The cigar as a narrative-audiovisual style. Content analysis: "The Joker" and "The Brutalist"

Abstract

Introduction: audiovisual narratives offer endless meanings through the different elements that are shown on screen. Sometimes, they go unnoticed, but at others, the power they have in the hands of the protagonist of the films is such that it is impossible not to validate the importance of certain objects. For this reason, the following article presents an analysis of cigarette use and the messages it emits in two films: The Joker (2019) and The Brutalist (2024). In particular, the objective is to study the meaning that this object has from the number of scenes that are on screen and are used by the main characters (Arthur Fleck & László Tóth —respectively—), of these films. Methodology: This study has a qualitative approach, specifically, with the content analysis tool. Results: It is found that the cigar, in both feature films, is an extension of the body, part of the personality of the characters and is not only an object of decoration or an element of the scene. Discussion: Although the literature indicates that cigarettes are part of certain behaviors and characteristics of those who use them on screen, this is not always the case. Conclusions: the life that the characters have encourages them to use the cigarette as their own element; On the other hand, smoke and tobacco are linked to create stories that help describe complex and circular characters, where not everything is good, not everything is bad.