Question about needles puncturing the skin in movies

[PopcornTreeCt]

When they show a close up of a needle going into someone's arm, leg, or neck; is it a retractable needle or do they actual puncture the skin of someone? Sometimes it looks incredibly realistic.

[TCG]

sometimes they actually puncture real people's skin. i was listening to the commentary for something, and the director was saying how he would have to get volunteers from the crew to use their arms for injection close-ups.

other times they probably use retractable needles.

when i read this thread's titlei thought of one line:
"dont fucking die on me, Mia!"

[wewantflair]

The most obvious example of real needles is the intro to the HBO show Oz. A crew member on the show gets legitimately tattooed for it.

[DRG]

There's a bad slasher movie from the early 80s called Hospital Massacre that has a needle in skin scene that always amused me. The closeup shot of the needle going in the skin is super bright (like floodlights are aimed at the person) on skin that is very pale white. But the cutaway is to a overly tanned girl in a rather dark room. It doesn't match at all.

[garmonbozia]

The most obvious example of real needles is the intro to the HBO show Oz. A crew member on the show gets legitimately tattooed for it.

wasn't that series creator Tom Fontana?

[Seantn]

In Stir of Echoes, Kevin Bacon's character has a needle put through his hand while under hypnosis. On the DVD they say that they found a guy and offered him 100 dollars to let them do it to both of his hands, but they used the first take in the film.

[andicus]

My first thought was of the uncut version of Trainspotting...