A2 Media Studies, Skyfall, representation

1. Representation in Skyfall
Women
Masculinity
Ethnicity
‘The Monstrous other’/Disfigurement
Places

2. Representation of women
How are women represented in Skyfall?

3. Moneypenny
Has her
character
evolved since
the 1960’s?

4. Moneypenny in Dr No (1962)

6. Die Another
Day 2002

7. History:
• Doesn’t participate in missions
• More sexually charged
• No name (until now)
• Small part – romantic tension
• Understands Bond
• Supporting role
• Samantha Bond (3rd Moneypenny) in Die Another
Day

8. Naomie Harris Skyfall (2012)
MoneyPenny

9. Representations:
Bond: “You know… we haven’t been formally introduced.”
Moneypenny: “Oh. Well I’m Eve. Eve Moneypenny”

10. task
In Skyfall, do you think Moneypenny empowers the
representation of women in contemporary society?
In pairs, discuss and write down your thoughts. Please
explain your choice.
Aim for a good paragraph.

11. Moneypenny
At the beginning of the film, Moneypenny (Eve) is Bond’s partner on
a mission to recover the stolen hard drive.
M instructs Moneypenny to shoot at Patrice on the train, yet
Moneypenny is hesitant and instead hits Bond with her bullet. It
could be argued this suggests Moneypenny is an incompetent agent.
Moneypenny only appears a few more times in the film; as a potential
seductress for Bond, rather than assisting him with his mission.
At the end of the film, Moneypenny decides to retire as a field agent
and instead work for Mallory as his secretary.

12. Severine

13. Severine
What are your thoughts on Severine and her representation?
When Bond and Severine meet in the casino, her hands start
shaking indicating her fear, suggesting she is vulnerable and in
need of help.
Severine was served as an object of sexual gratification for both
men, Bond and Silva.
Her character reinforces Laura Mulvey’s ‘male gaze’ concept
(1975), arguing women are often presented as passive
sexualised ‘objects’ for the pleasure of the male gaze.

14. Debate: Gender power
Which character is represented as being more
dominant; M or Bond?
Discuss and write down your response. Please
explain your choice.

15. M & Bond
M may hold the highest position of power as the head of the Foreign
Intelligence Wing, but she constantly makes poor decisions that cost
numerous people their lives.
For example, Silva holds her responsible for being tortured by the Chinese
and plans a cyber attack against her and MI6. M is also forced to go on trial
to defend the competency of her programme.
M is asked to retire from her position, being informed she has become too
old to handle matters properly. Her position is then filled by a presumably
more capable man, Gareth Mallory.
Silva: “You’re smaller than I remembered”
Bond both kidnaps and recues M. This is surprising given M is Bond’s boss
and in a superior position of power and authority.

16. Women
Has the representation of women been
empowered?
All three women were shown to be inept at
their jobs and ended up dead or in a
subservient position. It seems the women are
positioned merely to be decorative foils for
Bond’s masculinity.

17. Representations: Masculinity

18. Representations: Masculinity

21. Homework question:
How is masculinity represented in Skyfall?
OR
Has the representation of women been shown
in a positive, empowered way?
Mini essay – paragraphs and examples from
the film in support.
Due: Wednesday 8th Oct

22. Representations: The monstrous ‘other’

23. Ethnicity
• Patrice
• Silva
• Severine
• Moneypenny
• Bond/M/Mallory/Q

24. Britishness
“The connection between James Bond and British identity is visually achieved through the alignment
of the title character with notable British popular cultural iconography, including images of Big Ben, the
Thames, and Whitehall.”
Funnell, Lisa (2011) ‘‘I Know Where You Keep Your Gun’’: Daniel Craig as the Bond–Bond Girl Hybrid
in Casino Royale. The Journal of Popular Culture, Vol. 44, No. 3, p.458

25. Britishness
• Nostalgia
• Austerity Britain: ‘Keep calm and carry on’ mentality.

27. Britishness
• Visit Britain advert

28. Representations of London
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl218z68iC4#t=82
Skyfall London Videoblog

29. Representations of Shangai

30. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHhwNUGGlO4
• Skyfall Shanghai Video Blog

31. Istanbul
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10SLdjx5gkw
• Skyfall Istanbul Video Blog