A new season at the British Film Institute brings with it new films for audiences to revisit, with two classic James Bond films among the offerings to kick off 2024. However, viewers who attend screenings of the films will first be greeted by trigger warnings for content that may “cause offence today.”
The chosen Bond films, Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, were hit with the trigger warnings as part of a decision by the BFI due to “content that reflects views prevalent” of the time, according to The Guardian. It was part of a blanket warning attached to the films being presented by the BFI as a tribute to composer John Barry, including the two chosen Bond films.
In the case of 1964's Goldfinger, the film has been criticized for its depiction of Bond's interactions with the titular villain's henchwoman Pussy Galore including one scene in a barn where he appears to force himself on her. The film has also drawn ire for its depiction of the villainous henchman Oddjob, citing how the film and Ian Fleming's original book presents the character's cleft palate and Korean heritage.
You Only Live Twice, originally released in 1967, does not fare much better as the film has drawn plenty of criticism for a scene where lead star Sean Connery tries to pass himself off as a Japanese man.
Additional films scored by Barry covered by the trigger warning include Deadfall, The Ipcress Files, Boom, and Four in the Morning.
“As a cultural charity with responsibility for the preservation of film and moving image work and presenting it to audiences, we continuously face and deal with challenges presented by the history of film and television programmes and how they reflect views prevalent to their time,” a BFI spokesperson told The Guardian.
“The trigger warnings/content warnings that we provide in all of our exhibition spaces and online platforms act as guidance that a film or work reflects views of the time in which they were made and which may cause offence.”
The trigger warnings attached may not come as a surprise to some audience members, especially in the case of early James Bond films. Despite the series' longevity and popularity, it has been noted how earlier films have not aged well due to reliance on cultural and racial stereotypes when depicting villains.
Follow Us
Subscribe