The movie industry traditionally used a variety of chemicals to shoot and process films, including photo developing agents, such as phenidone and hydroquinone-monosulfonate. While the practice has largely been discarded with the advent of digital cinema, chemicals are still used as plot devices in many movies.
Celluloid films were predominantly used in cinematography until 1952, when production was discontinued because of the dangers involved. As well as being highly flammable, celluloid was difficult and expensive to produce. It’s now been replaced by newer film materials like polyester and mylar, although some Hollywood directors, including Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan, still prefer to use the traditional filmmaking method.
Read on to learn more about the different chemicals used in the movie industry, the dangers involved, and the types of films that use chemicals.
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Chemicals commonly found in movies
In addition to celluloids, polyester and mylar, chemicals like phenidone and hydroquinone-monosulfonate were also once commonplace in the film industry. They were traditionally used during the colourisation process and to convert negatives into positive printouts.
Aside from the chemicals that were for film processing, the movie industry also relied on explosive and flammable chemicals for special effects. However, the use of these dangerous chemicals has significantly reduced following the rise of digital special effects. But modern cinema isn’t all CGI; real-life pyrotechnics are still used to create explosions and other dramatic events, albeit on a much smaller scale.
The use of chemicals in moviemaking may have declined, but chemicals remain a popular plot device in modern films. Various chemicals are still used in films as props or fictitious substances, although for safety reasons a theatrical representation is used instead of the actual chemical.
In many films, these chemicals aren’t even realistically portrayed. For instance, some films suggest that hydrofluoric acid is capable of completely dissolving an adult human body. In reality, this is simply not the case (strong acids such as sulphuric acid and nitric acid would be much more effective!).
Here are three examples of chemicals that are commonly used as plot devices.
1. Arsenic
From classic ‘whodunits’ to modern thrillers, arsenic is the poison of choice for many screenwriters. As an element, arsenic is highly reactive. It’s available in various compounds, but not all of them are used as a poison. Arsenic trioxide, for instance, is an active ingredient in an anti-cancer medication for acute promyelocytic leukaemia.
Arsenic acid (H3AsO4) is a more common toxic arsenic compound that’s often used as a reagent for dyes and as a finishing agent for metal and glass. It’s white and translucent in its crystalline form.
2. Chloroform
Chloroform is stereotypically used in kidnapping scenes. It’s often (incorrectly) shown as having an almost instantaneous effect on the victim. As commonly shown in the movies, someone can easily lose consciousness if a rag soaked in chloroform is forcibly pressed against their nose and mouth.
Chloroform (CHCl3) is a colourless liquid that can quickly evaporate into a gas. It’s used in industry as a solvent for lacquers, floor polishes, resins, adhesives, alkaloids, and rubber. It’s also used in school biology laboratories as an anaesthetic agent for dissecting frogs.
3. Lithium hydroxide
Lithium hydroxide (LiOH) is a compound commonly portrayed in films as part of the air filtration system. It famously saved the lives of the astronauts in the 1995 Tom Hanks movie Apollo XIII, for instance. Unlike some fictitious portrayals, however, this is based on actual historical events – lithium hydroxide was indeed used in the Apollo spacecraft.
Most dangerous chemicals used in cinema
The most dangerous chemicals used in cinema are highly flammable, corrosive, toxic, and carcinogenic. These chemicals were traditionally stored and used in large quantities for processing films. Celluloid films are themselves very dangerous because they’re highly flammable and can auto-ignite under certain conditions.
Here are four of the most dangerous chemicals used in the history of the movie industry:
- Nitrocellulose – this was widely used in films until 1952, when it was replaced by polyester and mylar. Together with the film emulsions and coatings, it was highly flammable.
- Asbestos – asbestos is a highly carcinogenic mineral fibre that can cause serious respiratory diseases. It was historically used to line walls and ceilings to protect them against fires caused by the spontaneous ignition of celluloid films.
- Petrochemicals – these are aliphatic hydrocarbon mixtures that contain methane, acetylene and propane, among others. They were commonly used to clean films.
- Pyrotechnic chemicals – even in the age of CGI technology, many filmmakers (especially in the action genre) still use pyrotechnic chemicals for dramatic special effects like explosions. These chemicals include potassium perchlorate, potassium nitrate, aluminium powder, sulphur powder, charcoal, titanium, magnesium, strontium nitrate, and barium nitrate. They are all highly explosive and flammable.
What are the safety risks for chemicals on set?
The safety risks of using chemicals on set include food contamination and poisoning, fume inhalation, possible fire or explosion, and skin or eye injuries due to corrosive chemicals. The risks can be reduced by wearing protective gear and safely storing the chemicals away from people when they’re not in use.
Do these chemicals get used today?
Most of the dangerous chemicals that were traditionally used in filmmaking and processing are no longer used today. This is primarily due to advances in filmmaking technology and the shift from analogue to digital formats.
Although some filmmakers still use pyrotechnic chemicals on set for special effects, this is usually on a small scale and the results are digitally enhanced.
What movies used these chemicals?
For the first century in cinema history, all film genres used dangerous chemicals, either to create special effects or as part of the film development process. Nonetheless, using dangerous chemicals for special effects is now largely limited to action movies and science fiction movies that require dramatic explosions.
Summary
Chemicals were traditionally used in the movie industry as part of the film developing process and for special effects. These practices have been largely replaced due to the rise of digital technology, although some filmmakers still use chemicals for pyrotechnics on a small scale. Chemicals are also a common plot device in many films, for example, arsenic is often used as a poison.
