The film's title derives from the Dashiell Hammett novel Red Harvest, in which "blood simple" is a term coined to describe the addled, fearful mindset people are in after a prolonged immersion in violent situations.
Naslov potječe iz romana Crvena žetva Dashiella Hammetta, u kojem je "krvavo jednostavno" opis stanja uma ljudi nakon produženog zbivanja u nasilnim situacijama.