James Bond Analysis

Essay by CTrigwellUniversity, Bachelor'sB+, April 2012

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Textual Analysis on James Bond Thunderball Advertisement

Thunderball was released in 1965 and was the fourth spy film in the James Bond series after Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. By analysing the advertisement we can find semiotic codes identifying the characters true personalities and what the film is really about.

The ad for 'Thunderball' is predominately focused on the sketch of five people in profile; James Bond, being the iconic sign, and four other un-named women. Although we can only see them surrounding Bond, we assume by their position and stance that sexual acts have, or are, going to take place. This is confirmed with a linguistic caption proclaiming ''Here comes the biggest Bond of all' the linguistic message anchors and fixes the floating chain of signifies in such a way to counter the terror of floating signs Barthes In Dyer, 1982: 130 At one level this message is referring to how this film is going to be the best one so far and that Sean Connery is the biggest and best actor for the part.

But on another level there is a hidden narrative in this advertisement that is working along side the sketch off James Bonds Spear, which is being used as a phallic symbol. Therefore the signifier, 'Here comes the biggest bond of all' signified his 'manly hood' as well as the success of the film. 'The phallic symbol leads to the greatest instability of all for the male image. For the fact is that the penis isn't a patch on the phallus. They are all straining after what can hardly be achieved, the embodiment of the phallic mystique' Dyer 1997: 14. This quote suggests that the best way to attract a female audience is by achieving the embodiment of the phallus symbol, which...