Attention Bond fans! I need your help/opinions!

Revolver66 · April 2015

Hey guys

I'm currently in my last semester of uni and would greatly appreciate your help!

I am doing a subject called: Screen Studies, and my next assignment is a genre analysis. Being a big Bond fan I of course decided to use the Bond films as my example, however I'm in a bit of a pickle and am need of opinions and feedback from fellow Bondians. An essential part of the essay is how I classify the films themselves. and this is where I am in a dilemma. Do you think that The Bond films are a sub-genre of the action film/thriller? Or do you think that the films can be classified as a genre of their own? If you lean towards either of these, why? What examples? If you think they are a genre all on their own then why? And what specific elements do they have that other films don't have? What the quintessential elements of a Bond film that makes it a Bond film?

Sorry guys I don't mean it sound like I want you to do my essay for me

) This is merely one aspect of the assignment, and most of these questions are ones that I've come up with. Either way I would love some of your opinions of this one. At the moment I'm tempted to say that they are more of a sub-genre of the action flick, but in a way I think it also could be argued that the series invented the action flick and a lot of the conventions of that particular genre. Anyways...thoughts anyone?

MilleniumForce · April 2015

I'd class them as Action/Adventure/Thriller.

Absolutely_Cart · April 2015

They master the genre of action/adventure and spy films but I wouldn't call them a genre of their own.

AlphaOmegaSin · April 2015

Spy/Action/Thriller

Matt S · April 2015

I'd consider some of the Bond films spy thrillers (60s), others are adventure films (70s and 80s, though TLD is more of a spy thriller), and since the 90s they've been action films.

Revolver66 · April 2015

Thanks for the feedback guys

I like the argument that the Bond flicks have enough genre conventions in them to be classified as its own sub-genre. Such as: A pre -title sequence, A credit sequence (obviously many films contain this, however the way it is done in Bond films is unique) A couple of glamorous leading ladies, with the secondary female character usually dying in the second act. A flamboyant villain with a extravagant plan and an equally extravagant lair. Staple exposition scenes from Bond's colleagues (M, Q, and Moneypenny). Bond in a seemingly impossible situation but through wit or gadgets manages a miraculous escape. I could go on, however I feel that elements such as these are done in such a unique way in the series that they are genre conventions that you find largely in Bond films alone. Other films have referenced these conventions i.e. The recent Batman trilogy, however I feel that ultimately there is enough unique conventions in the series to warrant Bond films a sub-genre.

Gassy Man · April 2015

You should argue what you think is the case rather than pick the brains of others to get the most out of the assignment.

Matt S · April 2015

You don't seem to be listening to the comments here. The Bond films have a formula, but I think that hardly means they have their own sub-genre. The Bond films had a big impact on the spy genre and changed the spy genre for most films that came after it. And wouldn't the spy genre be a sub-genre? When you classify something so specifically it is hardly a genre anymore.

Revolver66 · April 2015

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have listened yes, however i've decided I disagree. No need for more comments I think i'm good now. Just thought i'd float the idea.

Barbel · April 2015

Thread closed at OP's request.

Attention Bond fans! I need your help/opinions!

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