An Example of How Common Pipe Smoking Was...

[georged]

...not all that long ago.

In this case, 1984.

The Movie? One of George Romero's zombie films. The third one, where things play out in an underground storage facility where everyone left alive is hiding from The Horde. Called The Day of the Dead.

How is the setting and weirdness of the subject matter relevant, you ask?

Because it ISN'T. No thought was given to the setting or subject matter weirdness. The guy's smoking had nothing to do with the scene itself, or became significant later in the movie. It was simply a common thing to do during a conversation.

Even if the End of the World was at hand.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

George, did you catch this last Saturday on TCM Underground?

I (somehow) ended up watching it all the way through and I too noticed the pipe.

I watch a LOT of TCM though, so, I'm practically desensitized to pipe sightings.

Edit: I kept hoping "Bub" the friendly zombie would discover the transcendental enjoyment of smoking a pipe - coupled with his classical music.

 

[Brendan]

September 1984 WAYS thread..

'Now smoking the only tobacco I could grab before the impending zombie hoarde moved into town - Captain Black Grape in the Peterson 317 smooth with p-lip, as I ponder what to have for dinner in my apocalypse prepped bunker.
May pop out later and offer Bub a pipe and see if I can convert him over to the joy's of pipe smoking.
Coffee, black, is my drink as I write this'.

 

[Rockyrepose]

Fully stocked pocket protector in a utilitarian attire fitting a zombie disturbance.

 

[georged]

George, did you catch this last Saturday on TCM Underground?

No.

Amazon gobbled up IMDB-TV a while back, renamed it FreeVee, and provided a search function (all with Digital Magick!), and I found myself doing some basement exploring. Lots of so-bad-they're-good 50's and 60's SF, etc.

Romero's bunker zombie one was always a favorite because of the claustrophobic feel and his directoral insistence that everyone behave as if they're right on the edge of losing it from the very first scene. (Which would, of course, actually be the case if they'd been in the situation for months)

Most critics just interpreted it as over-acting, but I "got" it. The film's unevenness in tone---homey and reassuring one minute, gory insanity the next---actually made a weird sort of sense, then.

Plus, watching Captain Rhodes get his at the end never gets old.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

No.

Amazon gobbled up IMDB-TV a while back, renamed it FreeVee, and provided a search function (all with Digital Magick!), and I found myself doing some basement exploring. Lots of so-bad-they're-good 50's and 60's SF, etc.

Romero's bunker zombie one was always a favorite because of the claustrophobic feel and his directoral insistence that everyone behave as if they're right on the edge of losing it from the very first scene. (Which would, of course, actually be the case if they'd been in the situation for months)

Most critics just interpreted it as over-acting, but I "got" it. The film's unevenness in tone---homey and reassuring one minute, gory insanity the next---actually made a weird sort of sense, then.

Plus, watching Captain Rhodes get his at the end never gets old.

Rhodes was a real piece of work wasn't he?
In the Climax, within five minutes of each other, Rhodes and two(?) other cohorts met the exact same end. The familiar "blood and guts filled body cavity with real head poking through" angle.