athletes should have left well enough alone, but instead ended up leaving with their tails between their legs.

11 Athletes Who Could Have Gone Out On Top - But Didn't

In the year 79, in the Campagnia region of modern Italy, Mount Vesuvius positively blew its stack, releasing molten rock, ash, and 100,00 times the thermal energy of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki blasts at the rate of 1.5 million tons per second.

The Walls Kept Tumbling Down

Whoa Facts

The preserved corpses of victims are the most well-known remnants from Pompeii; however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-pompeii-photos/pierce-nahigyan" target="_blank">weird Pompeii artifacts</a> are not limited to the human victim variety. Things found at Pompeii are a haunting reminder of the vibrant city that once existed. Strange&nbsp;Pompeii artifacts that still capture our imagination today include prized possessions, good luck charms, urns, and more.

Archeologists digging through the&nbsp;weird Pompeii ruins were given a fascinating task. What did they find in Pompeii? Workers found evidence of a vibrant, lively city that was turned to ash on an otherwise normal day. Odd, everyday&nbsp;things found in Pompeii are a reminder random tragedies can strike at any time.

Weird Oddities Found At Pompeii That Aren't Bodies

Weird Oddities Found At Pompeii

Ada Hart

A day of wine, chocolate, and sappy movies—time to celebrate love between couples, crushes, friends, pets, and everyone in between.

Be My Valentine

Interesting

In the 21st century, some view <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-valentines-day-movies/ranker-film">Valentine's Day</a> as a holiday to celebrate love in all its forms (although primarily romantic love), while others deride it as an overly commercialized holiday that is focused more on boosting the sales of flowers, candy, greeting cards, and jewelry <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/vinegar-valentines/dani-porter">than it is on celebrating love</a>.&nbsp;When the holiday rose to prominence in the Middle Ages, it was definitely focused on the ideas of love and romance. It was also dedicated to honoring the saint for which the holiday was named - a 3rd century martyr (or martyrs) named Valentinus (Valentine), the patron saint of (among other things) lovers, engaged people, and happily married couples.The thing is, there is little historical evidence that Valentinus had any interest in love or romance. In fact, the history surrounding the man (or men - it is unclear whether the martyred Saint Valentine was one person or two) is very dark, as according to legend he was imprisoned and then beheaded by order of Emperor Claudius II, most likely because he attempted to convert pagans to Christianity. A couple hundred years later, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 - the day that Valentinus was executed - to be the martyr's saint's day.So how did we get from those dark origins to the traditions surrounding the current Valentine's Day? Hopefully, this article will provide some answers.

The Dark (And Surprisingly Convoluted) Origins Of Valentine's Day

The Dark Origins Of Valentine's Day

TGWrites

Some historical information might be <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/random-trivia-facts/elle-tharp">classified as trivia</a>, maybe even <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/dumb-funny-facts/elle-tharp">too silly</a> to be taken seriously. Sometimes the reaction will be along the lines of, “Nah, that didn't really happen.”But as strange as they might seem, the examples in this article, including a 61-year-old potato farmer who smashed a record at a sporting event, and Kevin Bacon paying off wedding DJs, have really happened. Check out these bizarre facts!

14 Bizarre History Facts That Sound Made Up, But Aren't

Strange Historical Facts That Sound Made Up But Aren't

Timeline

Studying history often means looking at the names of notable figures, the dates of important events, and trends that span decades or more. Through all of this, it's easy to lose sight of things that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-events-happening-at-the-same-time/kellen-perry">take place simultaneously</a> in various parts of the world. It can also be challenging to line up which people from history <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-but-true-historical-date-comparisons/melissa-sartore">lived at the same time</a>, or to keep straight what historical happenings took place first.It's pretty mind-blowing to look at the big picture and see how <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-timeline-comparisons-history/melissa-sartore">history actually lines up</a>. It definitely bent our brains to learn that some historical figures were contemporaries, that seemingly intuitive historical “facts” aren't facts at all, and that what's old in one part of the world isn't always considered old somewhere else.Take a look at these <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-timespan-historical-facts/melissa-sartore">historical timeline</a> facts that gave us a new view of history and vote up those that provide you with a fresh perspective on the past, too.&nbsp;

13 Historical Timeline Facts That Bent Our Brains

Each of the 50 United States is unique - and can boast an unexpected fact or two. Like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/food-faux-pas-in-every-state/will-morgan-1">food faux pas across the country</a>, these <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/wild-state-facts/ivey-nucilli">facts about some US states</a> will surprise, delight, and teach something new. Keep reading to discover more random, unexpected facts about some corners&nbsp;of the United States.

Facts About US States And Cities We Learned In 2022

Will Morgan

Just because someone is fictional, deceased, or an entire universe doesn't stop Ranker from tossing them into Battle Royale-type tournaments against their worthiest foes.

Choose Your Fighter

Middle Ages

Sword fights and epic blade duels have been <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/top-7-manliest-swordfights-on-film/matt-blackwood" target="_blank">a staple of fiction</a>&nbsp;since the dawn of storytelling, and extreme skill with a sword has been used as a mark of fighting prowess across literature, films, comic books, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-sword-fighting-video-games/ranker-games" target="_blank">and video games</a>. Because of the lethal efficiency and theatrical showmanship associated with sword fights, fans have been presented with <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-all-sword-and-sorcery-movies/reference?ref=search" target="_blank">a wealth of iconic characters</a> who live, thrive, and die by the edge of their blade and the strength of their steel.

From warrior ronin (like Samurai Jack or Beatrix Kiddo) wielding razor-sharp katanas, to knights and highlanders (such as Jaime Lannister or Connor MacLeod)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-sword-and-sandal-epic-films/ranker-film" target="_blank">swinging broadswords</a>, to light-footed fencers (like Inigo Montoya or Zorro)&nbsp;slashing at foes with their rapiers, the most epic fictional sword fighters come from all backgrounds, cultures and fighting styles, each with their own strengths and weaknesses they would bring into a free-for-fall face-off. (Whether they&#39;re <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/protracted-fair-fight-scenes-in-movies/jessica-bedewi" target="_blank">fighting fair</a> - to their determinent, in some cases - is another matter.)

Here&#39;s a look at 20 of the greatest, most celebrated, and accomplished sword fighters of fiction, as well as an examination of their skills. Would <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-game-of-thrones-characters" target="_blank">Brienne of Tarth</a>&nbsp;be able to hold off William Thatcher&#39;s flurry of blows in a tournament arena? Would Conan the Barbarian be able to use his strength to cut Jack Sparrow in half, or would the lucky pirate outwit and out-maneuver the hulking Cimmerian? Vote up the fictional swordsmen you think would win in a clash to the end using their respective blades of choice.

Which Fictional Fighter Would Destroy All Others In A Sword Fight?

Fictional Character

Zach Seemayer

Sitcoms

TV can be a comforting thing, and there's nothing more uplifting than a sitcom mom. They make us laugh, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-sitcom-dad-facts-80s-90s/melissa-sartore">keep the TV dads in line</a>, and supply the much-needed warm hug at the end of the episode.&nbsp;These women aren't always the characters they play on TV, however. Like our own parents, they've lived their lives, made mistakes, and said things they probably shouldn't have. Reba McEntire was a country music superstar before getting her own show in 2001. Though her character was <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/golden-girls-savage-clapbacks-funny-insults-roasts-one-liner/amaliahalpin">unapologetically blunt</a> in The Golden Girls, Estelle Getty let the writers know that some jokes were off-limits. As a mother, Florence Henderson <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/behind-the-scenes-brady-bunch-stories/mariel-loveland">wasn't always like the calm Carol Brady</a>.Vote up the new things you learned about your favorite 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s sitcom moms.

12 Facts About Sitcom Moms That Remind Us We Need To Call Home

Actor

Facts About Sitcom Moms

Cortland Jacoby

Lists about depictions of families and family relationships throughout film, TV, music, and more.

We Are Family

Weird History

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/sibling-rivalries-history/jim-rowley">Sibling rivalries can be intense</a> in any context, but especially in royal families. After all, royal rivalries between siblings often have geopolitical repercussions, with entire kingdoms at stake.If there's one thing royals have learned throughout history, it's the importance of having an “heir and a spare”: one child to inherit the throne and another on standby in case anything happens to the first. Although this theoretically makes sense, it has also fostered royal rivalry when soon-to-be kings and queens must contend with other siblings who have legitimate claims to the throne. How can a monarch consolidate his or her own authority -&nbsp;and how can younger siblings make a play for the throne?One solution is straightforward, if risky: eliminate the competition. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-patient-heirs/michael-muir">Unlike patient royal heirs</a>, some soon-to-be monarchs have killed their siblings to ensure that they never pose a threat. Conversely, queen or king siblings have schemed against their crowned family members to usurp their position and claim authority for themselves.&nbsp;At the same time, not all royal rivalries have ended in bloodshed. Some royals simply want their siblings’ support, and that can get complicated when a monarch has to juggle a number of competing responsibilities.From fratricide to smear campaigns and everything in between, these <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/bloody-historical-family-feuds/setareh-janda">rivalries and family feuds</a> demonstrate that there’s nothing inherently noble about royal families -&nbsp;they can be just as dysfunctional as the rest of us.

13 Of The Most Intense Royal Sibling Rivalries From History

Person

royal sibling rivalries history

Setareh Janda

As random fact collectors, it's easy for us to believe at some point that we've either heard or read nearly everything interesting or weird that we could possibly stumble across.However, just as we grow confident that we've picked up an abundance of info about <a href=" https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-animals-we-learned-in-2022/will-morgan-1">animals</a>, history, and the world around us to keep us entertained for years to come, we stumble across a few more tidbits that have us feeling shocked. Whether strange tales of immortal sea creatures, bizarre weather phenomena, or random historical stuff we never learned in school, this list features facts that made us say, "Hey, wait a minute!"&nbsp;Vote up the ones you just learned that almost seem too strange to believe.

12 Facts That Made Us Say, 'Hey, Wait A Minute!'

Facts That Made Us Say, "Hey Wait A Minute"

Lauren Glen

Many of us tend to get <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/wrong-song-lyrics-wh/melissa-sartore">popular song lyrics wrong</a>, so it's unsurprising that many music enthusiasts get song titles wrong, too. However, in our defense, many song titles don’t seem to match their songs. Often the lyrics of well-known songs do a better job of showcasing what the song is about, so of course, we hyperfixate on them.&nbsp;If you’re interested in learning about a few of the song titles we just now realized we’ve been getting wrong the entire time, you might want to continue reading our list. We’ve discussed some of the most popular song titles in the world that are commonly mistitled by their lyrics.&nbsp;

Song Titles We Just Now Realized We’ve Been Getting Wrong

Song Titles we Just Now Realized We’ve Been Getting Wrong

Jason F. Collins

Fun facts and fascinating trivia about historical, bygone, and modern foods for people who love eating food.

Chew on This

Old Stuff

Every <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/each-state-essential-food/melissa-sartore">state has a food</a> it is known for, and we often take pride in claiming that our home makes some of the best barbecue, seafood, or pies in the nation. Still, when Ranker asked readers which food they could eat for the rest of their lives, Chinese food, spaghetti, burritos, and sushi were some of the dishes that ranked at the very top of the list. Part of what makes these foods so appealing is that they seem special, helping us feel like we are experiencing ethnic foods without having to leave home. Are we really, though?&nbsp;It turns out that some of our very favorite “ethnic” foods actually originated right here in our own country. While a few resemble dishes from their supposed countries, others were conceptualized entirely in the United States. This list exposes the fascinating, real, and very American origins of some of our very favorite “ethnic” dishes.

Foods Americans Think Are Ethnic But Were Actually Invented In The States

Food

Historical Photos

Photography&nbsp;is a relatively recent invention. Although the first true photograph as we know it was taken roughly 200 years ago, that&#39;s obviously&nbsp;just a tiny slice of recorded history. For all of those &quot;lost years,&quot; historians have had to get creative in <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/3d-recreations-of-historical-figures/stephanroget" target="_blank">reimagining&nbsp;famous historical figures</a>. Though photography grew increasingly prolific after its invention, there&#39;s a sort of twilight period when historical figures were actually photographed, yet the rare photos aren&#39;t&nbsp;that well known.&nbsp;

These real pictures of historical figures like John Quincy Adams, Harriet Tubman, and Billy the Kid can give a whole new perspective on when these people lived. The fact that they&#39;re preserved on camera is mind-blowing. Vote up the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/last-known-photos-of-historical-figures/cleo-egnal?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">images of historical figures</a> you&#39;re most surprised to see exist.

20 Photos Of Historic Figures We Didn't Know Lived Long Enough To Be Photographed

Mallory Weiler

Although many movies are based on real-life events, some actually caused real-life events. The following films <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/mistakes-that-changed-history/troybrownfield">changed history</a> in a variety of ways, from discovering a new animal species, to inspiring defections from a totalitarian nation, to reviving a racist organization.For those who doubt the power of film, may this list be proof.

Movies That Inspired Actual Events

Film

Shane Fraser

Weird History lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for lists and rankings in all categories

Weird History lists on Ranker

Weird History lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for hundreds of Weird History lists and rankings.

Weird, spooky, and tragic stories of people who passed in odd ways or on strange days.

Unusual Demises

History

There were some strange deaths that have occurred during the 20th century and these are the most bizarre ways that people passed in the 1900s. The following list includes some the most unusual ways of passing imaginable. There are plenty of strange ways to perish, but these might be the strangest&nbsp;of all&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;unique and extremely rare circumstances that you can think of.

What are the most bizarre ways famous people have died in the last century? Do you know someone who swallowed a toothpick at a party and then perished because of peritonitis? Did you know about an actress who passed when she fell down a chimney, thinking it was a balcony? If not, read this list of all the unusual deaths of 20th century people who died in strange ways.

Unusual Deaths: Bizarre Deaths Of The 20th Century

Bizarre Deaths | List of Unusual Ways To Die

Notable Famous Deaths

Before tickets even went on sale, every major motion picture employed dozens of people and cost thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Here is how some of them screwed it all up.

Famous Film Fails

Death

Real accidents happen on the sets of big budget movies, but most of them don&#39;t cost the cast or crew their lives. Film productions follow a number of regulations to keep performers and crew members safe, but while shooting scenes of manufactured peril, performers sometimes put themselves in situations where the slightest miscalculation can quickly become deadly. Some occurred on <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-nausea-inducing-great-films/randolph" target="_blank">nausea-inducing sets</a>; others happened in seemingly commonplace situations.

What are some examples of people dying on movie sets? People have lost their lives on films as early as 1928&#39;s Noah&#39;s Ark. Here are some of the worst cases where mistakes and misfortune have collided to produce fatal consequences.

12 Film Sets On Which People Were Actually Killed

Deaths on Movie Sets | List of Fatal Accidents During Film Productions

Matt Blackwood

Looking closer at the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe, a period during which artists, architects, politicians, scientists, and writers embraced humanism, bringing their society from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

The Renaissance

Historical Figures

List of odd deaths that happened during the Renaissance, including some of the rumors and legends behind them. This list includes stories of people dying from laughter, a ruler who died due to shyness about using the restroom, and a man who was beaten to death with his own artificial limb. "The Renaissance" is a term used to refer to a broad cultural movement that swept across Europe from the 14th through the 17th century, as well as the period in European History that divides the Late Middle Ages from the beginnings of the modern era. Through the term is most typically used to refer to the Renaissance in Italy - which includes a number of the most famous writers, thinkers, and artists of the period - the Renaissance itself spread to a number of European nations, including Scandinavia, The Netherlands, England, France, Hungary, and Russia.Need more? Check out the most unusual murders of other eras such as the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/unusual-deaths-bizarre-deaths-during-the-middle-ages/notable-famous-deaths">odd deaths during the Middle Ages</a> and the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/unusual-deaths-bizarre-deaths-of-the-21st-century/notable-famous-deaths">bizarre deaths from the 21st century.</a>

The 9 Strangest Deaths of the Renaissance And Early Modern Eras

Renaissance Deaths | List of Strange Renaissance Era Killings

A look at major events that happened a long time ago and the people who played the biggest roles in shaping the world as we know it.

Historical Facts & Figures

Some of the most prolific&nbsp;figures in history got off in ways that would have been considered untoward in their time.&nbsp;

Nowadays, many&nbsp;of the&nbsp;behaviors described here are seen as normal, or at least, somewhat so. But back in the day, some of these writers, revolutionaries, philosophers, and the like kept their sexuality&nbsp;and kinks a secret, only to be discovered decades after their passing by scholars and curious readers.

Perhaps if these legends were alive now, they would wave their flags proudly and let the world know what turns them on. Or not, and that&#39;s fine too; after all, it&#39;s nobody&#39;s business what you&#39;re into.

10 Historically Important Figures With Extra Colorful Personal Lives

The Most Historically Important Perverts Of All Time

Beau Iverson

Bill Gates

Steve Jobs

Ronald Reagan

Pop Culture

A list of the Americans who have had the most central influence on, or importance to, the modern era. This would include Americans who have most significantly altered the course of events from roughly the 1980s onward. So while someone like Ronald Reagan or Steve Jobs might very well apply, figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt or even Martin Luther King Jr. would probably not be considered contemporary enough to qualify.Americans from every walk of life and every industry have managed to profoundly influence the country. This can include efforts to alter the culture or perspective of Americans, technological or scientific innovations that forever <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/ways-internet-changes-how-we-think/hannah-collins?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">changed the way</a> we live, business achievements which altered the course of one or multiple industries, or political decisions that permanently shifted later events in America and the world.Vote for the important Americans below you think had the greatest impact on the way we live today. Or if you don't see your selection, add it by making your own list.