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

Media language analysis

• The poster uses media language to communicate genre and narrative to the audience

Technical Codes

• A mid shot of Bond creates a central image

  • This shows he is dominant and clearly the hero

• The credit block at the bottom is small, making it less important, but it still includes key information

• The title is placed in the lower third but is large, making it more important

• The actor’s name appears at the top in colour, showing it is very important

• The writer’s name is used to highlight their reputation

• A long shot of a karate girl challenges stereotypes, but also suggests an ‘exotic’ ethnic stereotype

• The use of hand-drawn images reflects the limited technology available in 1974

Visual Codes

• The 007 logo at the top is recognisable

  • This encourages the audience to watch the film

• Bond looks directly at the audience (direct address), showing he is confident and strong

  • His suit represents him as smart, sophisticated, and the hero

• A bright colour palette is eye-catching and exciting, fitting the action/spy genre

• The use of multiple images helps communicate the narrative

• Bond holding a gun signifies danger and action, and acts as part of his “uniform”

  • This creates intertextuality with other Bond posters

• The woman’s bikinis reflect typical older posters and show sexualisation

• The body language suggests narrative tension: one woman appears to be looking at the golden gun assassin and pointing at Bond, while the other woman has her arm out to protect him

  • This raises the question of whether they are allies or enemies

Narrative

• The images on the poster act as Action Codes

  • This suggests possible events that might happen in the film and helping to build audience expectations

• The golden gun symbolises:

  • Wealth

  • Danger

• The golden gun being aimed at Bond suggests the villain is trying to kill him

• The bullet marked “007” reinforces that Bond is the specific target

  • This increases the sense of threat

• An extreme close-up shot of the gun and bullet emphasises their importance and creates intensity

• The poster suggests the film will include action-packed sequences, including:

  • Car chases

  • Crashes

  • Explosions

• These elements are typical conventions of the action-adventure genre, signalling a fast-paced and exciting narrative