History Main / HollyWoodAcid

* In ''{{Gremlins}}'' 2, there is a bit with a beaker of acid labeled "Acid: Do Not Throw In Face". One gremlin threw it in the face of another, who then assumed a ''PhantomOfTheOpera'' mask and cape.

* A very memorable example is found in the AMC series ''{{Breaking Bad}}''. The main character (who is a [[TheSmartGuy chemistry teacher]] and thus knowledgeable about such things) and his henchman need to get rid of a body. The chemistry teacher tells his dimwitted sidekick to pick up a specific type of plastic tub, because hydrofluoric acid will dissolve pretty much any other container. So what does the sidekick do? [[WhatAnIdiot Takes a shortcut and dumps it in a ceramic bathtub]]. The result is a very... messy hole in the ceiling (the tub being on the second floor). Since the body, at this point, is no longer recognizable as human, the result, for those who are not [[{{Squick}} completely disgusted]], is BloodyHilarious.

* The blood of the xenomorphs in ''{{Alien}}'' and its sequels is made of a "concentrated molecular acid" (sic) that can eat through a starship's hull but not through the body of the xenomorph itself, the xenomorph being SiliconBasedLife. There is some inconsistency as to whether it can eat through human flesh, however: in ''{{Aliens}}'', Private Hudson gets some splashed on his arm when Corporal Hicks shoots a Xenomorph in the head at point-blank range, causing little more than painful burns - but in ''{{Aliens Vs Predator}}'', a hunter's arm is seared off by a splash of facehugger blood, and another unfortunate human has his skull melted by a blast of Xenomorph blood to the face.
** However, AVP also reveals that this alien blood is mild enough to use to create ''body art'', and while it clearly isn't comfortable, it also doesn't look much worse than getting a tattoo.
* Rennes in ''{{Cube}}'' dies when his face gets sprayed with some sort of liquid that eats right through his skull. (arguably the most HighOctaneNightmareFuel worthy scene in the movie).
** [[WordOfGod According to the directors]], it was actually a very fast-acting bacteria, arguably even more horrible because he was literally eaten alive by it.

* Averted (or perhaps parodied) in ''{{Murder Party}}'', where Macon attempts to burn Christopher with acid. After nothing happens, the other characters check the bottle, and note that it's Acetic Acid - Vinegar.

A {{subtrope}} of HollywoodScience. Compare PoisonIsCorrosive and AcidPool (when this is applied to a DeathTrap). Has nothing to do with [[MarijuanaIsLSD that other kind of acid]].

* In the ''FridayThe13th'' episode "Crippled Inside [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPTDP1LHqg4]]" a teenaged attempted rapist backs away from his apparently cured victim into a rack of various chemicals. [[BodyHorror Body Horror]] ensues, and one must assume that his surviving family will be getting one hell of a wrongful death settlement.

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* Not quite acid, but close enough. In the series ''OnePiece'', the prison warden Magellan has the ability to excrete poison from his body. For some odd reason, the poison fluctuates between simple venom to acid which can melt solid stone in a matter of seconds. It's assumed that Magellan can control what kind of poison he uses, but no poison could ever melt a solid stone wall.
** Crocodile could do it as well with his [[HookHand poison hook]]. It was explicitly stated that he used scorpion venom, so apparently Alabasta must have some pretty mean scorpions in its fauna.
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* The Batman/Superman episode ''World's Finest'' both subverts this and plays it straight, kinda. When the Joker leaves Superman and Batman trapped in one of Luthor's laboratories (with a chunk of kryptonite slowly killing Superman), Batman begins looking for ways to escape. He finds a container of hydrochloric acid. Batman notes that while it will take a week for the acid to eat through the wall of the room they're in, it will [[ElementsDoNotWorkThatWay destroy the kryptonite]] almost immediately.

This stuff will never be referred to as anything other than "acid," unless it's given some [[TechnoBabble highly scientific]] name at its introduction, after which it will simply be called "acid." Expect it to show up at least once in any work involving a MadScientist. If this stuff is ever spilled on a person or other living creature, say hello to the NightmareFuel.

* Rennes in ''{{Cube}}'' dies when his face gets sprayed with some sort of liquid that eats right through his skull. (arguably the most NightmareFuel worthy scene in the movie).

*** And even with the modofications, it was stated she could only survive unaided on the areas around the surface. Super Metroid also features "acid lava" , whihc is yellowish boiling liquid that is found in lower Norfair and is able to damage Samus even after she acquires the Gravity Suit (which renders her immune to damage from lava). Whether it's actually acid or not isn't clear, as "acid lava" is just the fan nickname (to differentiate it from regular lava).

** Homer was also about to quaff a beaker of acid, but it was knocked out of his hand by Frank Grimes. It splashed all over the wall, creating a hole big enough to drive a car through. Grimes was then chewed out by Mr. Burns for damaging the wall.

-->"It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that's the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick test engineers]], not to mention asbestos, sand, and water — with which it reacts explosively. It can be kept in some of the ordinary structural metals — steel, copper, aluminium, etc. — because of the formation of a thin film of insoluble metal fluoride which protects the bulk of the metal, just as the invisible coat of oxide on aluminium keeps it from burning up in the atmosphere. If, however, this coat is melted or scrubbed off, and has no chance to reform, the operator is confronted with the problem of coping with a metal-fluorine fire. For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere a good pair of running shoes.]]"
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* Crocodile could do it as well with his [[HookHand poison hook]]. It was explicitly stated that he used scorpion venom, so apparently Alabasta must have some pretty mean scorpions in its fauna.

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* Not quite acid, but close enough. In the series ''OnePiece'', the prison warden Magellan has the ability to excrete poison from his body. For some odd reason, the poison fluctuates between simple venom to acid which can melt solid stone in a matter of seconds. It's assumed that Magellan can control what kind of poison he uses, but no poison could ever melt a solid stone wall.
* Crocodile could do it as well with his [[HookHand poison hook]]. It was explicitly stated that he used scorpion venom, so apparently Alabasta must have some pretty mean scorpions in its fauna.

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* The Batman/Superman episode ''World's Finest'' both subverts this and plays it straight, kinda. When the Joker leaves Superman and Batman trapped in one of Luthor's laboratories (with a chunk of kryptonite slowly killing Superman), Batman begins looking for ways to escape. He finds a container of hydrochloric acid. Batman notes that while it will take a week for the acid to eat through the wall of the room they're in, it will destroy the kryptonite almost immediately.

In films, on TV, and in comic books, an "acid" is any liquid that can eat away at and completely dissolve skin and muscle, [[StrippedToTheBone leaving only bone]] and sometimes not even that. Even stronger "acids" will melt steel, glass, plastic, concrete, and ultimately everything it comes in contact with. Such liquids are almost always either a [[TechnicolorScience sickly green or sickly yellow]] color. They bubble and fizz on the counter or floor when you spill them, give off visible, smoky fumes, and they never dissipate. If a drop of acid eats through the floor, it will continue to eat through things on the next level down, and so on.

** Technically the Universal Solvent in the stories doesn't dissolve anything. It compresses the atoms of anything it come sin contact with, turning all matter into a superdense powder. Granted, this is only mentioned in the first story.