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Bond gadgets that blatantly serve as a plot device, or push the plot forward.

fire_and_icefire_and_ice
edited May 2014 in Bond Movies Posts: 6,432
Think Octopussy is one of the worst in this regard, the acid pen enabling Bond to escape from the cell and the micro transmitter so he can hear part of what the villains are upto, Obviously Magdas convenient hair drier scuppers Bonds attempts to ease drop to a certain extent.
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Comments

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,795
    Depends upon whether the gadgets are mission-specific or not. Some have been silly, some not. And of course the general seriousness level of the film must be taken into account...
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    edited May 2014 Posts: 5,745
    chrisisall wrote:
    Depends upon whether the gadgets are mission-specific or not. Some have been silly, some not. And of course the general seriousness level of the film must be taken into account...

    Take GoldenEye.

    Relatively serious, not a mission-specific gadget.

    The exploding pen would be a handy (punny, I know) device for any agent or soldier, but the fact that Boris has an annoying habit of flipping and clicking pens is purely just to help Bond get away, and not the intentional use of the gadget. It's cool and one of the more realistic gadgets, but used in a very clunky, "we've got nothing else" way. And I guess it did make for a great line in Skyfall, so props (punny, again I know) for that.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Gadgets that Help the plot.

    DN: Geiger Counter.
    FRWL: Gold Sovereigns, Talc tear gas bomb, Hidden knife.
    GF: Tracking device/DB5
    TB: Radioactive tracking device pill, Motorized water jet pack, re-breathing device, infrared camera.
    YOLT: Safe Cracking device, little nellie.
    OHMSS: Safe cracker/photo copier.
    DAF: Piton gun.
    LALD: Magnetic/Sawblade watch.
    TMWTGG: Fake nipple.
    TSWLM: Lotus Esprit,Jet ski, Ski pole gun, label making watch.
    MR: Wrist Dart gun. Watch with explosive built in. Q-Boat.
    FYEO: N/A
    OP: Acid pen, listening device.
    AVTAK: X-Ray glasses, Check copy device, window unlocking card.
    TLD: Binocular glasses, Key ring.
    LTK: Signature gun, dentonite Plastique.
    GE: Piton laser gun, laser watch, exploding pen, remote mines, piton belt.
    TND: detonator watch, magnetic grenade, exploding lighter, Q cell phone, BMW 750.
    TWINE: Q-Boat, Flashbang Grenade disguised as a Walther P99, grappling hook watch, locator card. Lighting up watch.
    DAD: updated thunderball re breather, sonic ring. laser watch, knife with satellite. Vanquish.
    CR: Defibrillator, combi pen, arm tracking device.
    QOS: Cellphone camera that can construct pictures with nearby pixels.
    SF: Signature PPK. Mini radio tracking device.

    I think that's all of them. ;)
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited May 2014 Posts: 11,189
    The safe cracker from YOLT has to be the biggest culprit.

    Unlike a pen I wouldn't have thought many people carry these in their pocket.

    It's funny how Bond has this despite not knowing when he set off that he was going to end up in that building. I remember chuckling a bit when he pulled it out.

    Other ones:

    -Dart gun from MR (why didn't he use this on Jaws?)
    -Cigarette lighter from LTK (thankfully it didn't fall into that cocaine grinder)
    -Laser watch from GE
    -credit card key from TWINE (product placement too)
    -Sonic ring in DAD
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited May 2014 Posts: 18,270
    I assume that the scriptwriters work backwards from the "snake pit situation" or whatever and derive their gadgets from what would pull Bond out of that particular situation when he is over a barrel. Hence, this is why some of the gadgets in the Bond films are so very contrived in nature.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    Most contrived was the sonic ring in DAD.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    Ludovico wrote:
    Most contrived was the sonic ring in DAD.

    Certainly, yes.
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    Posts: 6,396
    I hated the defibrillator and combi pen in CR. In fact, I hate any gadget which is used only as a plot device.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    I never had a problem with that and thought of that like a mini first aid kit. Unlikely? Probably, but it didnt feel unreal to me.
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    edited May 2014 Posts: 6,396
    BAIN123 wrote:
    I never had a problem with that and thought of that like a mini first aid kit. Unlikely? Probably, but it didnt feel unreal to me.

    But it's only purpose is *if* Bond gets poisoned and/or goes into cardiac arrest (oh, and happens to be within a hundred feet of his car!).
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Ha. I suppose. Even so I went with it and it didnt make me think "hang on...that's unlikely". It's basically a defibrillator, I suppose it kind of makes sense someone like Bond would have one.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Ha. I suppose. Even so I went with it and it didnt make me think "hang on...that's unlikely". It's basically a defibrillator, I suppose it kind of makes sense someone like Bond would have one.

    Well if football teams can have them on hand why not James Bond?
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Ha. I suppose. Even so I went with it and it didnt make me think "hang on...that's unlikely". It's basically a defibrillator, I suppose it kind of makes sense someone like Bond would have one.

    Exactly. Basically he has a first aid kit. Far more believable than a sonic ring which he ends up using in the most contrived setting.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    Ludovico wrote:
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Ha. I suppose. Even so I went with it and it didnt make me think "hang on...that's unlikely". It's basically a defibrillator, I suppose it kind of makes sense someone like Bond would have one.

    Exactly. Basically he has a first aid kit. Far more believable than a sonic ring which he ends up using in the most contrived setting.

    I agree. The Craig films have happily had the blessing of much more sensible gadgets and this of course is much more in keeping with the original Fleming novels.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    The exploding cigarette in YOLT was also pretty contrived.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited May 2014 Posts: 18,270
    BAIN123 wrote:
    The exploding cigarette in YOLT was also pretty contrived.

    Or it could be seen as an early (and none-too-subtle) warning against the dangers of cigarette smoking...
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    Had Blofeld refused Bond's last cigarette, or given him one of henchmen's, then it wouldn't have been used at all. Not that it was really useful to begin with.

    One of my favourite gadgets was the magnet watch in LALD. Because it proves useless when Bond tries to use it the first time.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,795
    A gadget totally failing! That'd be GREAT.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    Well yes, if it allows Bond to use his creativity. The best gadgets in the series are often the ones that ultimately fail (the Aston Martin in GF) or the ones that are used in unexpected ways.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    Ludovico wrote:
    Had Blofeld refused Bond's last cigarette, or given him one of henchmen's, then it wouldn't have been used at all. Not that it was really useful to begin with.

    One of my favourite gadgets was the magnet watch in LALD. Because it proves useless when Bond tries to use it the first time.

    And of course that particular gadget also had a hidden use as a buzz saw when Bond found himself tied up along with Solitaire as a foodstuff for Dr Kananga's sharks. Commentators have said that this broke the golden rule by not having the audience briefed on all aspects of how the gadgets worked so that they could guess how he would get out of the particular variant on the snake pit situation that he happened to find himself in. Although I suppose Q did not feature in LALD, but the gadget was shown by Bond in his scene with M at the start of the film, so it is still cheating in my book.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    I actually didn't.mind the buzz saw and not being briefed about.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    Ludovico wrote:
    I actually didn't.mind the buzz saw and not being briefed about.

    Neither did I really but I thought that it was a point worth referencing in this thread.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,795
    Am I the only one who really hates seeing Bond lose his cars in GF & TLD? Those are the worst parts of both movies for me. Poor little Astons... :-<
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    chrisisall wrote:
    Am I the only one who really hates seeing Bond lose his cars in GF & TLD? Those are the worst parts of both movies for me. Poor little Astons... :-<

    Not forgetting TWINE...even though it does somehow get fixed again, or is a different car(?)
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Don't bypass the biggest crash of them all, in Casino Royale.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    I'm glad he lost them, especially in GF. It shows that the villains are resourceful and that Bond cannot solely rely on gadgets.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    How about the rat trap Bond has in his inner pocket in DAF? Mankiewicz at his best.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,795
    ^ BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,116
    Thunderfinger wrote:
    How about the rat trap Bond has in his inner pocket in DAF? Mankiewicz at his best.

    That was as far-fetched as possible for a gadget. I wonder how Bond would avoid it if he had to reach his gun. Maybe he meant to be captured and have the guard frisk him.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,270
    Ludovico wrote:
    Thunderfinger wrote:
    How about the rat trap Bond has in his inner pocket in DAF? Mankiewicz at his best.

    That was as far-fetched as possible for a gadget. I wonder how Bond would avoid it if he had to reach his gun. Maybe he meant to be captured and have the guard frisk him.

    Yes, that is really DAF(t) much like the rest of the film itself of course. I always got the impression this was instead of his gun but I may be wrong. Still, a very nasty little gadget in a very nasty little film indeed.
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