Why Is James Bond So Popular?

   There have been 18 Bond movies, many books, and much much more things on James Bond and yet he is as popular today as he was in the 60's and 70's. In fact John F. Kennedy's favorite books were James Bond books. How has this franchise survived such a long time? How long will it last? Why is James Bond so popular? I will try to explain what I think about this as best as I can.

    There have been many sequels to popular movies but most are much worst than the original. Yet all of the Bond films are good and have about equal profits (with a few exceptions). I think this is because James Bond films are not true sequels. They all have different plots, bad guys (most of the bond films), cars, gadgets, Bond Girls, and more. The only thing that is really the same about all the films is that they have James Bond, Q (the films not the books), and Moneypenny in them.  Maybe that is why the James Bond Franchise has lasted so long and in my opinion will last long after the new millennium.

    Why is James Bond so popular? Possibly because James Bond is as close to perfect as you get. He is what every one of us wants to be deep inside our hearts. He never makes mistakes. He seems invincible. He comes out of all he missions alive. He always has the best cars, food etc... His missions take place at luxurious locations. And he always gets all the girls! That is he is so popular and 70% of the world has heard of him!

    That is what I think on this issue. Since I am the maker and owner of this site I invite everyone's views on this. Send them to me by e-mail and if I think they are good enough I will publish them on my site.

Here is what Luxurypuff wrote:

    The reason I believe James Bond is so popular is just because he is just so cool. He has great phrases that we all remember such as the immortal "Bond, James Bond" or "Shaken, not stirred" He has an impeccable since of style and has a suave, witty since of humor. He always has the fanciest most awesome cars and really cool gadgets. Not to mention the gorgeous women always is involved with. I also think a lot of men fantasize about his lifestyle the constant on-the-edge excitement and danger, the beautiful women at your side, the exotic locales he always often frequents, the phrases, the attitude, all of this makes up the mystique of Bond.

Here is what Allan Tongco wrote:

    James Bond is arguably the best-known character in motion picture history whose cinematic exploits have been watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide. Since Ian Fleming introduced him in 1953, our fascination about Bond has never waned, and for some fans, verges on obsession. ( Like myself and I hope you too). Hundreds of internet sites pay homage to Agent 007, videogames, cigarette lighters and toy cars rake in the millions of dollars each year. A University on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts is said to offer no fewer than 11 courses about Bond. But the Bond phenomenon, while remarkable, also is puzzling after nearly 45 years. Why, for instance, is society so absorbed with a character who changes so little from film to film? Why do moviegoers pay to see adventures that follow a set, static formula? And why do Bond's hallmarks - carefree sex and gratuitous violence - still appeal to film audiences amid the austere ethics of the 90's? Bond appears to live for some time. That means more gadgets, more stunts, more sultry women, more exotic locales, more gambling and more evil geniuses who, for all their cunning. never seem capable of killing Bond once they capture them. For many fans, Bond's appeal lies in his role as a handsome, potent sex machine. "James Bond is a sexual superman" He is perpetually young, virile, potent which you don't find anywhere in this world that often, maybe never. Men would especially like/want to be like him. He continues to excite and entice. He is sort of like a present survival kit. Men would like to imitate him, or at least his success - and women are excited by him. Fleming once explained his character this way: " He's what every man would like to be but knows damn well he can't be." Fleming pictured Bond as a rouge, a high-stakes gambler who just happens to be in a position of power that has him battling bent on conquering the world or triggering nuclear apocalypse. Bond's allure lies partly in his control over his own destiny and those of others. He can kill, and he is forgiven. At the same time he can have all these beautiful women and drop them wherever he wants to. So it's a power principle. Helping boost 007's power trip are the eye-popping gadgets supplied by Q, the crotchety gadget master. The high-tech toys, are also a big part of Bond's attraction. The high-tech stuff is very important because it's high-performance, it's very phallic. Men like high-performing machinery, and women too. Bond was a cultural figure associated with a young president (Kennedy) dealing with the Soviets so he became psychologically an outlet for for our anxiety over bombs and missiles and devious people. As for why he is still out there, I don't know. I suppose parents passed this cultural figure down from generation to generation. In the end, maybe people like Bond just because he is our own version of a heroic myth. Think about Bond as an Odysseus of our century. He's just simply a re-creation of all great heroes of ancient myths. I just hope these all would help you identify why Bond fever will live for long.

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