There’s one great trick from the director’s playbook that’s been used and abused by producers and cinema auteurs to make a successful movie. No, it’s not hiring great actors. Nor is it writing a gripping narrative or crafting elaborate props and digital effects.
It’s making sure your actors are wearing a cool pair of sunglasses in the movie. It’s been tried and tested. This trick can transform a relatively unknown film into a blockbuster; a phenom into a phenomenon.
In this piece, we’re listing down some of the most iconic sunglasses in cinema history to prove our point. So, grab a bucket of popcorn because you’re in for a treat.
First up!
1. Neo’s cyberpunk shades in The Matrix (1999)
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Sunglasses in movies? No film had done it better than The Matrix franchise. At least in terms of volume. That’s why it topped our list.
Of all the hundreds of dark-tinted futuristic sunglasses used in the movie, Neo’s pair of specs is probably the most iconic and most special. What did you expect? He’s The One, after all.
Neo wears a minimalistic metal frame that comes with smokey oval-shaped lenses. It’s so special that you can’t simply buy them in your go-to sunnies store because all Matrix sunglasses were custom-made.
However, you can check out great alternatives like this Nike Pivot Six. This pair won’t help you dodge and stop bullets mid-air, but it surely can transform you into a showstopper.
2. A couple of Ray-Bans in Reservoir Dogs (1992)
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Speaking of bullets, this 1992 cult classic is no stranger to that. Especially in the latter part of the film leading to the bloody iconic Mexican standoff scene.
But aside from the guns, cigarettes, and black suits, another element that helped shape the film’s noirish and gangster feel are the dark-tinted sunglasses, which complemented the heist crew’s black and white get-up perfectly.
In the iconic slow-mo walking scene of the gang, you’ll see Mr Blonde, Mr White, and Mr Pink wearing the original Ray-Ban Wayfarers, while Mr Brown is rocking a pair of Ray-Ban Predator sunglasses and Mr Orange is locked in with his Ray-Ban 3016 Clubmasters. If that’s not what you call badass, we don’t know what is!
Once you wear these Ray-Bans, you’ll certainly look as sharp as the gang and steal the scene. Just don’t go around robbing and shooting everything!
3. Rhonda’s cat-eyes in Muriel’s Wedding (1994)
If you’re going to confront someone with a truth bomb, take a page from Rhonda Epinstalk’s book from the movie Muriel’s Wedding.
Take off your sunglasses (if you’re wearing one), inch a little closer and stare them in the eyes and spill the harsh truth. Finish it with a witty one-liner, somewhere along the lines of “I’d rather swallow razor blades than drink with you.” Then put your shades back on before walking out.
What could be harsher than that after knowing that your husband has been cheating on you with one of your so-called best friends?
You see, the key here is not even the intensity of the truth bomb, but the extra flair that you do with the shades after you drop the revelation. And having perky shades like Rhonda’s will certainly help a lot.
Check out these cat-eye sunglasses that can give you all that sass!
4. Walter’s yellow-tinted Aviators in The Big Lebowski (1999)
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Mastering the art of the one-liner is not as easy as it may seem. You must have wit, confidence, some angst, and a pair of sunglasses (important!) to top it all off.
Take it from the master himself Walter Sobchak (played by John Goodman) from the movie The Big Lebowski. He’s given us a ton of memorable one-liners which made us hooked to this film in the first place.
Why the sunglasses, you might ask? Well, let’s just say it gives you more character and it takes your witticisms to another level. Rock a good ol’ pair of yellow-tinted Ray-Ban 2030 Aviators to channel your inner Walter and master the art of one-liners in no time!
Check out our aviator sunglasses here.
5. Travis Bickle’s Ray-Ban Caravan in Taxi Driver (1976)
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A skinhead mohawk, a vintage M-65 field jacket, and a pair of aviators. These three visual elements pretty much sum up Travis Bickle, an anonymous taxi driver with a deranged, angry, and violent alter ego in the film
Despite him being a dark and disturbing fictional character, his iconic look in the film inspired a distinctly rebellious fashion style for years.
Travis Bickle (played by Robert De Niro) wore a pair of Ray-Ban Caravans that was originally launched in 1957. Technically, it’s an aviator-inspired pair of shades but designed to be more geometric in shape to make it distinguishable from the classic tear-drop Aviator sunglasses.
You can easily pull off this style with just a military field jacket from a thrift shop and a pair of Caravans or this Ray-Ban 3548 Hex Flat, which is just as classic and badass.
You don’t have to shave your head to the skin and carve out a mohawk. But if you’re feeling a little extra, why not!
6. Tyler Durden’s flashy Oliver Peoples in Fight Club (1999)
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Okay, we know we’re not allowed to talk about the Fight Club. But we surely can talk about Tyler Durden! Because, if we’re talking about alter egos in films, Brad Pitt’s character, Tyler Durden The Soap Salesman, is arguably the best one.
Not only is he a ripped, strong underground fighter and an incredibly persuasive salesman of recycled soap, but he’s also a fashion trendsetter. Who would have thought that a red leather jacket over a button-down Hawaiian shirt would look so cool? Pair it with flashy Oliver People 523 goggles and you’ve got a gritty and an era-defining style that still packs a punch to this day.
However, the Tyler Durden sunglasses are extremely rare now so if you’re planning to recreate the look, you can opt for great alternatives like this Fossil 3081 in crystal grey frame and red mirror lenses.
7. Galahad’s tort spy glasses in The Kingsman: Secret Service (2015)
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If there’s one thing that we learned from the Kingsman movies, it’s that manners and dapper sunglasses maketh man. Not to mention, some flawless fighting style and a bunch of cool spy gadgets like an umbrella gun shooting projectiles everywhere.
While the latter is most likely impossible for regular people like us, some good manners and a pair of bespoke sunglasses are certainly workable.
Agent Galahad (played by Colin Firth) wears a pair of handmade Cutler and Gross tortoiseshell sunglasses. So if you want to achieve that Kingsman look, suit up with some bespoke tailoring and the C&G specs will instantly transform you into the suavest agent. However, it might cost you an arm and a leg.
Enter the Smith Lowdown in matte tortoiseshell frame and brown ChromaPop lenses. It’s not as pricey as the original, but hey, it does the job!
8. Hugo Weaving’s oval sunnies in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
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Who would forget Mitzi’s (Hugo’s character) iconic dance in the middle of the vast desert, under the scorching sun while donning a fluorescent green sequin dress, muddied boots, and a pair of wire-rimmed sunglasses?
While this classic Australian musical film is mainly glittered by over-the-top gowns and feathery costumes to pay homage to the glitz and glam of the drag community, this scene from Hugo Weaving left us sunglasses aficionados with something to gush about.
It’s so memorable that it got us investigating what exact pair he was wearing. While we can’t find the exact model of the oval-shaped sunglasses, this Swarovski 0260 in golden wire-rimmed frames and gradient brown lenses is probably the closest match, just a little bigger than the real ones.
Funny thing is, five years later, Hugo Weaving will have his fair share of more iconic moments while also wearing a pair of sunglasses. Only this time, he’s hitting people instead of high notes as a villain in The Matrix.
9. Baby’s sunglasses collection in Baby Driver (2017)
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A good car chase-slash-heist film is not complete without a couple of specs. Fact. Good thing everyone in the heist crew in this film rocks a pair of sunglasses that are nothing short of badass. From Doc the mastermind to Baby the getaway driver.
Baby, whose lightning-fast driving prowess speaks for itself, is an avid collector of sunglasses just like us. Well, that’s what we’d like to think.
His sunnies collection was not shown in the film, however, we’ve seen him put on a few great pairs on several occasions. So it’s safe to say he likes to collect sunglasses as much as he loves racking up dusty old cassette tapes.
Some of the models that we’ve seen him wearing are the Persol PO3132 folding shades, Ic! Berlin Fahrlehrer Klaus, and the original Ray-Ban Wayfarer.
If you want to look as badass and smooth as Baby, check out our wayfarer sunglasses.
10. Ryan Gosling’s Selima sunglasses in Drive (2011)
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If Baby likes his get up casual and his getaway ride flashy, Ryan Gosling’s unnamed character in the movie Drive likes to keep things under the radar yet sophisticated.
While he wants to keep his identity unknown, his overall style can’t help but stand out. Especially when he’s driving his main ride, a 1973 Chevy Malibu, while wearing a denim bomber jacket, a pair of leather racing gloves, and tying it all together with the Selima Optique Money 2 sunglasses.
The pair of shades is an auburn tortoiseshell frame with a distinct double bridge and comes with brown lenses. If you’re planning to pull off this style, there are several ways of how you can do it.
Aside from the original specs, you can opt for the Otis Templin, the Tom Ford 596, and probably the closest match of them all, the Polaroid 6097 in Havana tort frames and gradient brown lenses.
Check our collection of tortoiseshell sunglasses here.
Shop Hollywood-worthy sunglasses
Using these iconic movie sunglasses as a reference, you can now create your own style that is worth a spot on the silver screens of Hollywood.
Our great range of sunglasses will allow you to channel every character on our list and achieve every style in the playbook. From futuristic to classic, from sporty to perky, and from suave to gritty without skipping a beat.
Buy your Hollywood-worthy sunglasses at Great Southern Sunnies and we’ll deliver them straight to your doorstep wherever you are in Australia. The shipping fee is on us for orders worth above $80!
We also accept Afterpay for all orders for easier transactions.