BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS

Picture : Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, sexy, with a cigarette (smoking is part of her seduction).
The author of this text : Joe Eszterhas, a movie maker, former smoker (ex-smoker) affected by cancer.
The document: an article dealing with the problem of smoking and the influence of Hollywood. (published in The Toronto Star in a 2002 issue.)
Why did he write it? He used to be a militant smoker whereas now he admits that it was a mistake; he admits he was completely wrong.

The author and his former attitude towards tobacco. (l 1-22)
Joe Eszterhas: an American movie-maker who shot several movies (“fourteen”, l 1) for Hollywood such as Basic Instinct.
l.22: his movies are characterized by smoking characters: many of his characters are featured smoking and smoking makes them sexy/glamorous. (Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct for ex.). They give a positive image of cigarette: l 21 “my cigarette-friendly work”.
Why did he do that? He was a “militant smoker” (l 4) at the time. In other words, he used to think that everybody has the right to smoke. Moreover/in addition/what’s more/furthermore, it was part of a “bad-boy” attitude (along with “drinking, partying, rock’n’roll” l 5-6), thus he looked cool and used to think that he was enjoying life. He rebelled against “do-gooders” (l 10-11), that is, people who opposed smoking and seemed to be boring spoilsports/killjoys (rabat-joie). He used to compare them to “Big Brother” (a reference/hint to George Orwell’s 1984, in which a supreme power controls absolutely everything): a very derogatory/negative comparison. He wished to be left alone (to leave sb alone=laisser qqun tranquille) at the time, in order to do what he liked.
Example of Basic Instinct: a blockbuster (= a hit = a success) featuring sexy characters. L 12-17: smoking belongs to S Stone’s seduction, especially in the key scene (=important scene) of the film. As a matter of fact/in fact, tobacco has such a good image in the film