Intertextual Referencing in Bond- “Sometimes the old ways are the best”

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Intertextuality is where a text references another text, a concept often used to create humour through ‘metareference’ (Wolf & Bantleon, 2009, Metareference across media: Theory and Case Studies). In the context of James Bond, the more recent films reference the original movies that were produced more than 60 years ago. The use of intertextuality has become a fundamental standard in the series. The repeat referencing of dialogue through one-liners and the use of iconic mise-en-scene strengthens the Bond Universe, marking it as a cinematic institution and one of the most recognisable brands in the history of cinema.

With its rich cinematic history, the Bond franchise has inadvertently created its own traditions. Graham Allen argues,

“works of literature after all, are built from systems, codes and traditions established by previous works of literature” (Allen, 2011, P.1). 

With classic Bond motifs and iconographies such as the protagonist’s Aston Martin first denoted in Goldfinger (Guy Hamilton,1964) and his signature dialogue the audience remains “shaken and not stirred”. While it is these definitive conventions that mark the archetypal Bond genetic, the newer films must adapt modernisms of new technology and current ideology with the original Bond motifs. The series must maintain believability amongst audiences, whilst also conforming to Bond tradition; this is where intertextuality takes prevalence. As stated in Intertextuality: New perspectives in criticisms, “many read, as the perfectly apt expression goes, between the lines” (Plottel & Charney, 1978, P. vii). Therefore the references built into the more recent films can only be read by audiences that are already familiar with the film series. It is therefore argued the Bond franchise has two audiences to entertain- the audience who have seen the previous films and those who are new to the franchise. The more recent films must therefore use intertextuality to both reference and contextualise the old Bond motifs. Where old and new worlds collide, this intertextuality fulfils its loyal fan base and remains faithful to the original Bond movies, while also ensuring accessibility to a new audience.

There are two scenes that particularly exemplify the use of intertextuality in James Bond. Although nearly 50 years apart, the scene in From Russia with Love (Terence Young, 1963) and Skyfall (Sam Mendes, 2012) directly parallel the other. Both sequences present Bonds first encounter with Q, the head gadget developer for the British Secret Service:

                                                        Figure 5 (AvengedS939, 2011)                               

                                              Figure 6 (TheSupererogatoryGuy, 2014)

  

The scene from Skyfall acts as a nostalgic nod to From Russia with Love, while also contextualising the old Bond dealing with a new reality and the current standards of contemporary technology.

As considered by Helle Kannik Haastrup intertextuality has become “a characteristic of aesthetics in postmodern media” (Haastrup, 2014, P. 86). While postmodernism attempts to reflect “a new form of social existence and behaviour” (Woods, 1999, P. 9), the concept of intertextuality conflicts with this modern theory. Intertextuality maintains traditions of the past, it is a transcendent and constant fundamentalism that takes precedence in the contemporary media circle. In the Bond franchise, the “brave new world” 007 expresses at the end of the clip from Skyfall, is a reflection of developing technologies and changing cultural perspectives that have developed since the older Bond movies were originally released. This is signified in the representation of age in the two scenes, while in From Russia with Love Q is Bond’s senior, in Skyfall Bond is Q’s senior. To Bond’s surprise he remarks, “you still have spots”, which acts as a direct conflict to the presentation of an older and more experienced Q in From Russia with Love and in doing so, intertexualises society’s fear of change. The scene in Skyfall presents further intertextual reference, expanding on the likes of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest and of Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire, first denoted in the opening shot of the scene. In particular The Fighting Temeraire is symbolic of the relationship between Bond and Q; an old warship being “hauled away for scrap” by a smaller but more advanced vessel. Some of the old Bond ways are conceding to contemporary cultural change. These examples of intertextuality also reinforce British iconography and emphasise the James Bond dynamic; British, through and through. It can be determined overall that intertextuality has increased through the ages, exemplifying its importance in the construction of popular media texts.

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