Sunglasses at Night

What could be better than “Big Heads” on a movie poster? The answer is obvious: “Big Heads Wearing Sunglasses” on a movie poster, silly. Actors wearing sunglasses in a piece of key art can help establish a character, especially when that look is featured in the film itself. Sunglasses are also one of the few examples of a product placement making it onto a one-sheet poster. For example, did Tom Cruise wearing Ray Bans in the film poster for Risky Business help drive sales of the Wayfarer style sunglasses? Yes. Woody Harrleson’s small rimmed specs in Natural Born Killers? Not so much.

From The Aviator wearing Aviators, to Kate Hudson looking Almost Famous, shades seem to be everywhere. This is especially true in science fiction, as all killer cyborgs, agents in secret government agencies, and everyone inside the Matrix are required to be wearing sunglasses.