Now Godzilla's joined the long line of folks who've smashed up Lady Liberty (again), we look back at her other run-ins with nature, monsters and an over-acting Sylvester Stallone.
Big-budget blockbusters have a penchant for destroying famous landmarks, and they don't get much more iconic than the Statue of Liberty. As one of the most recognisable structures in the world, the statue has appeared in countless movies and more often not the poor gal has been on the receiving end of a battering. Dating way back to 1933's disaster epic Deluge, numerous productions have taken a shot at Lady Liberty. She's been blown up, knocked down, submerged and even thrown through the air in the name of entertainment, with the latest Godzilla trailer indicating that the statue's cinematic exploits will once again end in tears. Ghostbusters II made her the hero and Planet of the Apes used the iconography to deliver one of the all-time great twist endings, but this article will focus on the movies in which the Statue of Liberty had a much tougher time. Do you agree that the poor statue gets a tough time on screen? Are there any Statue of Liberty-hating movies you would have included? Is it time for some other famous landmarks to share the limelight? As always, sound off in the comments below.
10. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
As the cinematic exploits of the Statue of Liberty go, an appearance in Steven Spielberg's sci-fi is little more than a cameo, but a poignant one nonetheless as it shows the effects that global warming have had on the planet. As a result, it's safe to say that Lady Liberty is no longer a popular tourist destination. After being developed by Stanley Kubrick since the 1970's, Spielberg took over the project in 1995 but unfortunately the movie wasn't released until after Kubrick's death in 1999. Like most big-budget movies, when you want to show how much New York has changed in the future you use Lady Liberty as your benchmark. Unfortunately, the iconic statue is only visible from the wrist upwards, with the torch no doubt suffering the ignominy of being covered in bird droppings. Such a shame.