The Man With The Golden Gun Flashcards
(8 cards)
Visual Codes and Conventions
The poster is rich in imagery with multiple narrative clues – explosions, enemies, exotic locations – a common trait of 1970s illustrated posters.
Central mid-shot of James Bond dressed in a sharp suit and holding a gun conveys authority, danger, and professionalism. His composed facial expression implies calm confidence amidst chaos, a key Bond trait.
The golden gun aimed at Bond from the foreground introduces an enigma code (Barthes): who is trying to kill Bond?
The use of martial arts imagery, Asian locations, and combat scenes reflects the influence of the 1970s martial arts film craze (e.g. Bruce Lee), situating the film within contemporary pop culture trends.
The layout encourages viewers to actively decode the plot and genre clues, typical of action/thriller posters.
Typography and Credit
Roger Moore’s name is prominently featured to capitalize on his rising star power and appeal.
Ian Fleming’s name appears with the title to link to the prestige of the original novels.
The production credits are minimized, ensuring focus remains on Bond and the visual storytelling.
Genre Signifiers
Guns, explosions, exotic women, and villains establish clear codes of the action/thriller genre.
The film’s title and imagery emphasize espionage, assassination, and high-stakes danger – all typical Bond themes.
Representation of Masculinity
Bond is the archetypal 1970s male hero: confident, composed, and violent when necessary. He represents idealized masculinity – powerful, intelligent, sexually appealing, and heterosexual.
Following Propp’s theory, Bond fits the ‘hero’ role while the hidden golden gun figure represents the ‘villain’.
Representastion of Femininity and the Male Gaze
The two women in bikinis are highly sexualized with perfect bodies, jewelry, and styled hair – typical of Laura Mulvey’s ‘male gaze’ theory. They are positioned for visual pleasure, not narrative importance.
One woman appears to protect Bond while another gestures toward the threat, suggesting their roles are supportive or decorative.
The third woman in martial arts attire breaks the stereotype slightly – she is active and assertive. However, she is still exoticized, her darker skin and hair marking her as the “other,” reinforcing Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism.
Representation of Race and Ethnicity
The Asian setting and characters tap into the 1970s Western fascination with the ‘exotic East’. Martial arts figures are likely included for spectacle, not depth.
Asian characters are depicted as either threats or mystical/foreign elements, perpetuating reductive stereotypes.
Social/Political Context
The energy crisis of 1973 is subtly referenced through the power plant and energy beam, hinting at real-world concerns about resource scarcity and geopolitics.
This adds a layer of relevance, positioning the film as not just escapist but indirectly reflective of global anxieties.
Theoretical Perspectives
Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding theory: The poster encodes dominant ideologies of masculinity, heroism, and gender roles, but different audiences may decode it differently based on cultural background.
Feminist readings: Women are objectified, with some resistance via the martial arts woman. Still, the dominant representation supports patriarchal norms.
