When it comes to the world of war, underdogs have a magnetic pull—think of the Celtic Iceni led by Boudicca or the legendary Spartans at Thermopylae. Whether they leveraged clever tactics, unexpected technology, or sheer grit, these smaller forces managed to carve out victories that still echo through history. Below you’ll find the ten most remarkable examples of 10 military underdogs who turned the tables on massive foes.

Why These 10 Military Underdogs Stand Out

Each story on this list showcases a blend of daring strategy, bold leadership, and a dash of luck that allowed a modest force to outwit, outmaneuver, or outright crush a far larger opponent. From colonial India to the seas of Korea, these battles prove that numbers aren’t everything.

10 British East India CompanyBattle Of Assaye

Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, once described the Battle of Assaye as “the bloodiest for the number that I ever saw.” Fought during the Second Anglo‑Maratha War, the clash pitched roughly 6,500–10,000 British troops against a staggering 40,000–50,000 Maratha warriors. Flawed intelligence had the British marching to the wrong spot, only to discover an enemy far larger than anticipated. Yet Wellesley, a battlefield genius more than a planner, swiftly reordered his men, opting for a rapid strike instead of waiting for reinforcements under Colonel Stevenson, whose forces were miles away.

The decisive factor turned out to be the Maratha commanders’ disbelief that Wellesley would attack while outnumbered. Caught off‑guard, the Maratha army collapsed, losing between 5,000 and 6,500 men, while the British suffered about 1,500 casualties. Decades later, the Duke of Wellington reflected that his triumph at Assaye remained his crowning achievement.

9 King David IV And The Georgian ArmyBattle Of Didgori

Known as David the Builder, King David IV of Georgia rose to power at just sixteen and faced the formidable Seljuq Turks, who had dominated much of his realm. Determined to end the occupation, David rallied feudal lords, mustered an army, and set his sights on reclaiming Tbilisi, a city held by Muslims for nearly five centuries. While Georgian chronicles inflate the numbers, modern scholars estimate roughly 56,000 troops marched to the foothills of Mount Didgori, confronting an enemy that may have numbered between 100,000 and 250,000.

In a move reminiscent of Stalin’s Order No. 227, David ordered his men to block any retreat, barricading the path with trees and boulders. He then dispatched 200 heavily‑armed cavalry under the guise of deserters to infiltrate the Seljuq leadership. The ruse succeeded, the Seljuq commanders were slain, and morale plummeted. The ensuing three‑hour battle saw the Turks suffer heavy losses while the Georgians emerged relatively unscathed, paving the way for the capture of Tbilisi and a revived Georgian capital.

8 Mexican ArmyBattle Of Puebla

Picture Puebla, Mexico, in 1862. President Benito Juárez grappled with a crushing foreign debt that prompted Britain, France, and Spain to demand payment. While Britain and Spain withdrew after negotiations, Napoleon III of France pressed on, aiming to install a Mexican empire. After seizing Veracruz, the French set their sights on Puebla, a fortified city standing between their forces and Mexico City.

Six thousand French soldiers marched against a ragtag Mexican garrison of roughly 2,000 men—well below the classic 3:1 ratio for successful sieges. Yet the Mexicans held firm from sunrise to dusk on May 5, inflicting casualties five times higher than the French, who lost about 500 troops. Although the French eventually captured Puebla a year later, the battle sparked a surge of national pride, later commemorated as Cinco de Mayo, a holiday more celebrated in the United States than Mexico itself.

7 Croatian National GuardBattle Of Vukovar

Following the death of Yugoslav leader Josip Tito in 1980, the federation fractured, prompting Serbian nationalists to tighten control from Belgrade. Croatia declared independence on June 25, 1991, but conflict erupted quickly. By August, Serbian forces, numbering around 36,000, advanced on the strategic border town of Vukovar. The Croatian defenders—just 1,800 soldiers bolstered by civilian volunteers—stood their ground for 86 harrowing days.

Despite exhausting their ammunition and receiving no reinforcements, the Croatians inflicted heavy casualties, nearly double those suffered by the Serbs. When the city finally fell, the aftermath was grim: 200 Croat refugees were executed in the city hospital, and widespread ethnic cleansing followed. The siege of Vukovar remains a stark reminder of the human cost behind daring underdog resistance.

6 English TroopsBattle Of Crecy

Although less famed than Agincourt, the 1346 Battle of Crecy reshaped the Hundred Years’ War. King Edward III spent fourteen years perfecting an army of longbowmen, a weapon many contemporaries dismissed as merely defensive. When the English fleet landed on the French coast, roughly 10,000 men faced a French force nearly three times larger. Overconfident, King Philip VI even drafted a list of English knights he intended to capture.

The English longbow proved a game‑changer, firing six to seven arrows per minute—far outpacing the French crossbow. The French, unprepared for such a barrage, fell into chaos. Cavalry charges met with a wall of arrows, and retreating foot soldiers were cut down ruthlessly. By nightfall, French casualties topped 10,000, while English losses were comparatively modest. Crecy demonstrated how innovative weaponry could tip the scales in favor of a numerically inferior force.

5 Irish UN TroopsSiege Of Jadotville

In 1961, newly admitted UN member Ireland sent its first peacekeeping detachment to the Katanga province of the Congo. The contingent, comprising 158 lightly‑armed Irish soldiers (alongside Swedish and Indian troops), was tasked with defending the mining town of Jadotville against a hostile force of 3,000–5,000 Katangan militia and Belgian mercenaries.

Utilizing well‑dug trenches, precise rifle fire, and timely mortar strikes, the Irish held off the attackers, inflicting roughly 1,300 casualties while sustaining only five wounded themselves. Exhausted ammunition forced commander Pat Quinlan to negotiate a cease‑fire, a move some in Ireland later branded a surrender. Decades on, the actions of the Jadotville garrison have been re‑examined, and their bravery celebrated, especially after fellow soldier John Gorman championed their legacy.

4 Swedish SoldiersBattle Of Fraustadt

While the Battle of Narva often steals the spotlight, the 1706 clash at Fraustadt remains a testament to Swedish tactical brilliance during the Great Northern War. Encircled by Russia, Denmark‑Norway, and Saxony‑Poland, Sweden’s youthful King Charles XII still managed to secure victories. At Fraustadt, roughly 9,000 Swedish troops faced an entrenched force of 18,000 Saxons, Russians, and mercenaries.

Swedish General Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld recognized a decisive cavalry advantage—nearly three to one—and executed a classic pincer movement. Swedish horsemen swept around the enemy flanks, striking the rear of the main line. The opposing army collapsed, suffering about 16,000 casualties, while Swedish losses numbered just over 1,000. In the aftermath, around 500 Russian prisoners were executed as retribution for prior atrocities in Courland.

3 Eastern Jin SoldiersBattle Of Fei River

The Battle of Fei River in 382 stands as one of China’s pivotal confrontations. The Eastern Jin dynasty, defending the south, faced the northern Former Qin empire, whose forces allegedly numbered 800,000 against the Jin’s modest 80,000. In reality, the Qin army consisted largely of conscripts with little loyalty, poorly equipped and trained, while the Jin troops were seasoned under General Xie Xuan.

When the Qin army approached the dried‑up Fei River, Xie Xuan requested a slight westward retreat to allow his forces to cross. The Qin emperor, Fu Jian, consented, but his troops interpreted the maneuver as a sign of defeat and panicked. Seizing the moment, the Jin launched a ferocious attack, annihilating the Qin army. Contemporary accounts speak of such carnage that the dead formed “pillows” for one another. The crushing loss precipitated a civil war that ultimately dissolved the Former Qin dynasty.

2 Polish InfantryBattle Of Wizna

The Battle of Wizna, often dubbed the Polish Thermopylae, saw a tiny garrison of roughly 700 soldiers (some historians argue as few as 360) defend a fortified line against a massive German force of about 40,000. The clash began on September 7, 1939, as the Wehrmacht unleashed its blitzkrieg tactics on Poland.

Polish commander Władysław Raginis vowed to hold every defended position to the last. However, after days of fierce fighting, ammunition ran dry and no reinforcements arrived. German General Heinz Guderian threatened to execute all Polish POWs unless they surrendered. Reluctantly, Raginis ordered his men to abandon the bunker; one survivor, Seweryn Bieganski, later recalled the captain’s gentle urging before an explosion claimed his life. Though the Germans captured Wizna, the heroic stand bought valuable time for the Polish high command to regroup and continue resistance abroad.

1 Korean NavyBattle Of Myeongnyang

Admiral Yi Sun‑Sin, originally an army commander, first fought the Manchu nomads before becoming the naval chief of Korea’s Cholla district. After a treacherous plot led to his demotion, Yi was recalled to defend his homeland against a renewed Japanese invasion. With only twelve turtle‑ships left, he chose the narrow Myeongnyang Strait for a decisive encounter against an overwhelming fleet of at least 133 Japanese vessels.

Exploiting the strait’s treacherous currents and his ships’ superior design, Yi’s fleet decimated the Japanese, sinking 31 ships while miraculously losing none of his own. Unlike the Roman‑Carthaginian tradition of boarding, the Japanese attempted to board the Korean vessels, a tactic that proved futile against the heavily armored turtle‑ships. The stunning victory at Myeongnyang cemented Yi Sun‑Sin’s legacy as a naval genius and a quintessential underdog champion.

When life throws a devastating health crisis, most people brace for the worst. Yet these 10 incredible patient stories prove that the human spirit can triumph against seemingly impossible odds.

10 Incredible Patient Stories That Inspire

10 Okkhoy

A desperate father clutched his bleeding seven‑year‑old son, Okkhoy, and sped away on a rickshaw toward the nearest clinic – a sight few would ever imagine witnessing. The harrowing scene unfolded in Bangladesh back in 2010.

Just hours earlier, a quartet of men had unleashed unspeakable cruelty on the boy. After binding his hands and feet, they struck him with a large brick, carved an upside‑down cross into his torso, and even severed his penis and one testicle.

The tragedy began when three peers coaxed Okkhoy away from his safe home, promising a treat. Growing uneasy, he turned back, only to be ambushed. The attackers tried to force him into begging for money; when he threatened to inform his father, the men responded with savage violence, leaving him for dead.

Okkhoy’s mother eventually discovered her son collapsed beside a warehouse, drenched in blood. It was at that very spot that his father found them and, with only a rickshaw at his disposal, rushed his child to the hospital.

Against all odds, the young boy survived the brutal assault and, after three months of intensive care, made a remarkable recovery. Two years later he still bore physical scars and a lingering fear of darkness, but surgeons at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore later succeeded in reconstructing a functional penis for him, offering a hopeful new chapter.

9 Janne Kouri

In August 2006, 31‑year‑old Janne Kouri was enjoying a lively beach‑volleyball match on a sunny Californian shore. He was a promising football talent on the brink of catching the attention of NFL scouts, while also steering a fledgling social‑network venture.

Mid‑game, Janne decided to take a quick dip. As he dove, his head slammed into a hidden sandbar, inflicting severe spinal‑cord damage that left him instantly paralyzed.

Rushed to the emergency room, Janne’s girlfriend and family received the crushing verdict: he would likely never walk again. He spent two months in intensive care, teetering on the edge of death twice while battling pneumonia.

In a moment of raw honesty, Janne told his girlfriend Susan that she could leave him if she wished. Susan, however, chose to stay, refusing to abandon his fight. After countless dead‑ends, a serendipitous connection led them to a Louisville doctor who shared Susan’s name and offered a sliver of hope.

Dr. Susan Harkema’s optimism proved right. Five years later, Janne stood on his own without a walker. The journey demanded relentless loco‑motor training, a regimen that reshaped his life and inspired him and Susan to launch a nonprofit rehab center to help others achieve similar breakthroughs.

Throughout his recovery, Janne and Susan’s bond deepened, culminating in marriage—proof that together they could surmount any obstacle.

8 Randon Timmons

“Skitching”—grabbing onto a moving vehicle while perched on a skateboard—almost cost 18‑year‑old Randon Timmons his life in 2014. In Van Buren, Indiana, teenagers routinely performed the daring stunt, but Randon’s run went tragically wrong.

While riding, his board struck a road bump, sending him airborne and slamming his head onto the pavement. Doctors later reported almost no brain activity and performed a life‑saving craniectomy to relieve massive swelling.

The prognosis was grim; the hospital feared he wouldn’t survive the night. Meanwhile, his father Randy, already scarred by the loss of his own brother and father in a car crash, never left his son’s side.The community rallied, organizing a prayer vigil, concert, and walk‑a‑thon to support the family. Randy’s unwavering love and constant reassurance—“I love you, you can’t leave me”—kept Randon’s spirit alive.

Weeks later, Randon’s condition improved enough for discharge. Although he now lives with mild amnesia and subtle personality shifts, physicians believe he’ll lead a normal life, provided he wears a helmet during high‑risk activities—a lesson learned the hard way.

7 Alcides Moreno

Alcides Moreno’s wife, Rosario, was startled when her husband, barely conscious in a New York hospital bed, reached out and tried to caress a nurse’s face, mistaking her for Rosario. Few believed he’d survive, let alone speak again.

Alcides and his brother Edgar were high‑rise window washers on Manhattan’s Upper East Side when their platform gave way, plummeting from the 47th floor. Edgar died on impact; Alcides was found conscious, sitting up as emergency crews arrived.

Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors discovered catastrophic injuries: severe brain trauma, spinal damage, a broken arm, cracked ribs, and two broken legs. After an emergency operation, Alcides endured nine additional surgeries.

Miraculously, while still in a coma, Alcides whispered, “What did I do?” when a nurse entered his room on Christmas Day 2007, proving his mind was still active.

Physicians predicted a full recovery within a year, including the ability to walk. Rosario later emphasized that Alcides would never return to his former profession, choosing a new path after his extraordinary healing.

6 Elijah Belden

During an early‑October birthday celebration in 2014, nine‑year‑old Elijah Belden was posing for a photo when he inadvertently touched a metal support pole that had become electrified, delivering a severe shock.

Physicians placed him in a medically induced coma to stabilize his condition. After ten tense days, Elijah awoke, correctly stating his name to the bewildered medical team—a moment doctors labeled a miracle.

Within two weeks of emerging from the coma, he began rehabilitation and managed a short walk outside. Subsequent treadmill tests suggested a swift discharge, and his family set their sights on returning him to baseball practice.

5 Rachel Lozano

While still in high school, Rachel Lozano was diagnosed with a rare Askin’s tumor, launching a grueling battle that spanned the remainder of her teenage years.

She achieved remission twice, enduring multiple surgeries—including a bone‑marrow transplant—and confronting the harsh side effects of chemotherapy, even turning her bald head into a living canvas.

The third recurrence proved devastating: doctors warned the tumor would claim her life within weeks, depending on which organ it attacked next.

In a last‑ditch effort, surgeons prepared for another operation, only to find no tumor tissue at all. The operating room was closed without any intervention, leaving physicians baffled.

Later, Rachel revealed that she had prayed to Father William Chaminade in 2000, an act she credited for her survival. The Archdiocese of St. Louis declared her recovery a miracle, potentially designating it as the second miracle attributed to Chaminade.

4 Sam Schmid

In October 2011, University of Arizona junior Sam Schmid was caught in a horrific five‑car pileup. His Jeep slammed into a light pole, flipped sideways, and he was airlifted to the hospital with broken legs, a shattered left hand, and severe brain trauma.

Doctors placed him on life support after a brain aneurysm surgery resulted in a stroke. Initial assessments suggested a bleak outcome, prompting the medical team to prepare his family for the worst.

Neurosurgeon Robert Spetzler, however, sensed a faint glimmer of hope. He ordered a fresh MRI just hours before the team considered withdrawing life support. The new scan revealed unexpected improvement.

Following the scan, Sam responded to external stimuli and began following simple commands. By December, he could walk with a walker and speak nearly normally, though his memory of the crash remained absent.

3 Lesley Bunning

In January 2014, the H1N1 virus claimed over 300 lives in California alone. Sixty‑one‑year‑old Lesley Bunning was rushed to the ER as her condition rapidly deteriorated.

Her health plummeted further, leading doctors to place her on a ventilator and induce a medically‑controlled coma. She remained in this state for ten weeks, while physicians exhausted every possible treatment and consulted external specialists.

Just as the medical team prepared her family for an inevitable death, Lesley spontaneously began breathing on her own, astonishing the staff.

Ventilator support was promptly removed, and a feeding tube was inserted to aid her recovery. One physician even described her turnaround as a miracle.

Since then, Lesley swears never to skip a flu shot again, having missed it before contracting H1N1, and now encourages her entire family to stay vaccinated.

2 Nicole Graham

By the time junior‑prom night arrived, 16‑year‑old Nicole Graham had already conquered leukemia, survived two strokes, and endured organ failure, sepsis, and even a temporary paralysis.

Her teenage years, which should have been filled with homework and social outings, were instead marked by relentless chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and grueling rehabilitation.

Remarkably, after two months of intensive rehab, Nicole progressed from being unable to sit up to sprinting around her schoolyard. Her swift rebound was bolstered by unwavering support from family, friends, and her boyfriend.

Post‑recovery, she rejoined her high‑school lacrosse team, captained it, and was crowned homecoming queen—celebrating not just a victory over illness but a triumphant return to normalcy.

1 Luke Burgie

Four‑year‑old Luke Burgie’s baffling illness in 1998 sparked a worldwide miracle claim, later endorsed by Pope Francis. He endured relentless diarrhea and excruciating post‑meal pain, leaving doctors clueless.

By January 1999, Luke’s condition had worsened dramatically; he was rapidly losing weight and showed no signs of improvement, prompting desperate prayers.

His parents enlisted two nuns to intercede, who in turn prayed to Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel, founder of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, for nine days.

Doctors, suspecting a hidden tumor, scheduled a colonoscopy. Yet when Luke arrived for the test, he leapt up from his couch, announced the pain had vanished, and the procedure was cancelled.

Luke’s mother declared it a miracle. Despite skeptics accusing the family of fabricating the illness for attention, Pope Francis ultimately affirmed the event as a genuine miracle, cementing Luke’s recovery in the annals of modern saints.

Movies filmed on location often add greater realism not found in those shot on sound stages or studio backlots. From the montage of New York City’s iconic landmarks in Manhattan to Rome’s Trevi Fountain in La Dolce Vita, authenticity can greatly enhance the viewer’s cinematic experience. But sometimes looks can be deceiving, as showcased in our top 10 filming locations at odds with the movie. 

10. Body Heat

South Florida served as the backdrop for this 1981 steamy, neo-noir thriller starring William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. However, frigid temperatures in the Sunshine State required the cast and crew to summon all their talents and skills to depict a sweltering heatwave.

Inspired by noir classics such as Double Indemnity and The Big Sleep, Body Heat revolves around a femme fatale (Turner) who plots to murder her wealthy husband with the aid of an unscrupulous lawyer (Hurt). Principal photography began in late November 1980 over a stretch that saw temperatures drop into the low 40s. As a result, the actors had to suck on ice cubes before delivering their lines to prevent condensation, and crew members constantly applied ‘sweat’ with spray water bottles.  

Despite frigid conditions, the clever stagecraft proved convincing and helped launch the careers of the lead performers — both relatively unknown at the time. Fellow newcomers Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke also appeared in supporting roles, adding heft to the critically acclaimed film.

9. Saving Private Ryan

Although Ireland remained neutral throughout WWII, the country saw plenty of action thanks to Steven Spielberg’s epic masterpiece in 1998. For starters, there’s the stunning 20-minute long battle sequence, capturing the intensity and carnage of the Normandy Invasion — better known as D-Day. But instead of the beaches of northern France, cast and crew invaded the southeastern Irish coast to re-create the largest amphibious operation in military history.

Due to various issues, including the actual site’s status as a historical landmark, filming there simply wasn’t possible. Fortunately, Ballinesker Beach in County Wexford, about 70 miles south of Dublin, provided a close match to stage the brutal combat that occurred at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.

Over $11 million was spent transforming the usually serene Irish shores into a war-torn battlefield. Spielberg’s keen attention to visual detail meant the meticulous construction of Nazi “pillboxes” and barbed wired barricades and splattering thousands of gallons of fake blood. 

Bolstered by a stellar ensemble of actors that included Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, and Barry Pepper, the war epic went on to gross $481,840,909 worldwide and earned Spielberg the Oscar for Best Director.

8. Lone Survivor

New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Blood of Christ), the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains, owes its name to the reddish glow that occurs at sunrise and sunset. In 2013, a cacophony of hellfire explosions and gunfire replaced the celestial atmosphere during the making of Lone Survivor.

Based on Marcus Luttrell’s biographical book of the same name, the movie chronicles the exploits of a Navy SEALS team ambushed in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan. The film stars Mark Wahlberg in the role of Lutrell, who managed to survive a ferocious siege and subsequent failed rescue attempt, resulting in the deaths of 19 U.S. soldiers.  

In real life, Luttrell stands 6’5″ tall. Walhberg doesn’t (more like 5’6”), and northern New Mexico lies roughly 7,500 miles from the battle-scarred terrain of central Asia. No matter. Director Peter Berg relied on combat veterans to serve as technical advisors, whose duties included whipping the actors into shape. Furthermore, a small army of stuntmen took their lumps (and several broken bones) to create an avalanche of falling bodies — action that film critic Andrew O’Hehir described as “war porn.” 

7. Good Will Hunting

This 1997 coming-of-age tale shines a spotlight on Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a young blue-collar math whiz from the tough streets of south Boston. But Canada’s biggest city served as the primary filming location, with the University of Toronto and Central Technical High School standing in for MIT and Harvard University.

In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, Will tells a condescending Harvard student, “How you like them apples?” The location is supposed to be the Bow and Arrow bar in Beantown – but it was actually Toronto’s Upfront Bar and Grill. Sadly, both are now shuttered. 

Movie fans, however, can visit the park bench where Will has a heart-to-heart discussion with his therapist (Robin Williams) at Boston Public Garden. The site has become a memorial of sorts to honor Williams, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and died in 2014.  

6. Cold Mountain

Set during the American Civil War and loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey, Cold Mountain stars an Australian actress (Nicole Kidman), a British actor (Jude Law), and was filmed in Romania. But who needs the authenticity when enticing tax incentives can be had?

Disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his company, Miramax, green-lit the production after securing a 10% rebate to shoot in the former communist country. To be fair, the Carpathian Mountains proved to be a worthy substitute for North Carolina’s Appalachians, where much of the story takes place. Moreover, the Transylvania region also had less infrastructure at the time, such as power lines and paved roads, creating an underdeveloped, rural setting. 

The film also benefited from the talents of director Anthony Minghella (“The English Patient”) and an Oscar-winning performance by Rene Zellweger, whose spot on southern accent reflected her upbringing in Texas. 

5. Braveheart

Directed by and starring Mel Gibson, Braveheart tells the story (or, rather, a story) of Scottish national hero William Wallace. Aside from a few scenes filmed in Bonnie Scotland, the historical drama was shot almost entirely in Ireland, which included the medieval Anglo-Norman fortress, Trim Castle. Additionally, more than 1,000 members of the Irish Defense Forces were featured in the large-scale battle scenes. 

Substituting the Emerald Isle for Scotland was congruent with a narrative rife with inaccuracies, such as anachronistic clothing and military tactics, as well as Gibson’s paltry Scottish accent. The Aussie movie star later justified his vision for the 13th-century warrior: “Some people said that in telling the story, we messed up history. It doesn’t bother me because what I’m giving you is a cinematic experience, and I think films are there first to entertain, then teach, then inspire.”

4. Dallas Buyers Club

Despite having the city’s name in its title, this biopic about AIDS patient Ron Woodruff replaces “Big D” with the “Big Easy” of New Orleans. Matthew McConaughey stars as Ron Woodruff, a womanizing, homophobic cowboy who establishes a drug distribution network, providing AZT to fellow patients afflicted with the deadly disease. 

The demanding role saw McConaughey lose 47 pounds (a quarter of his body weight), and co-star Jared Leto shed 30 pounds. For their efforts, both men would take home Oscars. 

The movie’s low budget greatly benefited from Louisiana’s hefty 30% tax incentive program. Filming took place over a twenty-five-day period, during which rehearsals were largely excluded, and scenes given limited takes.

McConaughey, a native Texan, provided this insight on the disguised location: “You have to watch the tropical foliage; that ain’t in Dallas. In some places you can see the humidity and the mildew and the overgrowth where Mother Nature takes over in New Orleans.”

3. Titanic

While attempting to circumnavigate the world, legendary Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan named the western reaches ‘Mar Pacífico’ (‘peaceful sea’). Nearly 400 years later, director James Cameron also made history, transforming these waters into the treacherous North Atlantic during the making of Titanic. 

In 1996, 20th Century Fox built a 17 million gallon outdoor tank that adjoined and overlooked the Pacific Ocean near Playas de Rosarito, Mexico. A demanding shooting schedule followed, creating a hostile environment that further cemented Cameron’s tyrannical reputation.

Several members of the cast and crew fell ill due to spending long hours in cold water and turning the tank into a giant toilet. Kate Winslet suffered several bruises and nearly drowned during a scene in which her coat got caught on a gate while underwater.

Titanic would eventually emerge as the highest-grossing movie of all time, raking in $1.8 billion worldwide. As for his temperamental behavior, Cameron shrugged it off as merely doing his job: “Film-making is war. A great battle between business and aesthetics.”

2. Elf

Christmas movies typically feature heart-warming themes such as love, family unity, and Santa Claus. In 2003, Elf managed to tick all these boxes and more, even though several scenes took place at an abandoned mental institution near Vancouver, British Columbia.

For nearly a century, Riverview Hospital operated under the governance of BC Mental Health & Addiction Services before closing its doors in 2013. The expansive complex later became a popular location for film and TV projects, including Supernatural, The X-Files, and Halloween: Resurrection. 

For Elf,  a comedy starring Will Ferrell as a fully grown elf in search of his real family, the hospital interiors were used to create a wide variety of sets ranging from a police station to an orphanage. According to the film’s production designer Rusty Smith, “It is one of the creepiest places I’ve ever been in my life.” 

1. Journey to the Center of the Earth

Based on the best-selling Jules Verne novel, this 1959 sci-fi movie stars James Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, and “Gertrude the Duck.” The filmmakers at 20th Century Fox selected Carlsbad Caverns in southeastern New Mexico to stage several of the underground sequences. Although the renowned caves provided an exotic setting for the earth’s core, it’s a safe bet that neither humans, reptiles, nor waterfowl could survive in an environment with temperatures hotter than the sun.

Studio executives, eager to match the success of previous Verne adaptations, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in 80 Days,  invested heavily in the project and “filmed in the incomparable magic of CineScope.” The gamble would pay off in spades as audiences flocked to “monstrous” creatures, which in reality, were iguanas with prosthetics glued to their backs and a painted Tegu lizard.