Cool Shades: Difference between revisions

** The technical reason they have them in ''[[The Matrix]]'' is so you can't see actors blink in gunfight scenes.

** Beautifully [http://detonate.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4&page=4 parodied by detonate.net]:

** It's also a visual cue that Neo is reaching his potential when he breaks Smith's shades. Smith takes them off and says, "I'm going to enjoy watching you die, Mr. Anderson."

*** Sunglasses seem to be symbolic armor for ''everyone,'' really. Nearly every time someone gets beaten up, they aren't unquestionably defeated until after their shades are gone. One exception is Morpheus, who takes his off before Agent Johnson fights him on the truck, perhaps symbolizing the fight's ultimate futility. The final fight between Neo and Smith has them knocking each others' shades off early on, because armor is irrelevant with the level of control they both exert over the world.

*** As with many tropes in this series, easily justified by programming; the sunglasses worn by redpills would be specialized models in the Matrix that don't obscure the sight of the wearer while appearing normal otherwise.

* ''My Science Project.'' This quote could be considered a [[Trope Codifier]].

'''Vince Lotello:''' Because when you're [[Rule of Cool|cool]], the sun shines on you 24 hours a day. }}

* Regardless of what model it is, every ''[[Terminator (franchise)|Terminator]]'' cyborg is required to acquire cool shades before proceeding with its mission. They have to be cool. They have to be shades. They can't be ''uncool shades''. The first T-800 used the shades to hide his damaged skin, but the next two seemed to just be concerned with style.

* Rodney Skinner, Gentleman Thief, wears these to hide the fact that his eyes are invisible.

* ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', the ''[[The Film of the Book]]'': this [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1LWg1jFp4E campaign ad] for Zaphod Beeblebrox puts forward the following argument:

and he's got the coolest shades..." }}

** In other versions of the ''Guide'' these are "the greatest shades in the known sky": Joo Janta Peril-Sensitive Sunglasses. At the first hint of danger [[Goggles Do Something Unusual|they turn totally black]], and prevent you from seeing anything that may alarm you. Ford isn't impressed.

* The first [[Mortal Kombat]] movie has Johnny Cage wearing a rather pricey set of shades that get crushed by [[The Dragon|Goro]].

* ''[[Night Watch (novel)|Night Watch]]''. In the film adaptation almost all Watchers wear sunglasses. Yes, exactly, ''in the night''.

* ''[[The Professional]]'' has Leon's signature round sunglasses. Mathilda doesn't look all that bad in them either.

** ''[[Power Rangers Time Force]]'' also featured a set of cool shades, which was used as an mutant scanner.

* Parodied on ''Chef!''

'''Gareth''': Okay. }}

** Later on...

'''Everton''': No. I'm just making sure I look cool. }}

* While most of the deputies on ''Reno911'' wear shades to take on the Badass Cop persona, Deputy Junior almost never takes them off. Not even indoors or at night.

* Ric Ocasek of [[The Cars]].

* Former President Georg [[W Bush]] accidentally mistook legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten's medically-required sunglasses as Cool Shades. They were in fact medically prescribed glasses for a rare form of macular degeneration caused by exposure to UV light.

Bush: "Touche!" }}

** Later, upon learning that Wallsten was legally blind and the glasses were medical, a red-faced President Bush called him to apologize. Wallsten shook off the incident, saying it was a funny exchange that didn't offend him at all. He is currently a national policy reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

 

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