Smoking in movies is indicative of one era in particular, and that's the so-called "Golden Era" of classical Hollywood cinema, from the late 1920s to the early 1960s. When you think of smoking in cinema, there's a good chance you conjure up imagery in your mind of Humphrey Bogart or one of his femme fatales sucking on a cancer stick, or perhaps James Dean, a defiant symbol of rebellion, having a sneaky smoke. If not, then perhaps it's Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly, fancy cigarette holder and all. Smoking has always been a cinematic signifier that someone is either troublingly sexy or an awesome bada**, though as the perception of smoking has changed over the decades, now viewed by most as a dirty, undesirable habit, it's unsurprising that cinema has followed along the same path. With tobacco companies mostly prohibited from promoting their products in movies these days, it's unsurprising that they rarely appear in modern films unless somehow central to the plot, and even if there is a shot of the cool protagonist taking a drag, the brand will almost never be alluded to (again, unless it's somehow important to the plot, because the film won't be making any money from it). Few are going to argue with the health hazards of heavy smoking, though it was an easy way to make a character look cool... Can It Make A Comeback?: No way. Public opinion has shifted so substantially over time that there's absolutely no way to reverse it. Alcohol advertising is at an all-time high, though, so Mr. Jack Daniels appears to be the new Marlboro Lights.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
