∷宋云峰
《諾博士》電影海報
James Bond Movies—the Most Successful Film Sequels in the World
從1962年的《諾博士》上映到2012年的《大破天幕殺機》,007系列電影已經(jīng)拍攝了24部,分別有6位長相與個性迥異的演員飾演了影片的主角邦德,眾多不同國家的美女出演過邦德女郎,其總票房收入超過60億美元(僅次于《哈利·波特》系列電影),但如果考慮到通貨膨脹因素,007電影的票房總收入已超過100億美元,穩(wěn)居影史第一位??梢哉f,邦德已經(jīng)成為一個突出的英國文化符號,體現(xiàn)了英國通過電影在全球塑造英國身份和形象的軟實力。
The James Bond film series is a British series of spy films based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond, “007”, who originally appeared in a series of books by Ian Fleming.
It is one of the longest continually-running film series in history, having been in on-going production from 1962 to the present (the latest sequel in 2012).
During the period Eon Productions has produced 24 films, most of them at Pinewood Studios in London. As of March 2013, the series has grossed just over US$6 billion, making it the second-highestgrossing film series (behind Harry Potter), and the single most successful adjusted for in flation.
Six actors have portrayed 007 in the Eon series,the latest being Daniel Craig.
To the world-wide audience, James Bond represents the British image and identity disregarding the exaggeration and distortion.
邦德扮演者肖恩·康納利
邦德扮演者羅杰·摩爾
邦德扮演者皮爾斯·布魯斯南
美國學(xué)者本尼迪克特·安德森認(rèn)為個人對一個國家/民族的認(rèn)知是通過想象的,國家就是一個想象的共同體,而電影則通過無遠(yuǎn)弗屆的形象有效地構(gòu)建著各種想象共同體并影響著個人對國家/民族意識的認(rèn)同。邦德系列電影正是對英國想象共同體構(gòu)建的成功范例。
Benedict Anderson defined a nation as “an imagined political community—and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign.” Members hold in their minds a mental image of their affinity: For example, the nationhood felt with other members of your nation when your “imagined community”participates in a larger event such as the Olympic Games. As Anderson puts it, a nation “is imagined because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellowmembers, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion.” The media also create imagined communities, through usually targeting a mass audience or generalizing and addressing citizens as the public.
Ian Fleming (1908—1964) and His Spy Novels on James Bond (1953—1964)
說到007電影和邦德,就不得不提邦德的創(chuàng)造者伊安·弗萊明(1908—1964)。弗萊明在二戰(zhàn)期間曾經(jīng)為英國的情報部門工作,接觸過許多特工,為后來從事間諜小說創(chuàng)作打下了深厚的基礎(chǔ)。自1952年發(fā)表《皇家賭場》到1966年為止,弗萊明共出版以英國特工邦德為主角的長篇小說11部以及短篇小說集兩部,總銷量過億冊,成為全球最暢銷的系列小說作者之一,深刻地影響了冷戰(zhàn)時期的間諜小說創(chuàng)作,并為007系列電影的改編提供了豐富的文學(xué)來源。
Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952. It was a success.
Eleven Bond novels and two short-story collections followed between 1953 and 1966.
Bond novels caused spy novel fever against the background of the Cold War.
The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of“The 50 greatest British writers since 1945”.
弗萊明將邦德塑造成一個新時代的英國紳士——高大、帥氣,擁有多項過人的技能以及獨一無二的殺人執(zhí)照,但同時又具有人性的弱點,例如抽煙、喝酒、飆車、風(fēng)流,既令讀者羨慕驚嘆,又在生活上拉近了與讀者的距離。007系列影片中邦德的扮演者就是根據(jù)弗萊明的文字描述選取的。
Fleming portrayed Bond as a tall, athletic, handsome secret agent in his thirties or forties.
He has several vices including drinking, smoking,gambling, automobiles and women.
He is an exceptional marksman, and skilled in unarmed combat, skiing, swimming and golf.
While Bond kills without hesitation or regret, he usually kills only when carrying out orders, while acting in self-defense and occasionally as revenge.
Major Themes of the Movie Series—Western Ideology and British Values
007系列電影的主題與小說是一致的,體現(xiàn)了西方在冷戰(zhàn)時期的意識形態(tài)和英國的主流價值觀,例如懷念大英帝國昔日的輝煌、糾結(jié)英國二戰(zhàn)后日益衰落的大國地位、探討二戰(zhàn)對世界格局和具體國家的影響、展示善與惡的對比和對決、凸顯英國與美國的特殊關(guān)系(通常是:在拯救世界的過程中,英國的007為主角,而美國的CIA特工則是配角)、描述人際關(guān)系中的忠誠與背叛等等。其敘事結(jié)構(gòu)通過二元對立制造矛盾和張力,以達(dá)到引人入勝的效果。
A series of oppositions within the storylines that provide interesting structure and narrative:
邦女郎扮演者法米克·詹森
邦女郎扮演者娜奧米·哈里斯
Bond—M
Bond—Villain
Villain—Woman
Woman—Bond
Free World—Soviet Union
Great Britain—Non-Anglo-Saxon Countries
Duty—Sacrifice
Cupidity—Ideals
Love—Death
Chance—Planning
Luxury—Discomfort
Excess—Moderation
Perversion—Innocence
Loyalty—Dishonour
邦女郎扮演者楊紫瓊
Many Faces of the British Identity—Actors Who Played James Bond
通過選用英國不同族群的男演員來飾演影片的主角邦德,007系列電影既達(dá)到了吸引觀眾參與遴選過程并對影片保持興趣的目的,也通過不同族裔的007扮演者不知不覺地強化了英國和世界觀眾對英國文化和國家身份的認(rèn)同??导{利、摩爾、道爾頓、布魯斯南等007扮演者分別來自英國的四個地區(qū)(分別具有蘇格蘭、英格蘭、威爾士和愛爾蘭血統(tǒng))。另外,影片還通過諸如紳士風(fēng)度、英式幽默、女王、大英帝國、首相官邸、軍情六處、英國跑車(阿斯頓·馬?。┑扔赝癸@英國的文化與國家身份。
Bond Girls—Decoration and Male Gaze in the British Context
除了邦德和他的助手,每部影片里都有美女角色若干,襯托邦德的風(fēng)流倜儻和紳士風(fēng)度,這些美女大都是影片為了吸引男性觀眾而設(shè)置的“花瓶”,供觀眾觀賞,也彰顯出影片的男權(quán)格調(diào)和英國主題。其中只有個別邦德女郎既漂亮又能干還不乏幽默感(如楊紫瓊在《明日帝國》中扮演的文武雙全的林慧)體現(xiàn)了現(xiàn)代社會的男女平等精神。
A Bond girl is a character (or the actress portraying a character) who is a love interest of James Bond.
There is no set rule on what kind of person a Bond girl will be or what role she will play. She may be an ally or an enemy of Bond, pivotal to the mission or simply eye candy.
All bond girls counted, they are of at least 30 different nationalities, serving not only as the love interest of James Bond in the movie, but also as object of desire for the audience (esp. male audience) across the world.
通過以上簡介,我們可以清楚地看出英國電影最大限度地利用其文學(xué)遺產(chǎn),在冷戰(zhàn)的新形勢下通過007系列影片及其主角邦德來塑造英國的文化形象和構(gòu)建英國的國家身份。雖然英國在戰(zhàn)后已淪落為二流國家,但是其文化軟實力通過邦德的形象和電影媒介積極地影響了世界各國對英國文化的認(rèn)知以及英國國民對其國家身份的認(rèn)同。這很值得其他國家借鑒。