Top 10 Movies That Changed the World

Top 10 Movies That Changed the World

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the films that made an impact on the real world, either through their content, their success, and/or their filmmaking. However, we won’t be including any documentaries.

#10: “Victim” (1961)

Bringing issues facing the gay community to the attention of the public often proves challenging. Although “Philadelphia” did an admirable job illustrating the effects of the AIDS crisis, we’d like to highlight an earlier film. At the time of the release of “Victim,” being gay was literally a crime in Great Britain. The film depicts several gay men who are victims of blackmail schemes, and the lengths they’re driven to to keep their secret. Although quite controversial upon its release, some have credited it with influencing the repeal of the law criminalizing LGBTQIA+ behavior.

#9: “Idiocracy” (2006)

This cult satirical film sees a man awaken in a future where a populist, former TV star president runs a country where anti-intellectualism has the people trusting more in conspiracies and half-baked ideas than in facts. Do you see where we’re going with this? Many critics, and even the film’s creators have drawn parallels between the events of the film and modern American politics, particularly the presidency of Donald Trump. Did this movie predict the future, or did it create it? Well, Trump doesn’t strike us as a Mike Judge fan.

#8: “Battleship Potemkin” (1925)

A Soviet Russian film about the revolt aboard the titular vessel, “Battleship Potemkin” is often counted among the greatest films ever made. While it was intended as a piece of propaganda, the film’s greatest influence is on filmmaking as a whole. The movie’s use of editing to convey themes and emotions was revolutionary for its time. Likewise, it was among the first films to make use of montages. The Odessa steps sequence in particular is often paid homage to in many popular films. It may not have gotten everyone to join the revolution as intended, but “Battleship Potemkin” still caused quite the revolution in filmmaking.

#7: “V for Vendetta” (2005)

Comic book movies have made their mark on the world to be sure. Yet, this one did so in a way unlike any other. The story of a masked freedom fighter rebelling against a totalitarian regime in an alternate Britain, “V for Vendetta” inspired some real-world political action. The hacker activist community Anonymous has made waves worldwide with cyber-attacks. During their rare in-person demonstrations and in footage, the group wears the same Guy Fawkes mask worn by V in the film. Much like the protagonist who inspired their look, whether you consider Anonymous heroes or villains probably depends on your point of view.

#6: “Jaws” (1975)

It’s not often a movie has as big an impact as “Jaws.” The film about the hunt for a deadly, man-eating shark led to real-life repercussions, both for sharks and the film industry. Shark hunting skyrocketed following the film, leading to thousands being killed worldwide. Likewise, fear of the ocean certainly increased after its debut. “Jaws” is also often regarded as the first major summer blockbuster. Its effects on the film industry include everything from how movies are marketed, to their production, and it’s basically responsible for the current model of big-budget filmmaking that persists today. “Jaws” showed everyone that a “bigger boat” was not only possible, but very profitable!

#5: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)

Walt Disney already had a big effect on the world of cartoons with the influential debut of Mickey Mouse. However, the animator’s feature film debut, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” changed everything! Adjusted for inflation, it is still the highest-grossing animated film! Through its box office success and further merchandising, “Snow White” helped Disney develop into a major animation studio and put out subsequent animated films. Furthermore, because it was such a success, Disney has been able to become a multimedia empire whose influence extends across the planet! Heigh-ho, heigh-ho - Disney sure struck gold!

#4: “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)

The cultural impact of “Star Wars” is truly immeasurable. Like “Jaws” before it, “Star Wars” was one of the first major blockbusters and set box office records for the time. It marked a revolution in special effects, showing filmmakers that technology could innovate new stories to tell. Likewise, “Star Wars” also marked a turning point for merchandising, as sales of toys and other tie-in items proved immensely profitable. The original film launched a massive franchise that continues today and whose references are so pervasive in popular culture worldwide that its influence can be found everywhere, from film, to religion, to politics. “Star Wars” will be with us, always.

#3: “Schindler’s List” (1993)

A film that depicts the efforts of a German industrialist to save the lives of Jewish victims of the Holocaust by employing them in his factories, “Schindler’s List” was a critical and commercial success, to be sure. But its larger impact on the world is in its unflinching portrayal of the Holocaust in a popular medium. The systematic mass murder of Jews and other minority groups by the Nazis is an event that some people (and countries) even refuse to acknowledge took place. Director Steven Spielberg even founded the Shoah Foundation, an organization dedicated to documenting the stories of Holocaust survivors, ensuring that the truth of their experiences survives.

#2: “The Birth of a Nation” (1915)

Sometimes movies change the world for the better and for the worse. “The Birth of a Nation” is a technically impressive film, which revolutionized the way movies are made, innovating techniques like fadeouts and closeups to completely change cinematography. Additionally, it remains one of the most successful films financially, adjusted for inflation. However, it’s also extremely racist propaganda. It was largely responsible for the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, who are portrayed as heroic in the film. “The Birth of a Nation” may have birthed many impressive new ways to shoot films, but at the same time, it also increased rampant racism both upon its release and continuing to today, as the KKK often screens the film.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“JFK” (1991)
Influenced the Declassification of Documents Related to the Assassination

“X-Men” (2000)
Paved the Way for the Resurgence of Superhero Movies

“Jurassic Park” (1993)
Influenced Genetic Studies & Our Collective Obsession with Dinosaurs

#1: “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)

As a landmark science fiction film, “2001: A Space Odyssey” pioneered special effects, filmmaking, and plenty of other achievements through its grand and often surreal storytelling. But even more than its technical achievements are the pieces of technology the filmmakers imagined. Although things like moonbases or voyages to Jupiter don’t yet exist, smaller-scale devices like tablets, flat-screen televisions, and video calling are showcased fairly accurately. “2001” dreamed big, and while we didn’t get some of these technologies by the real first year of the new millennium, the film still had us aiming for the stars.

Is there a world-altering movie whose presence would have altered our list? Change our worlds by telling us your picks in the comments!