While women's blood suggests some representation fertility, Meyer suggests that men's is tied to the hunt. Women's blood "of life" and men's "of death" are in constant tension with one another, often seen in religious sacrificial rites to goddesses, and often toward the end goal of fertility.
Here, I could discuss years of war/cowboy/hero films, watching men spill their blood for a cause vs. the amazing amount of gore/pulp/exploitation films dedicated to fair maidens being shred apart a masked man. I've been struggling with how to fairly analyze the film world's portrayal of "blood sexism," but have found it highly difficult without a background in feminist analysis. Suffice it to say that film isn't the only place there is a strange imbalance of bloodshed.
The most widespread metaphorical trope attributes life-giving qualities to blood, both in terms of procreation and agricultural fertility.
Papua New Guinea, ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and so forth, all have literal and symbolic blood rites to promote fertility. The most obvious symbol here is that of menstruation. In her analysis, Meyer lingers quite long on the idea of menstruation and the sociology surrounding menstruation in many cultures. In the frame of reference of ancient culture, this is particularly fascinating--the ways in which many cultures dealt with menstruation (and, indeed, menstruating women) ranges from social quarantine to ritual cleansing to the deifying of menses.
However, as cultures have advanced, so has our relationship with menstruation. It has been sanitized and shifted to a hygienic routine rather than one of cultural significance. In the realm of modern cinema, then, there is not much to be said about menses per se: there is more to be seen in the representation of women's shed blood.
Carrie (1976)
Carrie is an interesting film in this context--it contains both blood of menstruation and of violence. The scene above is the opening of the film featuring Carrie's first period, her reaction, and reactions of those around her. Her primary gut reaction of extreme fear nearing rage is astounding, and it sets the frame for her viciously violent interactions with those around her by the end of the film, when it is no longer her blood showering down! The taunting of her classmates, too, sets a frame of reference of the commonplace relationship with menstruation in the 70s, with sanitary pads and tampons abounding. Her classmates' relationships with their menses is casual, and to see someone react so foreignly to her own blood is worthy of mocking. The third relationship to menstruation here is Carrie's mother, who brings in an element of religious fervor nearing the occult. Her insinuation here is even more extreme: that menstruation only comes as a repercussion of sin, particularly sex. Fertility in Carrie is not a positive thing, as it marks the beginning of her telekinetic powers. Carrie's "demonic" behavior should not reproduce, and she is told time and time again by everyone around her that she is not worth the gift of life.
The Dreamers (2003)
I'm trying still to find a clip or to upload one, but there are two important blood as fertility scenes. One is when American student Matthew breaks Isabelle's hymen and they share a bloody kiss. The other is when menstruates in the bathtub while they are bathing together. The first scene is one celebrating fertility, in a way -- Matthew passionately accepts the blood-soaked gesture. The second is the celebration of continuing fertility rather than new life--that is, Isabelle is not pregnant by the young man, and they can continue their affair.
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.
