Spectacular fake: 12 cinematic deaths that could not have happened in reality

Death in movies is sometimes depicted so far-fetched and spectacular that it is difficult to believe what is happening on the screen. And sometimes the fantasy of directors goes so far that it goes beyond logic, and tragic cases seem completely unreal. 

Find out how far fake deaths in films are far from reality from our material.

The main highlight of action-packed films is often the spectacular death scenes of the characters. Explosions, raging flames and chilling murders warm up the viewer's imagination and make an indelible impression on him. But often the circumstances of death in the cinema are very far from reality – it is not as bright as on the screen.

1. Eating piranhas

Piranhas are considered the most dangerous fish after sharks. The widespread belief that they can tear to pieces everything they meet on their way often appears in the movies. 

In fact, these floating predators, like all fish, swim away if a creature larger than them appears nearby. Piranhas attack only those who are smaller than them, or are already dying, so in real life, it is impossible for piranhas to devour a person to the bone.

2. Wire cutting

Most people have seen in movies the old trick of cutting a person's body into two parts with a wire that he stumbled upon on the way. The spectacular sight when body parts are cut off, like a razor, with the help of strong tension, is actually a fake. The wire can really cause terrible injuries and even lead to death, but it is unable to cut off a piece of the body, like a knife. If a person bumps into a wire, it will simply bend.

3. Being sucked in by quicksand

This story has become so popular in the cinema that researchers have devoted a lot of time to studying this phenomenon. Slow suction by quicksand looks impressive, but it is actually impossible. In fact, everyone who gets into the danger zone first drowns, and then floats up, getting stuck on the surface. Death in this case can occur only from exhaustion.

4. Rapid suffocation

In Hollywood films, it is often shown how the killer strangles the victim with his hands and she quickly dies. In reality, it is much more difficult to strangle a person than we see in the movies. This is certainly not a quick process, which can take up to five minutes until the victim dies. Sometimes a person who is being strangled can lose consciousness and wake up in a few seconds if you loosen your grip.

5. Death from an explosion of gasoline set on fire by a cigarette

A spectacular sight: the killer throws a burning cigarette into the gasoline and watches as the victim and everything around her ignites brightly. This is found in many action-packed films. But the problem is that gasoline is not so easy to light. 

Despite the fact that cigarettes burn at a higher temperature than the fuel liquid, it is very difficult to use them for ignition. The researchers tried to light gasoline from a cigarette, but none of the two thousand such attempts were successful. They believe that the liquid either extinguishes the cigarette, or lowers its temperature before it can ignite the gas.

6. Smashing the body to pieces after freezing with liquid nitrogen

In the films, liquid nitrogen is depicted as a kind of magical substance that can freeze the flesh or any object with which it comes into contact. And although this chemical can be used to break small objects, it is definitely not suitable for killing, as it is demonstrated in the films. 

Liquid nitrogen can quickly reduce the temperature of the skin, but it takes a long time for it to reduce the temperature of the entire human body. In addition, you will need a very large amount of the substance, because it evaporates, getting on the skin in small doses.

7. Car explosion with pistol shots

Just a few bullets into the gas tank of a car-and it instantly explodes or ignites: this scene in the cinema can be observed quite often. In fact, everything is not so simple. 

The gas tanks in the cars are made as safe as possible and are able to withstand even severe damage during accidents. There is not enough oxygen inside the tank to cause an explosion. In addition, most bullets do not have such force to break through the walls of the tank or ignite the fuel from the inside.

8. Killing with a palm blow to the face

The heroes of the films have an amazing ability to kill their enemies in a manual fight. One of the deadly techniques is a palm strike on the nose. A movie legend claims that the nasal bone is pressed so hard inside that it pierces into the brain, as a result of which the victim dies. 

Such a death is impossible for an obvious reason: our noses are almost entirely made of cartilage and there is no bone in them that can so seriously damage the brain. The solid particle is located only at the top of the nose, but its size is not enough to lead to death.

9. The explosion of a body in a cosmic vacuum

In science fiction films, it is claimed that a person who goes into outer space from a ship without a spacesuit immediately explodes and scatters into thousands of particles throughout the universe. 

In fact, the human body will swell, having increased approximately twice, because the liquid inside the body will begin to bubble. However, the skin is so elastic that it is able to withstand such pressure and it is almost impossible that the body will burst. Lack of oxygen for 15 seconds will lead to loss of consciousness, and then – to death.

10. Death from a bomb that was shot from a pistol

Films about terrorists often show a scene when a villain shoots directly at a bomb, and it instantly explodes. Some explosive devices can actually go off when a bullet hits them, but most are designed to last longer. The creators of ammunition do not want them to explode instantly, because it can happen in the wrong place where it is necessary.

11. Drowning in burning lava

Another bright death in action – packed and fantastic films is a fall into the mouth of a volcano or into a pit with fiery lava. The spectacular sight when the victim slowly drowns while fully conscious is a real fake. In fact, the lava has a high density, and the bodies that have fallen into it will simply float on the surface. Death in this case will occur from combustion.

12. Cutting off the head in one fell swoop

In the movies, the head is cut off easily, just as a warm knife enters oil. In reality, it is very difficult to cut off someone's head. The muscles of the human neck are very strong and are strengthened by the spine. The executioners had to chop off the head several times with a heavy axe or sword to complete the task they had begun.

Death is a frightening and, at the same time, impressive phenomenon. The creators of the movie try to make this moment as spectacular as possible, so they often do not pay attention to such trifles as logic and the real possibility of events. The main thing is that the audience likes it and the ratings grow, because there is no way here without tickling the nerves.

Special effects are the basis of modern cinema. Almost no film can do without them. Their creation requires a lot of effort, time and imagination, and the workflow behind the scenes does not look at all as enchanting as the picture on the screen.