Is James Bond an Archaic Dinosaur?

James Bond exploded into the world – killing all ‘baddies’ in sight – in 1952. His first appearance, the novel ‘Casino Royale’, was written by Ian Fleming, who produced fourteen Bond books up until his death in 1964. Bond’s Legacy was continued in the form for which is probably best known the EON production films.

The Bond films were as much as a product of the cold war as the U.S space program and the arms race; so is he still relevant to today’s audiences? Through his long and illustrious career Bond’s enemies have constantly changed to suit the times; from S.M.E.R.S.H onto megalomaniacal corporations and in the latest film, Bond takes on terrorism.

In his original incarnation in ‘Casino Royale’, Bond is portrayed as a gritty and tough but with an edge of sophistication. ‘The vertical scar down his right cheek’ is almost the antithesis of the ‘double edged satin tie’. His over-fondness of cigarettes shows that he is not perfect and, like everyone else, has flaws; his womanising is frowned upon by the other characters and his general attitude to women is far from feministic. ‘On a job they got in the way and fogged things up with sex and hurt feelings and emotional baggage’. In fact, in Bonds opinion ‘Women are for recreation’.

Bond has a domineering and almost slightly and almost slightly sadistic nature. He wants Vesper Lynd’s ‘cold arrogant body’ he wants to ‘bend her body back’; as far as Bond is concerned he will get what he wants. But through all of his flaws Bond has many admirable qualities; he is a man of outstanding courage and dignity ‘If he had to die anyway, he might as well do it the hard way’. Right up until what Bond thinks is the end he is defiant. ‘Bond lifted his head and looked Le Chiffre in the eyes.’ He is also fiercely patriotic and, despite having strong feelings for Vesper previously, upon learning of her treachery calls her a ‘Bitch’.

Sean Connery began Bond’s film legacy in 1962 with ‘Dr. No’. He was not the first choice of the directors, and Flemming dismissed him as ‘unrefined’. But his rendering of James Bond endeared him to his audiences. Connery was suave and sophisticated; physically commanding yet majestic and graceful. Even Flemming was enamoured, he wrote in one of his later books that Bond was of half Scottish half Swiss decent. It was at this point that Bond was at his peak of popularity; ‘Thunderball’, one of Connery’s films, was the Bond film with the most cinema admissions. Connery’s Bond was the perfect hero at the perfect time. The films introduced audiences to exotic locations, glamorous and innovative scenes, and things they had never before seen at the cinema. With everyone living under the constant threat of nuclear annihilation people loved the idea that there were real spies like Bond, protecting them behind their backs. In my opinion, Bond at this point was at the zenith of his iconinsism.

Of all the actors to play James Bond Roger Moore was perhaps the one who was the most incommensurate with Fleming’s original creation, but by 1985, the year in which Moore starred in ‘A View to a Kill’, the Bond franchise had extruded its self far from Flemings ‘Bond mould’. In the opening sequence the stoic Moore portrays Bond as the ever suave and sophisticated secret agent as he skis circles around the deplorable Russian guards (have they ever fired a gun before?). Fleming created Bond to be a white knuckle ride: this is more like a ride through ‘happy flower land’. The preposterous stunts are jocular and almost childish. In watching we feel as though the whole concept of Bond is tired – in its death throes. Finally Bond manages to escape in a ‘cheesy’ iceberg sub and seduces the woman inside in the most cringe-making fashion. Moore’s Bond was not only metaphorically a dinosaur: he looked as though he had been born in Triassic period. By this point in the saga, the Bond industry was in dire need of reinvigoration.

Pierce Brosnan was this re-invigoration. In the second most recent Bond film ‘Die another Day’, all the set in stone rules of James Bond had become blurred. Firstly the villains were no longer so clearly defined; during the cold war, the Soviets were classic stock ‘bad-guys’. The audience were expected to feel no sympathy to their real-life enemies. However in ‘Die Another Day’ the enemies, the Koreans, are not portrayed as ‘monsters’. Significant air-time is given to the Koreans voicing their opinions of America ‘A million land mines, America’s cultural offering’ they refer to ‘Western hypocrisy’.

Bond is no longer inviolable; he is captured by the Koreans and is unable to escape. The title sequence incorporates the storyline – never before done in Bond – and it focuses on his vulnerability. He is tortured non-stop for two years – ‘They have abandoned him and denied his existence’ – until eventually he is traded for another prisoner. A trade for which M does not approve ‘if I had my way you would still be out in Korea’. He is no longer trusted by his own people. Before Bond had always been given the utmost praise: now he is despised.

Bond manages to break out of his prison in Hong Kong and goes rogue, beginning to act on his own agenda – he is out for revenge. Bond is the outcast and Graves (the villain) is at the centre of media attention.

In Cuba Bond meets Jinx, his American counterpart. She is very much his equal, everything he can do she can do just as well – if not better. She slits the throat of the typical Bond girl stereotype silently and with ease. She is dominant, articulate and clever. She even has his verbal wit cracking several Bond style puns.

In fact most of the women in the film beat the stereotype. M – Played by Judy Dench (an accomplished actress) – is harsh and unforgiving. Moneypenny finally manages to ‘Get it on’ with Bond even if it is only with one of Q’s gadgets. Miss Frost, one of the baddies, is conniving and sadistic and manages to fool Bond; she is far more powerful than would be expected.

Techniques are used which have never before been seen in a Bond film, there are several moments when slow-motion is used to extend an important moment. Graves shooting his father and Bond stealing the diamonds from around Zau’s neck are two examples.

There are some aspects of a Bond movie however which cannot be omitted; they make up the essence of Bond. The fights in the film are frequent and fast, ‘Die Another Day’ is probably the Bond film with the most fights of all. In all the films each fight tries to bring something new and innovative which will be new to the audience. The gun barrel sequence at the beginning of the film is probably one of the longest and includes a spectacular hovercraft fight. The camera switches quickly between long shots and close ups of the Bond and his enemy increasing the pace of the scene.

Another novel clash is the sword fight in which Bond takes on Graves, typically the fights include high-tech gadgetry but this one goes back to basics. Bond and Graves slog it out, smashing their way through an entire fencing facility, constantly changing from epées to broadswords to katanas. Other fights however do include cutting edge technology, there is a laser sequence in which Bond has to duck and dive around several lasers, all of which are moving, in order to free Jinx. The classic car chase scene is implemented but with a twist – the cars are on ice.

Stunts also play a big part; in my opinion however, if they are done incorrectly, are always the worst parts of any Bond movie. The producers are always trying to come up with something new, but people are so blasé towards computer generated stunts that whatever they do won’t cut it. They’re better off omitting them completely. Bond manages to evade a huge laser beam in a rocket car, fly off a cliff while still attached by a hook, avoid the massive whiplash this would probably cause, construct a kite surfing board from the remnants of the rocket car and surf the ensuing tsunami to dry land. I cannot help but think how crass it is, it is annoyingly awful.

The other stock feature of the film is of course the gadgets. The film includes invisible cars (the Aston Martin ‘vanish’ Vanquish), a watch with hundreds of smaller useful gadgets in it, a surfboard containing explosives and some sort of radio transmitter, a ring which breaks toughened glass, the list goes on and on. The gadgets are often viewed by many people as the best bit of a James Bond film and the writers certainly gave the goods with this film.

All in all the film was enjoyable and fun to watch, if slightly unrealistic. This was probably the most popular Bond had been in recent years.

The newest Bond film, ‘Casino Royale’ was a complete reboot of the entire saga. The producers wanted to start again; leaving behind any of the prejudices left over from the other films. With ‘Casino Royale’ the film makers have transported Bond away from the time when death was inumbrate from the audience. They have made the violence far more innate and viscerous. We see an abecedarian Bond struggle to dispatch an unskilled, unarmed opponent. Contrary to the usual swift dispatching of enemies, this killing is brutal and clumsy. Bond has no gadgets at all; the whole film goes back to basics.

The stunts, instead of using CGI, look far more real and believable. The electrifying Parkour sequence seems more tangible than many other James Bond stunts. Again Bond is no longer a super-human; the explosive pursuit of his foe leaves him utterly exhausted, battered and bruised.

Psychological drama is used in the place of the classic Bond set pieces. A car chase through narrow mountain roads: replaced by a battle of minds over a poker table.

When asked whether he’d prefer ‘shaken or stirred’ the new Bond replies ‘I don’t give a damn.’ This quote certainly represents the new ‘blunt instrument’ Bond. This film very cleverly incorporates elements of popular culture, Parkour and Poker to name but two, using them to augment their film. Loads of people will go to see a reboot of Bond, but even more will go if it involves Poker.

Bond is like anything else, it must evolve or die. Stick too long to the same format and it will become boring – the last Roger Moore film as testament. When it first mutated into film people loved it; the explosions and the stunts were spectacular and new. The explosions got bigger and bigger as the audiences dwindled. In ‘Die another Day’ and ‘Casino Royale’ the change brought back the audiences. No doubt in the future Bond will once again have to evolve to suit our tastes.