We love us some horror flicks here at Reactions, so for Halloween this year, we’re coming
at you with a historical, chemical breakdown of the most crucial element of any scary flick:
fake blood. If you’re squeamish and hate the sight of blood, turn away – we’ll
be showing clips from the classics, and all the must see horror chemistry you need!
SPLASH
If you want to be in the business of making fake blood, you’re going to have to get
to know the real thing first. Blood gets its opaque red color from an oxygen carrying protein
called hemoglobin. This protein is made up of these four sub-sections that are centered
around smaller compounds called hemes. Dead smack in the middle of these molecules you’re
going to find iron atoms. The hemes bind with oxygen to transport it through the body and
the different bonds change the wavelength of light that it absorbs. Thus the more oxygen,
the brighter the red. Special effects artists have long tried to simulate this coloration
with countless methods and varying degrees of success.
The first attempt of which started right here at the Grand Guignol Theater (on screen text,
Paris France, 1910s),. a playhouse known for its controversial use of violence and legendary
fake blood. Their secretive recipe is believed to be a heated concoction of equal parts carmine
and glycerol. Carmine is a common red pigment that is derived from Cochineal [coach-in-kneel]
beetles and glycerol is a sweet tasting, viscous liquid that’s created by breaking down triglyceride
fats with water. Together, they make for a pretty gorey sight.
By the 1940s, the blood was further enhanced with the addition of Methyl cellulose which
acts as a thickening agent. This chemical is very hydrophilic. In other words, it loves
to absorb and hold onto water, which makes for a smooth, disgusting sludge. This stuff
is so effective that it’s still used today. But the grand ginoil’s blood was for the
that was the stage. The screen on the other hand, brought totally new challenges to the
table.
For example, In the 1960 masterpiece, Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock (PG 200) found that realistic
looking blood didn’t have enough contrast on black and white film to look real, so he
famously used Chocolate syrup instead. George Romero (PG 11) also used chocolate syrup in
The Night of The Living Dead, but this rendition of fake blood only cut it in black and white
- color film offered a whole new palate of issues.
In 1962, the godfather of slasher flicks Herschel Gordon Lewis was working on his first color
gorefest, Blood Feast, about a rabid cannibal food caterer - so, obviously he was in need
of a safely consumable, red-colored fake blood. His signature recipe mixed red dye into a
diarrheal remedy known as Kaopectate [K-O-pectate], which at the time was a mix of a clay called
kaolinite and pectin Having a perfect consistency, opacity, and dramatic color, this would be
H. G. Lewis’ career spanning splatter .
But before Blood Feast, London’s Hammer Studios released their first Technicolor horror
feature, Terence Fisher’s The Curse of Frankenstein (on screen 1957) using their industry standard
blood recipe, Kensington Gore. Generally speaking, this was a mixture of golden syrup, warm water,
food coloring, and cornstarch to adjust opacity. . Sugar syrups would be the base of many-a-fake-bloods
to come, but not without some sticky setbacks.
When filming Sam Raimi’s 1981 cult classic, The Evil Dead, Bruce Campbell claimed that
his fake blood-drenched shirt crystallized under heat and shattered after he tried to
dry it up. But he’s not the only one, after filming the gymnasium fire scene in Brian
De Palma’s Carrie, Sissy Spacek also claimed that she was turned into a candy apple using
a similar blood recipe. Raimi’s recipe was one for the budget filmmaker – you too can
do it at home. In a large bowl, pour 6 pints of clear cheapo corn syrup. For opacity, add
1 pint non-dairy creamer, the rich color, add 1 pint red food coloring, and to deepen
the red, just 1 drop of blue. Stir it up, and behold the horror!
Corn syrup is also known as glucose syrup and is made by adding an acid or enzyme to
corn starch, which splits up long starch chains into individual molecules of glucose sugar.
By introducing the corn syrup to heat, the syrup itself would begin to lose viscosity,
and at the same time will lose moisture. Then when cooled down afterward, the lack of moisture
makes the syrup harden, which was bad news for stars.
There’s one more iteration of corn syrup based fake blood that’s a bit more chemically-complicated
than the rest, and much, much less edible. Legendary makeup artist Dick Smith invented
this industry standard that would eventually work its way into William Freidkins (1973),
supernatural, absolutely disturbing film the Exorcist. This fake blood included a dash
of methylparaben - a preservative often found in cosmetics that could extend the blood’s
shelf-life for longer shoots. It also had something called a photographic wetting agent
to change the viscosity of the liquid so that it flows more uniformly. This helped give
the syrup the ability to absorb into clothes making it more physically blood-like.
So folks, whether it be from restrictions in the medium or budget limitations, filmmakers
have always tailored their fake blood to suit their own needs. For the most part, fake blood
has been a sweet situation, and even today a lot of these recipes are still used on the
big screen. From chocolate syrup to candied Spacek, The story of fake blood is one about
adaptation, and of course, how chemistry makes it all so real! Alright folks, do us a favor
and post some of your favorite horror films in the comments. Come on now, we want so deep
cuts, because we’re looking for something to scare us this Halloween. Thumbs up and
subscribe on the way out, and we’ll see you again soon.