h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: James Bond in the Cold War - A51925962
Author: littlesimon1 - U13980914

I was interested in the topic and then started to do some research on it.

Sorry no one has responded to this yet!

This looks like a good entry, but you'll have to make sure it doesn't overlap with the existing entries on Bond (see C990). Also, I'm not sure that the title immediately gives away the topic that the entry covers - perhaps 'James Bond - Some Historical Context' might be better.

Alex

Hi Alex,

thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. I was thinking about changing the title, but haven't found any better yet. Isn't 'James Bond - Some Historical Context' a bit too vague? But thanks for helping me improving on the article!

Hi Simon!

first of all: really interesting and well-written article! You have a very clear structure and I really like how you first give information on the historical context and then draw the parallels to the James Bond movies. You could, however, give a little more information on the issue of the financing instiutions, which seems to be a very interesting and also intriguing aspect!
What i was wondering while reading your arcticle: Are the new James Bond films still set in the Cold War? (As you might have guessed I`m not too familiar with the subject! ) So how come people are still fascinated by the agent-stories? You probably don´t want to include this in your article, but you could include some of your sources for further reading (in general).
Other than that: I would say you´ve done a good job on this one!

Thanks for your kind words. James Bond's link to the Cold War ended just when the Soviet Union did. So the new James Bond films "Tommorrow Never Dies", "Die Another Day", "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace" can be seen in today's historical context - "Die Another Day" revolves around the Korea-conflict which is actually still present or revived at the moment.

"Goldeneye" is an exception. Although it was shot in 1995 (i think) it still deals with Cold War History. Maybe they thought James Bond couldn't exist without his enemy, the Soviet Union? (And actually I think he does and "Goldeneye" is the best of the newer movies...)

However, thanks for pointing it out, I will try to make it a bit more clear that James Bond films are always set in the historical context when the film was produced. The financing bit is a bit tricky since it would be a big effort to get all the financing lists for the films and, unfortunately, i don't have that much time at the moment... but I'll see what I can do.

Hi littlesimon1

This is an interesting and well writen entry.
I found it interesting and I lernt something thankyou.
I have littel to add to what has been said apert from well done.

Have you read 'James Bond - The Legacy' by John Cork and Bruce Scivally? If not, I think you'd find it interesting as it discusses each Bond film and how it was shaped by - and itself shaped - the prevailing culture. From the 1960s Cold War as you discuss, to the 1970s blaxsploitation of 'Live and Let Die', to the 'energy crisis' plot of 'The Man With the Golden Gun', to the 1980s obsession with Silicon Valley in 'A View to a Kill', to the Robert Maxwell/Rupert Murdoch/Ted Turner-inspired plot of 'Tomorrow Never Dies' etc. etc.

Interestingly, even though the Cold War theme runs through most of the early Bond films, the Soviets are rarely the actual enemy (I'm racking my brains to think of any films where they *are* the stated enemy. It may just be 'Goldeneye', and that was only in flashback!). In 'From Russia With Love', for example, the producers took the decision specifically *not* to have the Soviet agency SMERSH as the enemy (as they are in the book), but to replace them with the fictional SPECTRE, so as not to date the film too badly when the Cold War ended. Of course, the fact that the Cold War is in full swing is what allows SPECTRE to play the British and Soviets off against each other. Similarly, 'You Only Live Twice' and 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (which have very similar plots) see external forces playing the West and the Soviets against each other.

Anyway, I'm rambling now!

If you feel like it, here are a few links you could add:

A817797 The James Bond Films - 1962-1967
A285635 The Literary James Bond
A762699 Ian Fleming - Author

If you don't fancy wrestling with GuideML, I'll leave these here for the subeditor to add if your Entry gets picked!

Good luck!

No I haven't read that, sounds interesting - i'll definitely check it out. It's true what you say about the Soviets never (well, except Goldeneye) being the actual enemy. But still, the Bond films do show the relationship of the two nations, which is why they are pretty good for analysing the cultural representation of the Cold War (from a western point of view of course).

Apart from that, I've just had a busy month and am now about to make some changes. so check back if you wnat . and thanks again for the comments!

Hi,

some people might complain, as I praise a friend, but in this case it is well deserved: a very interesting and well-written article. I couldn't do any better myself, so I have no suggestions how to improve it. Just one minor thing regarding formating: In the paragraph about "James Bond, Dr. No and The Cold War" the "Royal" of "Casino Royal" isn't in italics (or it's just my PC...)

I think I have to get a James Bond DVD box after all...

Thanks!

I've changed the Royal bit, should be fine now.

"The according film, which was the first of the film series, was released in 1962"

the according film?

This is a strange locution to me.

"Casino Royal"?

Casino Royale

"as some of the films are financed by important institutions, for example Moonraker by NASA or Goldfinger by the American Army.":

Sources, please.

The "Casino Royale" film, where David Niven is the definitive Bond, explains everything.

I personally don't think the Cold War has anything to do with the success of "Dr. No". I blame Sir Sean and Dame Ursula.

A little elf in Chicago had quite a hand, too. His name was Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Philosophy was very much in evidence in the Fleming books and the Hollywood films. Cars, girls, guns, tuxedos and gadgets, gadgets, gadgets.

I thought this was a good and interesting entry . I suppose there's a couple of stylistic things that could be changed to get it into 'house style'.

But that would be nitpicking

Well done

Right, the Royale is spelt wrong, I'll change that. I'll add the sources in a minute, just for the record, I'm not making up things. Also the link to the Cold War isn't "my" idea; I've picked that up somewhere else and then did some research on it myself. And I'm not saying that the Cold War is the only reason for Bond becoming popular. Those reasons you stated are just equally relevant but the thing I wanted to stress is the historical context (since I study history...)

cool that there are so many comments. cheers for helping me!

I've changed "according film" to "eponymous film". better?

PR? littlesimon1 hasn't posted since July 7

Make that FM? littlesimon1 hasn't posted since July 7

Seconded. Pity, but we can't have all these dead entries lying around...