2005/07/01 by Klaus Dodds · 4 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Social Sciences · #Cinema and Media Studies #Intelligence, Security, War Strategy #European history and politics
paper · doi:10.1080/14650040590946584
openalex publication_date 2005/07/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
This paper seeks to extend the remit of popular geopolitics by considering the role and significance of places and their inhabitants in shaping the narrative structures of films. By using the example of the James Bond series from the 1960s, it is suggested that there is more complex series of geographies to be acknowledged. Arguably most of the trade press reviewers were largely content to argue that places were simply ‘exotic locations’. With a detailed examination of screenplays from five Bond films, it is shown that United Artists and Eon Productions played an important and creative role in shaping the geographies of dangers and threats confronted by James Bond. Moreover, austere and or remote locations also played important roles in generating a sense of climax between the British secret agent and his enemies regardless of whether they were part of a criminal network or an evil genius. Finally, the paper concludes with an assessment of some of the outstanding challenges facing a popular geopolitics.