Knowt
'Swinging' 1960s Context
The Spy Genre:
Originated in around the 30s but it’s popularity was boosted in the 60s with the first James Bond film
Many men aspired to be like Bond
Often sexualised women
New Generation:
Young people started to move away from traditional values and began to make their own opinions including:
New fashion styles originated around this time e.g: miniskirt
Women didn’t have to be as modest and misogyny was less prevalent than before (feminism)
The Civil Rights Movement was happening at this time (shows that people had new opinions on racism)
Sexuality was explored more
Contraception was made more readily available
Music:
Music was new and different
Big bands started to form e.g: The Beatles
Music started to have lyrics that went against the government/authorities or encouraged rebellion
Drugs:
Recreational drugs were at their height during this time
The most prevalent drugs used were marijuana and LSD
The effects of these drugs were reflected in psychedelic music (and other artforms) at the time
Sexuality:
1965 → it was attempted to introduce a law to legalise homosexual actions but the politician lost and lost his seat in Parliament
People endured torture in mental institutions or went to prison for being homosexual
Many people were extremely homophobic in the 60s and some still are today
Some homosexual characters were illegally sneaked into TV shows at the time
Same-sex marriage was not made legal until 2014 (in the UK)
Cold War:
Lasted 50 years approx - 1941-91
People argued that it was at its most intense in 1962 due to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Many people were scared that there would be a hot war and people would have to go through something similar to WW2 again
Since the 60s weren’t too long after WW2 ended, people were more intense as many alive at that time had lived through WW2 and may have experienced trauma due to it
People feared Russian spies due to propaganda and ignorance
Application:
Gender - Peel is an atypical female character
Race - The episode contains mostly white characters
Music - The music used in Little Bazely is outdated, showing that the town is abnormal and that there may be something suspicious about it. This is an example of how mise en scene is used to create an eerie atmosphere throughout the episode.
Spy - Steed is supposed to replicate Bond in a way, and be a character that is idolised by men. Although this increased the show’s popularity, it wasn’t done for financial reasons as the show aired on ITV, a channel which is advertiser-funded, whereas BBC is funded by the public.
Propaganda - The episode can be interpreted as a kind of propaganda due to the implication that the people in Little Bazely are brainwashed by communism and possibly the USSR. This reinforced the paranoia amongst the public that was sparked by the media’s nerve-wracking portrayal of the Cold War.
'Swinging' 1960s Context
The Spy Genre:
Originated in around the 30s but it’s popularity was boosted in the 60s with the first James Bond film
Many men aspired to be like Bond
Often sexualised women
New Generation:
Young people started to move away from traditional values and began to make their own opinions including:
New fashion styles originated around this time e.g: miniskirt
Women didn’t have to be as modest and misogyny was less prevalent than before (feminism)
The Civil Rights Movement was happening at this time (shows that people had new opinions on racism)
Sexuality was explored more
Contraception was made more readily available
Music:
Music was new and different
Big bands started to form e.g: The Beatles
Music started to have lyrics that went against the government/authorities or encouraged rebellion
Drugs:
Recreational drugs were at their height during this time
The most prevalent drugs used were marijuana and LSD
The effects of these drugs were reflected in psychedelic music (and other artforms) at the time
Sexuality:
1965 → it was attempted to introduce a law to legalise homosexual actions but the politician lost and lost his seat in Parliament
People endured torture in mental institutions or went to prison for being homosexual
Many people were extremely homophobic in the 60s and some still are today
Some homosexual characters were illegally sneaked into TV shows at the time
Same-sex marriage was not made legal until 2014 (in the UK)
Cold War:
Lasted 50 years approx - 1941-91
People argued that it was at its most intense in 1962 due to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Many people were scared that there would be a hot war and people would have to go through something similar to WW2 again
Since the 60s weren’t too long after WW2 ended, people were more intense as many alive at that time had lived through WW2 and may have experienced trauma due to it
People feared Russian spies due to propaganda and ignorance
Application:
Gender - Peel is an atypical female character
Race - The episode contains mostly white characters
Music - The music used in Little Bazely is outdated, showing that the town is abnormal and that there may be something suspicious about it. This is an example of how mise en scene is used to create an eerie atmosphere throughout the episode.
Spy - Steed is supposed to replicate Bond in a way, and be a character that is idolised by men. Although this increased the show’s popularity, it wasn’t done for financial reasons as the show aired on ITV, a channel which is advertiser-funded, whereas BBC is funded by the public.
Propaganda - The episode can be interpreted as a kind of propaganda due to the implication that the people in Little Bazely are brainwashed by communism and possibly the USSR. This reinforced the paranoia amongst the public that was sparked by the media’s nerve-wracking portrayal of the Cold War.
