10 Historical Events That Deserve Movies

5. Jonestown

jonestown One of the strangest and most disturbing events in modern history, Jonestown was the site of the largest mass suicide on record as over 900 people willingly died from cyanide poisoning. The city of Jonestown was founded by an international community led by Jim Jones who left the United States because of negative media coverage. Intended to be a sort of communist utopia, Jonestown soon became a nightmarish environment as building fell into disrepair, medical problems became rampant and food shortages were experienced. In 1978, congressman Leo Ryan visited Jonestown as part of an investigation. Ryan and several other members of his party were killed in a shooting at the airstrip outside Jonestown. As a result of the shooting Jones brought together the entire population and a mass suicide was performed, leaving over 900 people dead. A film about Jonestown would undoubtedly be one of the most depressing films ever made but could potentially be an extremely effective portrait of insanity at its mot spectacular.
 
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I love movies, literature, history, music and the NBA. I love all things nerdy including but not limited to Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Firefly. My artistic idols are Dylan, Dostoevsky, and Malick and my goal in life is to become like Bernard Black from Black Books. When I die, I hope to turn into the space baby from 2001: A Space Odyssey.