Topsy the elephant is one of the most famous animals in the world for all the wrong reasons. Supposedly a killing machine (although this is debated), the colossal creature was sentenced to death by electrocution in 1903, and the whole execution was caught on camera. Thomas Edison did some miraculous things in his lifetime, but Electrocuting an Elephant won't be seen as one of his greatest achievements by animal advocates. Whilst Edison himself was not present during Topsy's execution, the event had been organised by his Edison Electric Light Company, and it was they who tied up the elephant to an electric current, and shocked the animal to death. Even through the scrambled footage of early 20th century film Topsy's suffering is very clear, with the elephant visibly tightening up as the current flows, before ultimately crashing to the floor. It's some of the earliest animal abuse caught on film, and it's also some of the worst. Do you know any other films that stepped over the line in their treatment of animals? Feel free to mention them in the comments below.
