The origins of blood symbolism

Blood has been used symbolistically far before the advent of film. Perhaps it is the simple fact that blood is something that all humans have, and therefore is a particularly potent symbol across all cultures. Indeed, all cultures across history have uses for blood in their rituals, art, and religion.

In Thicker than Water, Meyer also reminds us of anthropological findings findings in linguistics.

According to linguists, all languages use color terms that conform to the same evolutionary sequence: (1) black and white, (2) plus red, (3) plus green or yellow, (4) plus green and yellow, (5) plus blue ... The neurobiological basis for the universality of color perception and classification is the most important epigenetic rule for explaining the origins of blood metaphors.

I found this interesting as a designer interested in bloody films. Pure red is very often used in graphic design--its a go-to for its "eyecatching" and boldness. Maybe it is because of this "neurobiological" reaction that red is used so frequently. Stylized uses of blood in film seems to serve the same function, not necessarily to evoke strong repulsion or feelings about gore, but on another visual level.

This kind of blood stylization is seen a lot in giallo films or even in modern films using digitized blood effects (think 300, Sin City, Zatoichi... I'll discuss this in a future post). The sheer redness of blood is, at first glance, primary -- the violent nature of the scene comes later.