Mel Gibson’s 'Braveheart' was a major mid-90s blockbuster that utilized thousands of actual members of the Irish Territorial Army as extras for its massive battle sequences. Instead of relying on CGI 'clones,' the production filmed massive clashes of real people on location in Ireland. The film grossed $210 million and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Its success reaffirmed that there was still a massive audience for long, violent, and emotionally charged historical epics. It influenced the production of later battle-heavy blockbusters like 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Last Samurai.'