Since the first Bond film debuted in 1962, James Bond come to represent the ultimate charming, handsome, cold-blooded secret agent. The character, who is based on the hero in a series of novels written by lan Fleming, accomplishes the most dangerous and difficult of missions with ease, style, and a dry sense of humor. In movie after movie, Bond not only narrowly escapes death and saves the world, but also manages to romance a beautiful girl or two at the same time.
Much has changed since the Bond films made their debut nearly 50 years ago, yet these films have never lost their appeal. Bond films met with phenomenal success back in the 1960s, and they continue to be one of the most successful movie series in film history. What accounts for Bond's enduring popularity?
Clearly people enjoy the non-stop adventure and excitement of Bond films. However, ironically, there is also a predictability to the Bond films that is tremendously appealing to movie-goers. Certain elements and sequences of events appear over and over in Bond films, and are eagerly awaited by fans. Movies with such predictable elements are known in the movie industry as formula movies. Everyone knows that all James Bond films have fast cars, beautiful women, and exotic locations, but James Bond films also include many other formula elements.
The plot of bond films is very formulaic. At the start of the film, Bond meets with "M", the head of the British secret intelligence service, to receive his assignment. He is then sent to the "Q" branch to receive training in using some clever, special gadget that will play a crucial part in his mission. The device is designed to look like an everyday object, but hides important tools or explosives. Such gadgets have included a watch with a metal cutting laser, a watch with acid to dissolve metal, toothpaste from which explosives can be squeezed, a cell phone with software that can both break into electronic locks and give a powerful electric shock, a pen that is actually a grenade, and a cigarette that can fire a small rocket!
The Q branch gadgets are always used against the Bond villains. These villains, as anyone familiar with Bond films knows, are one of the most important elements of the film. They are usually either evil geniuses or mad scientists who have plans to rule the worlds. Bond villains often have unusual physical defects, such as webbed hands, a scarred face, altered DNA, or a bleeding tear duct.
Another essential element of the Bond film is the "Bond girl." These women are either villainesses, ally agents, or victims rescued by Bond, but they all have certain things in common: They are beautiful, and they will almost always end up in Bond's arms before the movie ends.
Every Bond film includes a chase scence. Bond has participated in these chases riding or driving every possible kind of vehicle, including a helicopter, a bobsled, a moonbuggy, a cello case, a duble-decker bus, a Russian tank, a camel, a fire engine, a gondola, and a hang gilder. After this chase, there is usually a scene in which the villain attempts to kill Bond in some kind of slow and unusual way, such as strapping him to a table with a laser beam or a buzz saw.
็However, Bond always survives and confronts the villain again, usually getting rid of him in a creative way. Some of the ways Bond villains have met their end include being boiled in a nuclear reactor, being sucked out of and airplane window, falling into a pool of man-eating fish, being buried under a pile of manure, and being shot by a poison dart gun and forced into outer space.
One way or another, Bond always accomplishes his mission and he always gets the girl. The film usually ends with Bond relaxing in the arms of the Bond girl, confident that his remarkable abilities have saved the world once again.
The Bond formula has proven so successful, it is hard to imagine that it will ever be significantly altered. After all, who wants to watch a Bond movie in which there are no gadgets, or the villain wins, or Bond doesn't get the girl?