YouTube: 10 Tragedies Caught on Film

Wow. Some of these stick with you, to say the least.

 

I've seen that La Mans wreck footage before and it always gives me chills. How horrific.

That Pathe YouTube channel will consume and destroy your day off without notice. Be warned, I tell you from experience.

dan c

 

Yes, Donald Campbell was going...
T-e-r-r-i-f-y-i-n-g.

 

You are right, Steve. It's the morbid curiosity. And, you know, the curiosity is common to human beings.
Just like we cannot help but slow down on the highway when there is a car accident.

 

That was amazing to see. Thank you for posting it.

 

You used the same adjectives I was going to use to describe my reaction to it as well. Still a shock to the system even though you know it's coming. I've heard that the locals tell stories (urban legends perhaps) that the death toll was higher than what was released by the French government at the time.

The sinking of HMS Barham has to be one of the most dramatic moments ever committed to film.

 

I didn't watch the video. Why would I want to?

 

It's more from afar historical footage than anything graphic.

 

While I would agree that most of those clips would qualify, there were a couple that I wouldn't refer to as "tragedies"...

Franz Reichelt jumping off the Eiffel Tower?
The "Birdman" jumping out of the plane?
Emily Davidson stepping in front of the horse?

Those aren't tragedies; that's called Darwinism.

 

In terms of humanity, Darwinism and tragedy go hand in hand.

 

I'll pass.

 

Right. Grainy and B&W, so many years ago. No it's not fun, but it's not necessarily 'graphic' either. Fascinating from a historical perspective that's for sure.

dan c

 

Ugh, this British Pathe channel has sucked me in again...

The Franz Reichelt thing is just mind boggling. What on earth was that man thinking. The full footage is here, and you can clearly see him pausing and having many second thoughts. It was cold, you can see the frost on their breath (watch full-screen at 720p).


This is such an amazing archive. Imagine if the American networks transferred their 16mm news footage to HD and set up YouTube channels for historians and history buffs to consume. Imagine putting their video tape news archive on YouTube as well. Such a shame that hasn't happened. Some things are so much more important than the 'bottom line'. There's so much history that, if it hasn't been tossed out, is rotting in vaults.

Off my soapbox now.

dan c

 

That's why I don't watch any of those CSI type shows on TV or too realistically gory movies or shows. Who needs to see murders and dead bodies all the time?

 

Hey, come on, the somber piano solo soundtrack makes this morbid voyeurism "distinquished." I watched it. Not terribly graphic. I'll tell you, I went to an airshow three years ago. I'm never going to another after all the deaths.

 

Some of this footage is historically relevant (certainly the Hindenburg disaster), but most is not. It's a morbid teaser for a Youtube channel. Why select footage of people dying before the camera?

 

Interesting stuff.

 

I get the Darwinism angle and it's easy to see who's foolish. But someone had to be the first to jump out of an airplane, climb Mt Everest etc. I give those people some credit for having the balls to do it.

 

Because it draws in viewers which is what they want.

 

The Hindenburg disaster is enshrined as one of the most iconic album covers (and music group) of the 20th century.

The other disasters? - just happened to be caught on film and now largely forgotten. In context they represent just another day on planet earth. The last couple days have seen sectarian bombings in Iraq, killing scores of fellow humans simply going about their day.

People are a trip.

 

Was just watching this the other day. Interesting.

 

Found a very brief newspaper article about this, his parachute failed to open.