This document analyzes how James Bond movie posters have semiotically transformed over time to reflect changes in the Bond character and films. It discusses posters from 1962, 1963, 1979, 1995, 2002, 2006, and 2008, noting shifts from an emphasis on sex appeal and flamboyance to a darker and grittier tone that focuses more on action and partnership with women. Overall, the posters trace Bond's evolution from stylish womanizer to a more serious and determined secret agent.

1. SEMIOTICS IN JAMES BOND MOVIE POSTERS Ashvin George Gaurav Banerjee Gourav Sinha Lakshmi Madhavan Neha Vyas Ruchika Rathi Saloni Handa

2. INTRODUCTION James Bond 007 is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections Longest running and most financially successful English language film franchise to date First movie made in 1962 - Dr. No The character of Bond has undergone several transformations, and so have his surroundings We attempt to unearth some of these changes in the life of this Secret Agent through a semiotic analysis of a few James Bond posters

4. 1962 SIGNIFIER : Immaculate dress, replete with bow tie SIGNIFIED : A well groomed individual, stylish to boot SIGNIFIER : Cigarette in one hand, smoking gun in the other, and a smirk on the face SIGNIFIED : A man who is the spitting image of machoism, intrepidity and self assuredness SIGNIFIER : Bond resting his elbow on one knee and leaning forward SIGNIFIED : Approachability of Bond as an individual, despite his hallowed 007 status

5. SIGNIFIER : Four skimpily clad alluring women alongside Bond posing for the onlooker SIGNIFIED : The promise of sex and titillation in the movie, with an in your face sexuality exuded by the poster SIGNIFIER : The villain standing at an absolute corner of the poster in a rigid pose, dressed in complete white, looking away from the onlooker, and also being the only person in the poster who is not smiling SIGNIFIED : The detachment of the villain from the other normal individuals in the poster as well as most of humanity in general, with the villain lost in his own evil machinations

7. 1963 SIGNIFIER : The typical James Bond Pose SIGNIFIED : Readiness and the mixture of style and panache with alacrity SIGNIFIER : Focus on the seductiveness of the woman on Bond's right hand side, along with focus on the breasts in the fight on the bottom left corner SIGNIFIED : The promise of attractive women being used for sexual titillation yet again

8. SIGNIFIER : The Hammer and Sickle sign in the word LOVE SIGNIFIED : The fight between capitalism and communism, with the usage in the word LOVE adding to the sardonic humour which is present in Bond movies SIGNIFIER : The belly dancer on the right SIGNIFIED : More exotic locales in the movie SIGNIFIER : The helicopter and the train in the background SIGNIFIED : More adventure and more action in the movie

10. 1979 SIGNIFIER : The space shuttle setting and people in space suits SIGNIFIED : An introduction to hi-tech gadgetry in Bond movies SIGNIFIER : The menacing individual with outstretched arms behind Bond SIGNIFIED : A growing sense of unpredictability along with the addition of more threats and menaces for Bond SIGNIFIER : The presence of one woman leaning against Bond while the other women are onlookers SIGNIFIED : A change in the concept of the Bond girl, with the Bond girl moving to a position of greater equality from being a damsel in distress

12. 1995 SIGNIFIER : Excessive use of gold, yellow and red in the colour palette SIGNIFIED : A larger than life picture, with the secret agent being reinvented yet again SIGNIFIER : Focus on the faces of the protagonists SIGNIFIED : A move away from the sexuality and sensuousness of Bond posters SIGNIFIER : Bond running SIGNIFIED : Tougher opposition stretching Bond to the limit

14. 2002 SIGNIFIER : The woman sitting in front of James Bond SIGNIFIED : A complete role reversal for the Bond girl, with the girl now taking centre stage and fighting alongside Bond as probably more than an equal SIGNIFIER : Greater presence of cars, skis and more depiction of action in the poster SIGNIFIED : Change from the older, more placid Bond who was less prone to intense physical exertion to an agent who relishes the idea of a good chase

16. 2006 SIGNIFIER : Greater shades of blue and grey in the colour palette SIGNIFIED : Shift from larger than life image to a more down to earth agent with more troubles and dangers in his life SIGNIFIER : Removal of the bow tie SIGNIFIED : More emphasis on function and less stress on style in terms of impeccable dressing SIGNIFIER : Bond's gaze not engaging the onlooker SIGNIFIED : A more purposeful and determined Bond

17. SIGNIFIER : Bond not in a stationary pose in the poster SIGNIFIED : Bond is not playing to the gallery anymore, as his priority is his job and not the accolades SIGNIFIER : The woman looking at Bond and not at the audience SIGNIFIED : The relations formed are more personal, with the woman being an integral part of Bond's life and not a prop used to provide titillation to the audiences

19. 2008 SIGNIFIER : Almost black and white background SIGNIFIED : A more menacing look to the surroundings, with the old building in the background looking threatening at a distance SIGNIFIER : Bond's ready to shoot pose without the general self assured smile SIGNIFIED : A darker scenario, with Bond being stripped of the poise and calmness in the new surroundings SIGNIFIER : No female presence in the poster SIGNIFIED : Complete detachment from the earlier association of Bond with sex, with duty and efficiency taking over the core of Bond movies

21. Even though Bond has retained his panache, the sense of style has become more realistic

22. The role of the Bond girl has moved from being a sex object to an equal partner of Bond

23. The Bond movies have also been highly political (From Russia With Love during cold war)