Small Cigars In "The City & The City"

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odobenus

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 15, 2018
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I recently watched and enjoyed the 4-part adaptation of China Mieville's bizarro, noirish 'The City & The City.' Throughout, the character of Inspector Tyador Borlu (played by David Morrissey) smokes small cigars, which he sometimes breaks in half.
Periodically I become obsessed with trying to figure out what a character is smoking or drinking in film. My wife says it's a pointless exercise because the prop folks probably created something fake anyway. Plus the story takes place in some alternate version of our world, so there aren't going to be recognizable brands, etc.
But for anyone who's seen it (and I recommend it, particularly for smokers, since it implicitly takes a strong pro-smoking position), what type of cigarillo do you think he's smoking? Mini, club, purito, short? A chico broken in half? I'm guessing a ring gauge of 28-30, maybe a little bigger, so not a mini or a club I guess. Do any of you guys like this type of small cigar and prefer one kind over another? I used to smoke Garcia y Vega gallantes when I was in college. They weren't great. I imagine a nice Partagas club or Cohiba short is a world fuller and more interesting.
Second, more complicated question. If you've seen it, you can't help but notice that the sound design/editors place real emphasis (real airtime) on the sound of the wrapper crackling with each long draw. It's a beautiful sound. But I've never heard a cigar sound quite so animated -- it almost made me doubtful that it was an actual leaf wrapper and not brown paper. Or I considered the possibility that the effect was recorded elsewhere and dubbed in, as sound guys do, on the direction of someone who really cares about the sensory delights of burning tobacco. Unlikely but who knows?
The only stills I could find are below. If I've convinced anyone to check it out, I guess my work is done.

screen-shot-2019-08-01-at-62404-am-600x411.jpg


14970693-low_res-the-city-and-the-city-3bbb109-600x399.jpg


 

jaytex1969

Lifer
Jun 6, 2017
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Movie sound people use whatever they "think" the public wants or expects to hear.
Every motorcycle sounds like a V-twin and shotguns make the pump sound, even when already chambered.
It drives me up the wall.
To answer at least one of your questions, I'm not really a cigar guy but I did get some little Irish cigars once, Alta Gracia. They were not far off from that size and good for a ten minute smoke.
jay-roger.jpg


 

alaskanpiper

Enabler in Chief
May 23, 2019
9,348
42,241
Alaska
Movie sound people use whatever they "think" the public wants or expects to hear.
Every motorcycle sounds like a V-twin and shotguns make the pump sound, even when already chambered.
This also drives me nuts, especially with wildlife and fight noises, particularly punching sounds.
That and all the Alaska shows, many of which are pure hogshit. The Kilchers (millionaires who live 10 miles from a safeway) worried about what will happen if they don't get their moose for the winter. Or (probably the worst of the lot) the "Alaskan Bush People" who are Washington residents, criminals, and commute everyday to their "cabin" filming location from the above bar hotel in Hoonah, where they are regarded as notorious A-holes. The list goes on.
I too always wonder what people are actually smoking when it arises in movies/tv though. I've heard the lord of the Rings folks smoked PS 24 Nougat that was renamed something else by some smoke shop. I noticed Clay Morrow from Sons of Anarchy was a Camacho guy as well.

 

elbert

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 10, 2015
604
28
Yup. That sound that you think is the cry of a bald eagle? You know, that sound the screams "MURICA!!1!"...it's actually a red-tailed hawk. Bald eagle's don't sound nearly as badass.

 

danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
4,385
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San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Yeah, I would guess it's some kind of dry-cured, European-style panetela or cigarillo. Some are pretty decent. I think the Meharis brand is one I remember liking. Partagas Chicos if you have access to them are really good for a machine made cigarillo.
If you're ok with the gnarly looking wrapper (and a slightly thicker RG, usually), Toscano style cigars are great, too.

 

jaytex1969

Lifer
Jun 6, 2017
9,517
50,591
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Watch the ridiculous "Angry Birds" cartoon movie and you will never hear that hawk sound the same again.
jay-roger.jpg


 

alaskanpiper

Enabler in Chief
May 23, 2019
9,348
42,241
Alaska
Bald eagle's don't sound nearly as badass
Bald Eagles make some super odd noises. Most often a very shrill squeaky sort chirp yell that sounds almost industrial. It's weird.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ2uMauyBow

 

odobenus

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Dec 15, 2018
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Jay and Danimalia, thanks for the recommendations. I’ll check those out. I’ve got some Ashton cigarillos (with CT wrap) and Cohiba (Dominican) Pequenos on order. Trying to decide if it’s worth the extra $$ for some actual Cuban Cohiba shorts or Partagas clubs. I certainly used to love the occasional real deal full-size Partagas back in the day. I see I can get some DR Partagas Puritos for not too much.
I too am particularly annoyed by artificial wildlife and firearm sounds — what is the general sound-editor obsession with cocking? Everyone is always cocking their guns whenever they pick them up (and racking the pump, as you said, Jay!). It’s a wonder they don’t accidentally shoot one another more often. But I spend more time yelling at the TV about black powder pistols being loaded with metal shells because somebody thought the frame looked cooler (and they’re certainly not Richards-Mason conversions...), or 1873 Colt Model Ps used in Civil War-era Westerns, or 1860 Henry rifles (with no front stock) that clearly never get hot, etc.

 

danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
4,385
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San Francisco Bay Area, USA
The Partagas Chicos are considered to be pretty close to a full-sized Partagas flavor profile. I had a pack a few years ago and enjoyed them. The Cohiba Shorts have a lot of devoted fans. I thought they were OK, but not as good as the Chicos.
I forgot one of my favorite non-Cuban petit panetelas... Arturo Fuente Exquisitos (4.5" x 33). Lots of flavor in these little guys! Relatively affordable, too. I picked up a box of 50 on auction for less than $100 a while back.

 

sjs1164

Lurker
Jul 31, 2019
12
1
Not the cigars in the movie, but the Man O' War Puro Authentico is a damn good 30 minute smoke. Packs a good nic hit too...

 

danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
4,385
26,440
41
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Not the cigars in the movie, but the Man O' War Puro Authentico is a damn good 30 minute smoke. Packs a good nic hit too...
Yes, it's a good one. Love the traditional petit corona size, and it's a damn powerhouse. It's bigger than the others here at 5" x 42, though.

 

odobenus

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 15, 2018
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So I have now reacquainted myself with cigars and can say for sure that they do not make a (particularly audible) crackling sound when you draw on them. The conclusion of this highly unscientific experiment is that the sound guys edited in some fake, delicious crackling. Unless, of course, they gave the actor some faux-cigar wrapped in brown paper, or he was smoking the driest cigar known to man, in which case I think it would leave pieces of leaf-wrapper all over his face.

 
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