The Man with the Golden Gun: Historical Context (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Media Studies): Revision Note

Product context: The Man with the Golden Gun

• The film was released on 19 December 1974

  • It starred Roger Moore in his second appearance as Bond

  • It was based on the novel by Ian Fleming

• The film was produced by Eon Productions and distributed by United Artists

• It had a budget of approximately $7 million and achieved a box office revenue of around $97 million

• The poster artwork was created by Robert McGinnis

Social and cultural context

• The film features Kung Fu

  • This reflects the popularity of martial arts at the time due to stars such as Bruce Lee

• It was filmed in locations across Asia, including Hong Kong, Thailand, and Macau

• During this period, men were often portrayed as dominant, while women were frequently objectified; however, the poster does include a strong female figure

• Minority ethnic groups were often represented as dangerous or exotic, and sometimes portrayed in ways that encouraged audiences to pity or laugh at them

Historical and political context

• The film is set during the 1973 Energy Crisis

  • This is hinted at in the poster through the image of a power plant in the lower left corner and an energy beam aimed at Bond

• Prior to 1990, illustrated posters were more common due to the limitations of available technology

Target audience

• The long-running Bond franchise has an established fan base

• It receives global distribution

  • This allows it to reach a very large international audience

• Unlike many media products, it is difficult to define a specific target audience for Bond

• This is because the franchise has existed for many decades and appeals to multiple generations

• The films achieve mass audience appeal by combining action, spectacle, and recognisable characters

• The franchise has strong commercial appeal which contributes to its consistent global box office success