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Tubs of Terror: Hollywood's Blood Bath

Courtesy of Wikimedia

by Alan Knight

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a bloodbath is a violent and cruel killing of many people. The earliest known use of the term “blood bath” had to do with Elizabeth Bathory, who was known as the Blood Countess. She was born in Transylvania, Hungary, in 1560. According to legend, she believed that human blood would help to preserve her youth and her own fading beauty.

It’s estimated that she may have killed as many as 600 people. That would make her the most prolific female serial killer in history. The immortality she sought didn’t work out for her. She was imprisoned for her crimes in 1611 and died three years later. Although there’s evidence that she was very cruel, there’s some debate about whether or not she actually bathed in blood. In any case, the legend of the Blood Countess has been presented in several movies and also on TV.

In 1974, four stories, including hers, were wrapped up into one package called Immoral Tales, which was made in France. In 2008, Bathory was featured in an episode of a TV series called Martina Cole's Lady Killers. There was a biography that same year called Bathory: Countess of Blood, which was filmed in Europe. Most recently, in 2014, a movie titled Elizabeth Bathory was released.

"Bathory poster" by
Jakubisko film Europe

The blood baths of Elizabeth Bathory are not the only ones that have shown up in the movies. There’ve actually been several movies titled either Blood Bath or Bloodbath. In 1966, a horror movie titled Blood Bath was released. The setting is Venice, CA. An artist kills beautiful women and dumps them into a vat of hot wax in his studio.

In 1976, another movie titled Blood Bath was released. In this film, the members of a cast of a horror film go out together one night and tell each other their scariest stories. In 1979, a Spanish horror film titled Bloodbath was released. In 1999, yet another Bloodbath hit the screens, this one set in L.A. In 2008, a Blood Bath was filmed in Argentina. And, finally, according to the IMDB, a new movie titled Blood Bath is currently in development.

There’ve been numerous suicides in bathtubs in the movies. One of the most memorable was Frank Pantangeli in Godfather Part II. In that movie, the suicide was depicted in a montage of still pictures instead of moving pictures. One of the most artistic suicide bathtub scenes was in the unforgettable Rules of Attraction. While Harry Nilsson sang, “I can’t live, if living is without you,” a young woman got comfortable in the tub and proceeded to slit her wrists. Some viewers thought the scene was too nice and that it romanticized the act of suicide.

Electrocution is always a scary possibility in a tub full of water, as Mr. Morgan found out in The Ring. Dropping an electric device in the tub seems simple enough. However, not every movie character can pull that off. In Groundhog Day, Phil Connors, played by Bill Murray in one of his best roles, resolutely dropped a plugged in toaster in the bath he was taking. It didn’t work. Phil would have to die again another day.

Blood Baths don’t only show up in the movies. They’re in books as well. In addition to over a dozen currently available books simply titled Blood Bath or Bloodbath. A few more imaginative titles are: Blood Bath in Rio, Blood Bath and Beyond, Blood Bath in Jasper County Mississippi, The Assam Blood Bath, Blood Bath of Bethlehem, The Bloodbath Ritual, Kansas Bloodbath, Kentucky Bloodbath, Preacher’s Bloodbath, Bloodbath in Tinseltown, and Beach Blanket Bloodbath. In addition to all the movies and all the books, there are numerous video games with Blood Bath in the title. There’s also a death metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, that calls itself Blood Bath.

One of the greatest things about taking a bath is the sheer relaxation of it. The second you step into the water, your body knows that it’s time to slow down and smell the roses or whatever else you have on hand for aromatherapy. It’s almost like entering into a different world where the job, the bills, and high blood pressure don’t exist.

That’s why bathtub scenes in horror movies are so frightening. A character gets into the tub and relaxes. Normally the character is completely alone and completely vulnerable. Even so, the character feels safe. Some say that taking a bath is like returning to the safety of the womb psychologically. As the character takes a few deep breaths, a shadow passes in the hallway or it seems like someone is jiggling the bathroom door handle. And then… No need to get graphic.

The nice thing about Tub King baths is that they’re some of the safest bathtubs known to man. In all the years we’ve been in business, we have yet to hear of one report of anyone taking a blood bath in any of the tubs we’ve sold and installed. We’ve never even heard of a single customer scratching himself or herself in a Tub King tub. That may be hard to believe, but it’s true.

Whether you choose a clawfoot tub, a pedestal tub, or a solid surface tub, they’re all very safe. Our walk-in tubs are the safest of all. They’re so easy to get in and out of that a caveman can do it without hurting himself at all. Also, you won’t have to open a vein to purchase a great tub, because our prices for high quality bathtubs simply cannot be beaten.

Perhaps the best part of buying a tub from Tub King is that it gives people something they really want to live for. When you can look forward to a nice relaxing bath in a beautiful tub at the end of the day, you know how good life can be. When you really think about it, there aren’t many problems at all that a nice soak in a warm bath won’t help.

In this article, I’ve written about the earliest use of the term “Blood Bath” which was associated with Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Transylvania in the sixteenth century. I’ve also mentioned movies and books with “Blood Bath” in the titles I’ve specifically noted that, to the best of my knowledge, nobody has ever taken a blood bath in a bathtub sold or installed by Tub King.

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Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and I will personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure sharing this information with you.

Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida.

He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. In addition to providing superior products, Tub King has been honored with “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Awards” for four years running. If you would like to contact Alan Knight, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to alan@tubking.com.

Traveling Tubs on the Wagon Trail

By Alan Knight

Photo Credit: www.peachridgeglass.com

It was 1867 in a small mining town called Denver, Colorado. With signs of winter fast approaching, the sun set at 4:30 p.m.and didn’t rise again for nearly 15 hours. With the thought of the long, cold hours that lay ahead, there was only one thing on the miners' minds -- whiskey! The hard-drinking miners knew they didn’t have enough liquid gold to make it through the winter, and this made them grow restless.

Determined not to face the harsh mountain weather without it, they hired a group of Irish Teamsters to transport 40 wagon loads of whiskey through the Colorado plains. To ensure its safe arrival, the US Cavalry was commissioned to escort the load.

However, when a crusading group of women from the Temperance movement learned of the shipment, they were furious. They formulated a plan to intercept and destroy the "evil cargo" on its way to Denver. Dressed in their finest Victorian gowns, they packed up their wagons and headed west for the 185-mile journey, singing as they went.

Image courtesy of fotolauncho.com

Knowing it would take at least a month of hard travel through dangerous territory, these ladies of refinement turned their wagons into little mobile homes. They packed every luxury their prairie schooners could hold. There were tables, chairs, linens and silverware, colorful rugs and lamps, even pianos and several bathtubs.

The Temperance ladies were committed to their cause. But they drew the line when it came to traveling without their washtubs. And these were no ordinary tubs. We aren’t just talking galvanized buckets. These traveling tubs were Victorian furniture, replete with intricately decorated modesty covers. All these ladies had to do was slip into the tub while another one poured hot water through an opening at their feet.

Image courtesy of movpins.com

Meanwhile, several other groups became aware of the shipment and decided they, too, wanted a bit of the joy juice. Local Native Americans who were interested in easing the pain of an approaching winter sought to intercept the shipment. To make matters worse, the Irish Teamsters began to grumble and soon decided to strike. Receiving word their precious cargo was in peril, the miners created a posse that headed eastward, ostensibly to recover their wayward shipment. With so many opposing parties looking to get their hands on the whiskey, the wagon train came to a halt … in the middle of nowhere. Inevitably, the women caught up with the whiskey wagon train as it made its way west, and demanded demolition of the alcoholic "mountain dew." (BTW: To learn the fate of the whiskey wagon train, you’ll need to rent the movie, "Hallelujah Trail," made in 1965 starring Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick.)

Early Bathtub History

Photo Credit: dreamstime.com

But in 1867, it wasn’t only women that enjoyed the luxury of bathing on the trail. It's reported that the Bathtubs that existed during the antebellum period before indoor plumbing came into vogue were large but relatively light containers. They were usually hidden away and only pulled out when needed, perfect for on-the-road washing. The typical mid-19th century bathtub was a product of the tinsmith's craft, commonly made from a shell of sheet copper, or zinc. The use of copper continued into the mid-1900s as a liner for wood-enclosed tubs. Commanders and officers of the US Cavalry also enjoyed some downtime relaxing in traveling tubs.

More commonly, tubs back then were steel-cased. By 1867, tub manufacturers started using cast iron, which had been used for several years for making sinks and toilets. The problem with metal was corrosion. Copper and zinc discolored readily around water and soap, and the seams of sheet metal were hard to keep clean. Iron and steel, of course, rusted eventually, even under the most meticulous coat of paint. Bathtubs made of lead were only found in more progressive homes equipped with early water-heating devices. As running water became more common in the latter 19th century, bathtubs became more prevalent and less portable.

Birth of the Modern Bathtub

Photo Credit: brettcogburn.com

While some members of the US Calvary and the Temperance ladies were enjoying their high society tubs, the miners most often bathed in horse troughs, if at all. Bathing wasn’t considered a necessity by these hard-working men. In fact, personal hygiene was considered something of a nuisance. Over time, as bathing became more fashionable, more tub manufacturers entered the market and began improving designs. Out with the horse trough and in with cast iron bathtubs with porcelain interiors on "Clawfoot" pedestals. These tubs rose to popularity in the 19th century and remain so today.

To combat the corrosion problem, tub makers began successfully marketing porcelain-enameled, cast iron bathtubs, a process that remains broadly the same to this day. Some modern bathtubs are made of acrylic or fiberglass; occasionally, waterproof finished wood. In addition to the advanced materials used in making today’s modern bathtubs, many new and innovative bathtub designs have entered the market.

Photo Credit: huffingtonpost.com

One such design is the Walk-in tub that is perfect for seniors. These bathtubs provide a great safety advantage to handicapped persons or those with limited mobility. Not only are these tubs highly functional, there is also a range of hydrotherapeutic options available. Walk-in tubs are perfect for everyday bathing needs, but importantly, they also provide personal safety and independence wrapped in therapeutic luxury.

Tub King's cast iron/porcelain Clawfoot and Pedestal tubs as well as our therapeutic Walk-in Our tubs are made to fit in your bathroom. Or, if you want one for your covered wagon, we can hitch you up with that, too.

In this article, I first gave a brief historical account of the development bathtubs. I highlighted a story made famous by the motion picture, "Hallelujiah Trail," about a skirmish between whisky-thirsty miners and Temperance-minded women of the Old West. It then goes on to talk about elegant cast iron/porcelian Clawfoot and Pedestal tubs as well as safety-minded Walk-in tubs.

If you found this article useful, please share it with your family, friends and co-workers. If you have a comment related to this article, leave it in the Comment section of this blog. Thanks again for visiting with us.

Tub King Customer Walk-in Tub Testimonial

If you’d like to receive a FREE Clawfoot Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

If you’d like to receive a FREE Walk-in Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and my brother, Alan, who heads up Tub King, will personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure sharing this information with you.

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Alan Knight has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. His companies not only provide superior products, they are also multi-award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. If you’d like to contact Tub King, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to Alan@tubking.com.

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Have Your Clawfoot Tub Painted in the Colors of Your Favorite Team

By Alan Knight

A number of years ago we got an unusual call from a young lady in Atlanta, Georgia who wanted to purchase an antique clawfoot bathtub. After giving us the size she needed, she added that she wanted it refinished in the colors of her favorite college football team, the Georgia Bulldogs. She actually drove down to watch the color process. True to our word, we refinished the tub in red and black, and she loved it. Instead of having it shipped home, she wanted to take it herself in the back of her SUV.

It Started with a Customer who Loves the Georgia Bulldogs

Not long after that, we decided to refinish a clawfoot tub in the colors of the Auburn Tigers. The inside was done in navy blue and the outside was in orange. We took the tub to a game and set it up outside at a tailgate spot. We filled it with ice and loaded it with beer and other beverages. Everyone that passed by (and it must have been thousands) loved it. That's a great way to advertise.

Clawfoot Tub in the colors of the Jacksonville Jaguars
(Photo Credit: tubking.com)

Spring practice is going on for most college football teams across the country. Soon they will have a scrimmage game called the A-Day Game or the Spring Game, and tens of thousands will attend. Football is already in the air, and we're still officially almost five months from the first kickoff of the season. If you're a college grad, you probably have your own pride and affection for school colors.

Clawfoot Tubs Come to us From All Over for Refinishing

The antique tubs that we refinish are often brought to our warehouse in Jacksonville, Florida from customers in various states. We even had a father and son that brought a tub to us from Canada. They left it at one of our bay doors and proceeded on to south Florida. On the way back they picked it up, completely refinished in their colors of choice.

Additional Product Lines

In addition to custom coloring clawfoot tubs, there are many different things that we do in our bathtub business. We sell

The Artisan Series Clawfoot tubs

“new” reproduction cast iron and porcelain bathtubs that we import from other countries. That would include the Slipper series, the Double-ended, Traditional Roll Rims, and Pedestal tubs. Often, customers request that we refinish the exterior of the new tubs in a color other than white. The legs of the tub offer several options. They can come in chrome, brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, or any one of five hundred colors. The inside of the tub (the porcelain) is normally left as the original porcelain (white). In recent months, we have also created an Artisan Series such as the hammered copper or the hammered silver finish on the exterior.

Safe Senior Walk-in Bathtubs are High on Baby Boomer List

One of our Boomer-approved Walk-in Tubs
(Photo Credit: tubking.com)

We also sell the senior Walk-in Bathtub. This has been one of our most popular introductions to date. The senior market, with the massive baby boomer population, has given us their own request, and that is for a tub that is safe (to remove the fear of falling in the bathroom) and therapeutic (to help with aches, pains, and the treatment of many medical conditions). We sell and ship them all over the world.

Introducing Our Newest Product Line

Our newest product line is Safety Suite Showers. They

One of our Safety Shower Suite

are designed to expand any bathroom with an open concept and a more modern design. The shower is fully tiled and reaches (with walls and floors) to over six feet. The additional safety fixtures including the stylish grab bars, some which double as paper roll stand, towel rack and shelving, as well as sinks, and toilets to complete a beautiful picture. A major feature is being able to step or roll into the shower, without stepping over a tall threshold. The low- and/or zero-threshold even makes it wheelchair accessible.

Refinishing to Create a Family Heirloom

This tub will outlive most of us.

Normally, the antique tubs that we refinish are brought to us by families who have had them in the family for a long time. They have a certain sentimental value. Many of these old tubs have been around for a hundred years. We take them and carefully restore them to their original beauty. That means we not only refinish the outside of the tub in the color choice of the customer, but also the interior. That part is a little more complicated. It means doing a lot of repair work on the porcelain since the old tubs often have chips, scratches, cracks and even missing porcelain. The process used to restore it involves not only spot repairs, but also creating a new surface. This is done by applying proprietary cleaners to both clean the tub and etch the tub. After making the surface more porous, an aerospace primer is used to attach itself to the surface and make it more receptive for the topcoat. If an interior color other than white is requested, the primer must be tinted to match a shade of the requested color. After two coats of the primer are applied, using a high volume, low-pressure spray system in our special spray booth, the unique color choice is applied using the same spray system. The topcoat color is a special mix of polyurethane acrylic enamel with industrial colorants to make a perfect color match. The surface is extremely durable, chemical, and stain resistant. The finished product is a remarkable reproduction of the original, with your favorite color choices. The exterior, which is cast iron, can be done in the same color or a different one. The same is true for the legs of the tub.

Short testimonial on a refinishing job.

The great thing about the refinished antique approach is the cost. For just a few hundred dollars, you can have a true family heirloom restored in pristine condition. All the memories associated with the tub are now enhanced. Instead of a tub lying in a field gathering rust, you now have something to be proud of and a family heirloom for the next generation.

Watch this short testimonial video.

Colors can make a huge difference in your bath choices. Whether you want to introduce your school or favorite team colors to your bathtub or just decorate a bathroom with a matching colored tub, have some fun with this. If you want to change the color in a few years, that's another option you have.

In this article, I shared information about the ease and usefulness of being able to color antique and new Clawfoot tubs in your college, NFL team or designer colors. This process is long lasting and can ensure that your family heirloom Clawfoot tub can be passed on to the next generation.

If you found this article useful, please share it with your family, friends and co-workers. If you have a comment related to this article, leave it in the Comment section of this blog. To find more articles like this type in “Claw foot tubs” or “Tub Refinishing” in the search box.

If you’d like to receive a free copy of our Clawfoot Tub Buyers’ guide, fill out the form below.

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Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. HIs companies not only provide superior products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. If you’d like to contact them, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to alan@tubking.com.

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