Why is smoking shown as cool in movies? [closed]

For example, James Bond, Man with No Name(Clint Eastwood), Tyler Durden, etc.

It seems that smoking is associated with coolness and having an edge. Where and why did this trope start?

props

Best Answer

This isn't a trope, i.e. movies coming up with a particular idea. It's a matter of movies reflecting reality. Though increasingly outdated today, there has been many decades of overlap where movies were popular and smoking was commonplace and advertised without any negative connotation. Even after the negative connotation started becoming more mainstream, the idea that it's cool to smoke still stuck with a lot of people, even to this day.

It's not a matter of "smoking is cool" initially. It's a matter of "This character is cool, and also smokes", and movies tend to depict cool people (or people who will be considered cool in hindsight because of the movie's popularity), and the image becomes iconic enough to eventually turn into a subconscious assumption of "they smoke, so they must be cool".

That's not logically sound but it is a very common human thought process.

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Why is smoking shown as cool in movies? [closed] - Close-Up Photo of Man Smoking Cigarette

Why is smoking shown as cool in movies? [closed] - Photo of Woman Smoking on Counter Top

Why is smoking shown as cool in movies? [closed] - Monochrome Photo of Woman Leaning on Counter Top

What does smoking represent in movies?

Movie directors and actors use smoking to project character traits typically seen in tobacco advertising: toughness, rebelliousness, and sexiness. Results from focus groups and surveys indicate that these stereotype messages are well received by teens.

When did they stop showing smoking in movies?

The US banned advertising of tobacco products in the 1970s, in light of damning federal reports on the health hazards of smoking. So, tobacco companies turned to product placement in popular entertainment until the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement outlawed the practice in TV, film and video games.

Why is smoking so popular in movies?

So, why is smoking still in movies? Many movies contain tobacco imagery, even though it may not add anything to the movie itself. This is due to the influence and funding from tobacco companies.

Why do actors still smoke in movies?

Various adaptations are evident in society in terms of fashion, mannerism, or style. In fact, smoking too, has become more prevalent and popular due to shows. All those aesthetic scenes in Mad Men or Peaky Blinders make smoking look irresistible.

Friends S01E03 Short (Chandler Starts Smoking Again!)

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