Glasses have long been used as props in movies to create special effects such as ageing. At other times, actors and actresses have simply preferred to wear their glasses on the set when it’s been compatible to their characters.

Glasses in Film 2012

Woody Allen is famous for his glasses but often shuns them when away from the set – just as he does with his latest cinematic effort, Nero Fiddled. Whether the characters have been a part of a big international film or a small independent feature, this one fashion statement has shown up consistently and added to the costume and character of actors and actresses in films all over the world. Spectacles have continued to be used in Films out in 2012 with a host of purposes.

Adding a Distinguished Air to a Character

Nicholas Hoult in ‘Jack the Giant Killer’ indisputably exudes a distinguished air of elegance and class bespectacled with his stylish aviators and neck scarf. This is reflected with popular and designer names like Kam Dhillon, Vera Wang, Dolce & Gabbana, Police, Versace, Armani, Burberry, and so on. A single frame can cost anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand depending on rarity, design, materials used, such as precious stones and so on, and certainly make an impression when utilized on film.

Distinguishing a Character with Two Separate Identities

Photo by Jaimie Trueblood – © 2011 Columbia Pictures Industries

This has been an especially important prop to make a single actor or actress appear different in his or her roles as two separate identities. A 2012 feature that has made use of this effect is ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ where director Marc Webb, gives Spider-Man a new twist featuring Andrew Garfield as a bespectacled, skinnier, and nerdier Peter Parker outside of his identity as Spider-Man. Peter Parker’s large awkward frames are, perhaps, the most important prop, reflecting him instantly to the audience as a nerdy and timid character and creating a contrast between his brave and confident alter-ego character with dark stylish eye wear imbedded in his Spider-Man costume for maximum effect on screen.

Adding to the Character of an Actor or Actress in a Specific Part

From the thick dorky glasses of Eugene Levy (Jim’s dad) in American Pie 4 to the stylish fashion spectacles on Will Smith for the ultimate cool effect in Bad Boys 3 and Wesley Snipes in Blade 4, the actors would not have the same effect without their eyewear, especially since the same frames were used by the characters of the actors in previous features. In a sense, they have come to be an important extension of the actor’s or actresses’ persona to the audience and put them in character right away. For example it is easy to discern from Eugene Levy’s character that he is behind the times by his outdated frames, or he is less than fashion savvy or cool. On the other hand, Will Smith and Wesley Snipes characters exude a confidence and stylishness from the full effect of their eye wear and their fashion sense.