If you haven't read Gone Girl or seen the movie, you're taking spoilery matters into your own hands by proceeding. Don't say we didn't warn you!
Even though Gone Girl is an exceptionally dark film, it's surprisingly light on blood — except for one scene that's practically operatic in terms of sheer spillage. Near the end, Amazing Amy (Rosamund Pike) is staying in the ridiculously luxe lake house of her ex-boyfriend, Desi (Neil Patrick Harris). As part of her twisted plan, Amy hides a box cutter underneath her pillow and uses it to slit Desi's throat while they're having sex — both as a way to get out from under his thumb and so she has a good excuse for that whole disappearing act she pulled. The results would make a horror director proud.
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As Pike told Vanity Fair, director David Fincher had the actors do the scene 36 times. 36 times from scratch! 36 times to act like you're banging and murdering someone (or being murdered, as the case may be), plus 36 changes of sheets, undies, hair, and makeup. The scene took 450 gallons of blood, a week of simply choreographing it, and three days of rehearsal. As she told Variety, "I spent so much time covered in blood in the film. And you have to reset it and wipe it off."
Was it worth it? Rosamund Pike's performance is a star-making turn after years of rather thankless roles in movies like Jack Reacher and Wrath of the Titans, and excellent performances in smaller movies like Made in Dagenham and An Education. She was also good as one of the only female characters in The World's End. Plus, she snagged a Vanity Fair cover. So, yeah, it was probably worth all that blood and goo — even if she can't buy cold cuts in peace any more. [Vanity Fair]