»Are Smith's glasses getting rounder?«

quick observation...

is it me or are smith's sunglasses getting rounder? it sure seems that way. The model of each characters glasses have differed in some way through the first 2 movies, but smiths design and shape are way different than before. What could this mean? If anything

g wrote:

quick observation... is it me or are smith's sunglasses getting rounder? it sure seems that way. The model of each characters glasses have differed in some way through the first 2 movies, but smiths design and shape are way different than before. What could this mean? If anything

SMITH has upgraded his glasses..Seriously, yes they have changed because I have a pair of his original ones, hmm, looks like I'm due for an upgrade too!

In Revolutions Neo will fight without his glasses. Strange. What is the meaning of the glasses anyway?

Smith's glasses broke in the first one... maybe this is why he upgraded?

Do you think that agents are programmed to loose their sunglasses from time to time? If not, they could make people aware of the matrix.

stinkz wrote:

Smith's glasses broke in the first one... maybe this is why he upgraded?

Neo broke Smiths specs, after Smith was hit by the train, he appeared out of the train wearing the same shaped glasses ~ I can't believe that we're actually discussing Smiths specs...Oh well...

Yes they are and I don't think it is an accident. In the first film all of the human's where sunglasses with round edges with Morpheus's being the most round. Where the Agents are all angular and specifically recentagular. The round of his glasses symbolizes his mixing with Neo.

Also, Smith breaks his glasses multipule times in the first film (the first of which is by Morpheus) and as with everything else regarding his physical form, it is replicated as he returns ina new body.

What about Cypher? He was the only human I recall wearing rectangular sunglasses and he turned to be working for the machines.

On the other hand Seraph wears perfectly round sunglasses.

Regarding Cypher, I think you have made my point. He was working with the machines and was willing to kill to be part of that system. The square glasses only reflect his corruption.

As for Seraph, I had the impression that he was presented as being an ascented being or at least close to enlightened. This particularly shown by his Buddha like pose when Neo meets him and his unique code glow. So despite that he is a program, his rounds glasses reflect his closeness to oneness or enlightenment.

It would be obvious to me that with AI, it would be possible for enlightened programs and unenlightened humans and visa versa.

under the special features, Morpheus (Laurence F.) explains that when they shot the fight scene on top of the semi truck, he insisted that he take off his sunglasses to show that he is still "vulnerable" to the agents (cant fight near as good as Neo).. and this is well shown.. because he does have quite a hard time in that fight

seems to me that wearing shades demonstrates a confidence in power by the character. Neo wears them just about all the time, cause he knows he's gonna kick ass..

...except when he talks to the Oracle.

Olschi wrote:

...except when he talks to the Oracle.

exactly..

...to Trinity (when ressurecting her)

In the first movie it was pretty obvious that glasses were a symbol of power/strength/ control or whatever. Noone wore them while fighting agents or talking to the oracle. It seemed important for some reason when Neo broke Smith's sunnies.

However, now I'm not so sure.

Again, noone except Neo wears glasses while fighting agents. Neo takes his off when talking to the Oracle, kissing Persphone and resurrecting Trinity.

But the Architect, the Merovingian and Persephone are all without glasses. Are they not powerful?

The Oracle's glasses are only slightly tinted (she takes them off when talking to Neo) and the Keymaker's glasses are clear. Does this mean that they are not very powerful?

Or are those wearing glasses blinded by their illusion of power?
Neo still understands no more than we do (and possibly a lot less).
And he has only just realised that he is part of the system, another type of control.
Morpheus has little influence in Zion, and has 'woken up' to the possible untruths within the prophecy.
Smith, although numerous, still cannot beat Neo.

Are the sunnies a sign of power, or are they just blinkers?

Sorry, I've been rambling. I'll stop.

Ok, we may have taking this sunglass thing too far

Although many of the design elements of these films are symbolic and they are rife with pop-philosophy, neo-religious themes at the end of the day it is still theater, and in theater sometimes it is simply necessary to do something to convey an emotion. What am I getting at? You can't where sunglasses in a dramatic scene and convey complex emotions necessary to drive the scene. It is necessary for the actors to not wear sunglasses in scenes without action where we need to emotional connect with them. For example, in the first film, when Neo, Trinity, Epoch, and Switch are about to hard-line out of the Matrix only to find Cypher has betrayed them, they do not where their sunglasses.

In fact the only big talking scene I can think of where a character wears their sunglasses is in The Matrix when Neo meets Morpheous. I think again this was a necessary dramatic effect to present Morpheous as being above Neo or more in control in those scenes and to emphasis Neo's vulnerability. After all, it is Neo that we are connecting with in those scenes.

But on the purely symbolic side, none of the non-warrior characters (Oracle, Architect, Key Master, Persephone, or the Merovingian) where sunglasses. Where as all the characters that do are fighters.

Damn. I forgot to logon. Well, the message above is me and not Guest, the other Many among Smiths.

i agree that we shouldn't be looking to deep into this..

when i said that Morpheus took them off to display his vulnerablity,
and when Neo wears them cause he knows he's about to kick ass,

i didnt mean anything more than that..

forgetting that this is the Matrix, this "i wear shades, im tough" technique has been used before in other films. EXAMPLE: In terminator 2, arnold wears his shades up until the point of the jail scene, and then just happens to get his shades broken before a serious chase scene from the T1000. arnold starts "losing his cool", and some very close calls are made.

ok, back to the matrix..

when neo takes his shades off when he talks to the Oracle is simply a sign of respect.. and when he is with Trinity, well come on, just using common sense, if your girlfriend was near death would you want to have your sunglasses on as you said your possible last words to her?

and by the way, the keymaker IS EXTREMELY vulnerable in his situation, that is why Trinity and Morpheus are protecting him in the freeway chase. jesus christ he almost gets deleted! so putting shades on that character would be absolutely pointless..

knnknn wrote:

In Revolutions Neo will fight without his glasses. Strange. What is the meaning of the glasses anyway?

This is in one of the extras on the DVD, sadly can't remember which one - they're all starting to blue

Laurence Fishburne is describing a scene where he fights without his glasses;

"It shows vulnerability"

The glasses that Smith wears in reloaded if you notice are very similar to Neo's, accept they still have a less rounded shep and are more octogonal. This is simbolic of the fact that smith has assimilated some of the programming/rebelliousnous of Neo. As explained just before they fight in the park.