The realistic gadgetry thread

shadowonthesun

Ever since Q was left out of the franchise, there have been calls from fans to bring him back to the films. And there has always been the suggestion from EON that staples of the franchise - like Q and Moneypenny - could slowly be re-introduced. But if Q were to come back, he'd need to provide Bond with some field equipment, and so we come to the purpose of this discussion, <b>the realistic gadgetry thread</b>. The objective is to field suggestions about the kind of equpiment Q could provide Bond with, given the series' renewed focus on realism.

Here are a few suggestions to get started:

A Bond car with a) 'heat stealth', a system of pipes that pump liquid nitrogen through the car to lower the internal temperature and make the car invisible to thermal imaging; b) deadbolts hidden in the doors that can be engaged (immobilising the car in the process) to turn the car into a mobile prison; c) a satellite navigation system that connects to a local spy satellite rather than a GPS satellite; d) high-definition 'parking assist' cameras that can be used for surveillance; and e) an in-car radio that can be used to eavesdrop on radio conversations and triangulate the positions of speakers.

Any other suggestions?

Virage

An Updated version of The Attaché Case that was cut from GF.
The DB5 Gun tray cut from GF.

obin_gam

^ The attaché case is a must! Make it a fake-bottomed one with a ipad-esque computer in it together with some trip mines, some cash, some fake IDs... that sort of stuff. A sort of portable HQ so he doesn't need to contact London to get what he needs every time.

... and of course a throwing knife that shoots out like a projectile :D

NicNac

These days we all walk around with gadgets (iphones, ipads) so it would certainly need to be something with the wow factor to impress the current generation.

shadowonthesun

Indeed. The problem is that things can easily get too outlandish. Although I didn't like Jeffrey Deaver's "there's an app for that" approach. I knew a guy who spent the better part of eight months developing an iPhone app (only to be beaten to the punch by about three months), so I find the idea that Q-Branch could develop one in the space of eight hours to be far-fetched at best.

Also, I think the time for gadgets that fulfil a very specific purpose as passed (for example, Bond needs a skeleton key, fingerprint scanner and security charger to infiltrate Elliot Carver's Hamburg headquarters, and his mobile phone just so happens to have all three - the first, last and only time he uses two of them). Given Q's ability to predict exactly what Bond would need, I often wondered why MI6 even bothered with Bond instead of just asking Q what was happening, given his near-precognitive powers.

Samuel001

I think Q needs to give Bond things he may not even need in the current film so he either tries to use them and they don't work, he doesn't need or use them at all, or maybe returns them to Major Boothroyd (which I think he now should be called) after the mission is completed.

As far what he arms Bond with why not just normal everyday tech that Bond make not own or have on his person? What do normal spies or members of MI6 use today?

thelivingroyale

a watch with a lock pick and/or a cyanide pill hidden in it for emergencies is my favorite idea that I've come up with. the spiked shoe in FRWL could make a return maybe???

Baltimore_007

I think that's the problem with Bond today,. everything is so technical, Craig's first outing was more centered on cell phones and modern day technology than anything else it seemed at times, I realize this is the day and age we live in but I do miss to a degree the days of when Connery/Bond just went in to missions with his wits and bare essentials and got the job done

shadowonthesun

I was hoping this thread would be more about coming up with ideas for gadgets that could reasonably be used in the Age of Craig, rather than a general discussion about the place of gadgets. For example, Bond could use cigarette "lock-busters": the yellow filter of a cigarette is packed with a low-density plastic explosive, white the elongated white section is a five-second fuse. Bond places the yellow end into a lock, then lights the white end, triggering the explosion five seconds later, which had enough force to break open a lock.

Virage

Watched Dr. Who "The Girl Who Waited". A Pair of glasses like rory's.

JWESTBROOK

I was hoping this thread would be more about coming up with ideas for gadgets that could reasonably be used in the Age of Craig, rather than a general discussion about the place of gadgets. For example, Bond could use cigarette "lock-busters": the yellow filter of a cigarette is packed with a low-density plastic explosive, white the elongated white section is a five-second fuse. Bond places the yellow end into a lock, then lights the white end, triggering the explosion five seconds later, which had enough force to break open a lock.

Or he could just break some more pairs of sunglasses. (QoS)


I pick ;)

Char35t

i came up with a few in the screen play we were working on....

1) a leather belt with a hidden diamond tipped hand chain saw.
2. a over coat that when reversed and a few buttons are popped becomes an instant gillie suit.
3. an ipod that be used as a scanner and remote computer interface/hacker.
4. poison/sleeping agent filled cuff links.
5. fiberglass knife in laptop lib with rope handle from hat liner, extra shoe lace or extra earphones.
6. digital handkerchief that can scan papers, indents left on papers, pictures or ids has a small microchip in one of the corners.

shadowonthesun

A few other ideas that I've had:

- A mobile phone that uses the camera function to take a photo of a person's iris, before transferring the image onto a contact lens concealed in the back (the process takes an hour or so). Could be used to fool an iris scanner; Bond could use it on his own eye, take the lens out early and use it to "prove" he is not James Bond.
- A cologne bottle that contains a residue which is odourless to the human nose (possibly because it is mixed in with a masking agent) but can confuse detection dogs into believing they have found a scent.
- A dummy zippo cigarette lighter that appears to be broken, but actually releases a spray of anaestetic or muscle relaxant gas when the plunger is depressed, allowing Bond to incapacitate a sentry.

thelivingroyale

bond presses a button and the roof of his car flies of, bond is wearing a parachute and pulls the cord, sending him flying to safety as his car goes of a cliff followed by his pursuers.

thelivingroyale

a stick of deodarant that contains knockout gas???

QBranch

Everything's electronic these days, so Bond can't be without some sort of hacking device. Remember those credit card scanners that you wave across someone's back pocket? Maybe Bond can use similar technology to attain other info gathering.

shadowonthesun

Ugh, "hacking".

DarthDimi

Very Splinter Cell-ish, the hacking is.

Agent7F

Now that Q back, everything o'right. Now what sought of cell/mobile phone he issue 007?

Ludovico

shadowonthesun wrote:

Indeed. The problem is that things can easily get too outlandish. Although I didn't like Jeffrey Deaver's "there's an app for that" approach. I knew a guy who spent the better part of eight months developing an iPhone app (only to be beaten to the punch by about three months), so I find the idea that Q-Branch could develop one in the space of eight hours to be far-fetched at best.

Also, I think the time for gadgets that fulfil a very specific purpose as passed (for example, Bond needs a skeleton key, fingerprint scanner and security charger to infiltrate Elliot Carver's Hamburg headquarters, and his mobile phone just so happens to have all three - the first, last and only time he uses two of them). Given Q's ability to predict exactly what Bond would need, I often wondered why MI6 even bothered with Bond instead of just asking Q what was happening, given his near-precognitive powers.

Two of my main problems with gadgetry (that and turning Bond into a guy pushing buttons): their functions are too specific and they never fail. The challenge for the Craig era and it's following is to make multi-functioned, believable gadgets... and make them sometimes go wrong.

And why not have gadgets show up again in future movies? I agree with the people wanting to see the suitcase from FRWL. It would have to be modernised of course, but it can be done.

OHMSS69

I personally, don't care for the gadgetry. My favorite films are ones when the gadgets were to the bare minimum. LTK, OHMSS. The gadgetry can become way over the top and take away from Bond as a resourceful agent who relies on his wits(LTK) and his fists (OHMSS) to get out of a jam.
Problem with TSWLM, MR, and YOLT was that the gadgets got to be way too much. Even Brosnan rarely relied on them (DAD being the exception).
Some simple thing that would be quickly discarded suits me just fine.

SaintMark

I want Craig to stumble over something invisible to the audience and have him say: "I bet that never happened to the other fellow!".

JamesStock

Hahahaha. That would be hilarious! ^^

tqb

i feel like gadgets are a cheap way to get over writers block or avoid showing Bond's wits. Example- In Goldeneye Bond is stuck on the train when the bomb is gonna blow- how is he gonna get out!? oh he has a laser watch.

Seriously- Gadgets are cool but come on... However, In MI4 there was the hallway projector gadget- i thought that was awesome.

karatemanchan37

tqb wrote:

i feel like gadgets are a cheap way to get over writers block or avoid showing Bond's wits. Example- In Goldeneye Bond is stuck on the train when the bomb is gonna blow- how is he gonna get out!? oh he has a laser watch.

If done correctly or forced as a deux ex machina, then yes gadgets should really not be in the movie. However, the attache case in FRWL is a good example of a ingenious gadget without ruining the whole movie.

Ludovico

karatemanchan37 wrote:

tqb wrote:

i feel like gadgets are a cheap way to get over writers block or avoid showing Bond's wits. Example- In Goldeneye Bond is stuck on the train when the bomb is gonna blow- how is he gonna get out!? oh he has a laser watch.

If done correctly or forced as a deux ex machina, then yes gadgets should really not be in the movie. However, the attache case in FRWL is a good example of a ingenious gadget without ruining the whole movie.

In FRWL it worked because the suitcase was multi function and used sparingly. And Bond had many other tricks in his hat to get out of dangerous situations: when he used the oil and the gun in the boat for instance. And sometimes the gadgets could not help him.

And I think it also worked because he didn't have a huge advantage over his adversaries. SPECTRE used gadgetry too, in FRWL and TB.

tqb

Its just when you write a movie. Everything you say/do has a purpose. So if you introduce an object- It has to have a purpose. If they introduce a gadget- Bond HAS to find himself in a situation to use it.

darren_blacksmith

To be honest, I don't think 'gadgets' are that impressive in films anymore. Not only do the public now have so much access to high tech gadgets, but technology itself is so fast moving now that anything that might appear cutting edge in 2012 could easily appear outdated and passe within a couple of years.

Instead, I would rather see Bond use his intelligence to make novel use of the technology he finds around him during his mission. A good example of what I mean is the film 'Taken', where the character played by Liam Neeson does all kinds of clever and novel things with stuff he finds in his environment.

jamesh101

darren_blacksmith wrote:

To be honest, I don't think 'gadgets' are that impressive in films anymore. Not only do the public now have so much access to high tech gadgets, but technology itself is so fast moving now that anything that might appear cutting edge in 2012 could easily appear outdated and passe within a couple of years.

Instead, I would rather see Bond use his intelligence to make novel use of the technology he finds around him during his mission. A good example of what I mean is the film 'Taken', where the character played by Liam Neeson does all kinds of clever and novel things with stuff he finds in his environment.

Brilliant example, yes. I love that film! The ingenious use of practical, everyday objects in aid of his search is fantastic! I would love to see that in a Bond film.

mr_wint

darren_blacksmith wrote:

To be honest, I don't think 'gadgets' are that impressive in films anymore. Not only do the public now have so much access to high tech gadgets, but technology itself is so fast moving now that anything that might appear cutting edge in 2012 could easily appear outdated and passe within a couple of years.

Yes, people have access to gadgets, but not "Bond-gadgets".

I like to think that a "Bond-gadget" is something more than just a flashy toy. People, in general, do not wear a rolex watch with a built-in sawtooth because A) They can't afford a Rolex watch, and B) They normally don't end up in death-defying situations where a sawtooth can be useful. Using the same logic, people don't need an Aston Martin with Stinger missiles or a wrist dart gun that fires cyanide-coated darts. In a way, the (best) bond-gadgets says something about both his character and the nature of his work. They take life or save life. Having Craig-Bond playing around with the latest sony-products is a REALLY POOR substitute for the stylish and lethal Bond-gadgets we used to see in Bondfilms.

BondBug

How about this car - goes on land, sea, ice and sand!

http://www.bearcanada.com/science/vehicles/vwhovercraft.html