The James Bond Phenomenon: A Critical Reader (review)

Abstract

Sean Connery's tuxedo, Ursula Andress' bikini, Oddjob's bowler hat, and Q's gadgets are just a few defining features of the 007 world examined in this text. Drawn from the fields of literary, film, music and cultural studies, the essays in this collection range from revitalized readings of Ian Fleming's spy novels to the analysis of Pussy Galore's lesbianism, Miss Monneypenny's filmic feminism and Pierce Brosnan's techno-fetishism. Together the essays not only consider the James Bond novels and films in relation to their historical, political and social contexts, from the Cold-War period onwards, but also examine the classic bond canon from an array of theoretical perspectives. What the text aims to show is that there is much more to the 007 series than cheap thrills, fast cars and beautiful women. Leach, among others, Lindner illustrates not only how the Bond character has conquered the globe, but has sustained its pre-eminence across six decades. Starting with the original books and moving through the films, the music and the marketing, this study should be of use to students of film, media, popular literature, marketing and cultural studies.