How James Bond transformed the Mexican ‘Day of the Dead’
The opening scene of any given James Bond movie is often a thing of true cinematic beauty, with audiences finding 007 in a mysterious and exotic location on a secret mission, laying the groundwork for the action that will follow throughout the proceeding runtime. Immediately, we think of Roger Moore skiing off a cliff before unleashing his Union Jack parachute in The Spy Who Loved Me or Pierce Brosnan bungee jumping off a dam in GoldenEye.
But we also consider the more contemporary Bond efforts, including several of Daniel Craig’s performances. For instance, he was very nearly killed at the beginning of Skyfall, and the parkour at the opening of Casino Royale was nothing short of mesmerising. Pretty much all of Craig’s Bond movies have seen him impress from the off, and one of the most memorable is 2015’s Spectre.
The film begins with 007 tasked with taking down a terrorist in Mexico City during the infamous Day of the Dead parade in which several giant floats, live music performances and skeleton-dressed party-goers make their way down the street. The scene is entirely captivating and chaotically brilliant, and best of all, it’s all real.
The Day of the Dead is not just the backdrop for the action but is a unique reshaping of the celebration; the tradition has always been the most prominent spectacle of Mexican culture, but the parade on screen is a cinematic tour de force in its own right. Most interestingly, though, before Spectre, the Day of the Dead parade wasn’t half what it would become.
The Mexican government had paid Sony during production to depict Mexico as culturally beautiful, thus increasing its touristic appeal. This move worked brilliantly as tourists from all across the world did indeed begin to flock to Mexico to take part in the parade. However, the parade on screen was nowhere to be seen then, so city officials and the government had to make good on their promise and deliver what so many had come to expect.
Día de Muertos had previously been a more private family event, but following the spectacle of Spectre, it became a national carnival and a global phenomenon. The reinterpretation of the holiday was so good that it forever shaped the holiday itself, proving once again the great power that the cinematic medium possesses.
Spectre still managed to treat the Day of the Dead with respect, though, where it is woven into the typical spy narrative with care and attention to the fact that the holiday is used to remember those who have departed from this world, a theme which is found through Bond’s own particular narrative in the film.
The 2015 Bond movie forever changed the world’s perception of the Mexican Day of the Dead, introducing the very concept of the Día de los Muertos to a widespread audience while still giving due respect to its cultural significance. In one way, it transcended the nature of cinema, sparking real-life celebrations, raising global awareness, and forming how the loved tradition is portrayed in the media.
Check out the legendary scene below.
