Skyfallthe 23rd installment of the James Bond franchisewas the highest-grossing Bond film ever and the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time (not adjusted for inflation). It was the biggest film ever released in the UK. For many critics, director Sam Mendes' Bond was one of the most cerebral and most beautifully filmed offerings in the franchise. Fans also appreciated the ways in which Skyfall built on the Bond franchise but continued to pave a new direction forward. The elements that we know and love in any Bond filmthe recognizable opening action sequence, the emblematic opening song and titles, gadgets, excellent chase scenes, a stellar villain, a 'Bond girl,' and the global trekking of Bondwill, to some extent or another, be present in Bond 24. Skyfall used all of these recognizable Bond elements but notably modified a number of them, which perhaps led to the film's popularity with both critics and fans. We know a few things about Bond 24namely that Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes will returnbut many of the other casting and plot details remain murky. Even with these unknowns, we can use the aesthetic and commercial success of Skyfall as a barometer of things to come. So, let's take a moment to reflect on 9 lessons Bond 24 should learn from Skyfall. Please offer your comments on the directions that Bond 24 will take. I would be curious to hear your views. What's fun about the Bond films are the conversations that they inspire!
Scott A. Lukas
Contributor
Scott A. Lukas has taught anthropology and sociology Lake Tahoe Community College for sixteen years and in 2013 was Visiting Professor of American Studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. He has been recognized with the McGraw-Hill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology by the American Anthropological Association (2005), the California Hayward Award for Excellence in Education (2003), and a Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program Award in Literary–Professional (2009). In 2006, he was a nominee to the California Community College Board of Governors. He is the author/editor of The Immersive Worlds Handbook (2012), Theme Park (2008), The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nature, and Self (2007), Fear, Cultural Anxiety, and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films Remade, (co-edited with John Marmysz, 2009), Recent Developments in Criminological Theory (co-edited with Stuart Henry, 2009), and Strategies in Teaching Anthropology (2010). His book Theme Park was recently translated into Arabic. He appeared in the documentary The Nature of Existence and has provided interviews for To the Best of Our Knowledge, The Huffington Post UK, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, and Caravan (India).
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