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Are Gadgets needed to make a great Bond Film ?

Gareth00789Gareth00789
edited October 2012 in General Discussion Posts: 655
Would you be happy with not many Gadgets like in Casino Royale. Are they needed to make a great Bond Film.
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Comments

  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    No, they are not needed. A few? yes. A lot? No.

    And certainly visible.
  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    Posts: 3,494
    No, they are not. Not just CR, but DN and OHMSS had little to no gadgetry and all are great entries.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Ah, the infamous gadget debate...

    Clearly we've had films that work without gadgets. DN, OHMSS, CR and QoS (and, I think, there was one other... wait, other than the Q lab, did TLD have many gadgets?).

    And clearly we've had films that, in my opinion, couldn't have the gadgets taken out of them. GF, YOLT (how can you take away Little Nellie?), TND, and, yes, even DAD.

    Personally, I think Bond needs less gadget, more character, but there are others out there who'd be fine with Bond being a bland b*stard who just carries the gadgets around and lets them do the work.
  • united1878united1878
    Posts: 92
    No. The fewer gadgets, the better.
    B-)
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    No not at all. You need a great story and cast first and foremost.
  • actonsteveactonsteve
    Posts: 1,492
    FYEO, OP and LTK had minimal gadgets as well and they are great entries.

    Often gadgets are used to keep the audiences attention due to weak storyline or characterisation.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    edited October 2012 Posts: 12,837
    Not needed, but they're really cool and make a Bond film stand out when you put it next to other action films.

    I think they shouldn't go too OTT with the gadgets but they should try and get one or two into the film.
    Agent007391 wrote:
    wait, other than the Q lab, did TLD have many gadgets?).

    There was the keyring and the car.

    And the sniper rifle Bond uses to miss Kara was a special Walther one that doesn't exist, so you could count that.

    So no, not many gadgets.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    No.


    :D

    Although, like @thelivingroyale said they shouldn't go overboard; GF, TB, FYEO, OP and TLD would be great examples of what I'd like to see.
  • RisicoRisico
    Posts: 97
    Or give the villains plenty of gadgets and have Bond use his wits, style, ingenuity and charm to win through. :-)
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    And the sniper rifle Bond uses to miss Kara was a special Walther one that doesn't exist, so you could count that.

    The Walther WA-2000 Sniper Rifle is a real gun.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walther_WA_2000
    WaltherWA2000.jpg
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    I think he means the hand-print activation on the handle of the sniper ;)
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    I think he means the hand-print activation on the handle of the sniper ;)

    Oh, the Signature Gun in Licence to Kill...Yeah that was a cool gadget.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,217
    No, but a nice blend of gadgets and realism are more fun that too much of either over the other.

    The Living Daylights, GoldenEye, FYEO, and Thunderball have a nice mix.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    They help Bond, they don't define him. The gadgets are a little fun and can allow for the escapism / fantasy element but as others have stated the story and characters within are most important.
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    CraigMooreOHMSS wrote:
    No, but a nice blend of gadgets and realism are more fun that too much of either over the other.

    The Living Daylights, GoldenEye, FYEO, and Thunderball have a nice mix.

    Yeah, GE was the only time it wasn't overdone during PB's era. But I still like the BMW 750il from TND. Such a great looking & sounding car.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 121
    Gadgets, gadgets, and gadgets.
    Q, Q and Q.
    Well, that's what I want.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    edited October 2012 Posts: 12,837
    Murdock wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    I think he means the hand-print activation on the handle of the sniper ;)

    Oh, the Signature Gun in Licence to Kill...Yeah that was a cool gadget.

    Actually I did mean the Walther rifle. I googled it and it came up with tons of TLD stuff so I thought they'd made it up for the film.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Murdock wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    I think he means the hand-print activation on the handle of the sniper ;)

    Oh, the Signature Gun in Licence to Kill...Yeah that was a cool gadget.

    Actually I did mean the Walther rifle. I googled it and it came up with tons of TLD stuff so I thought they'd made it up for the film.

    In the Hitman Games, it's Agent 47's personal favorite sniper rifle.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Murdock wrote:
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Murdock wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    I think he means the hand-print activation on the handle of the sniper ;)

    Oh, the Signature Gun in Licence to Kill...Yeah that was a cool gadget.

    Actually I did mean the Walther rifle. I googled it and it came up with tons of TLD stuff so I thought they'd made it up for the film.

    In the Hitman Games, it's Agent 47's personal favorite sniper rifle.

    Never knew that, but I've only played Hitman 2 and 3.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Murdock wrote:
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Murdock wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    I think he means the hand-print activation on the handle of the sniper ;)

    Oh, the Signature Gun in Licence to Kill...Yeah that was a cool gadget.

    Actually I did mean the Walther rifle. I googled it and it came up with tons of TLD stuff so I thought they'd made it up for the film.

    In the Hitman Games, it's Agent 47's personal favorite sniper rifle.

    Never knew that, but I've only played Hitman 2 and 3.

    It's in both of them. In Contract's it's in a Suitcase in the Hong Kong missions. In 2 you have to find it in one of the last levels.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Did you see CR? You did? Well then why are you asking us this then? OF COURSE THEY AREN'T! :P
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I did like the Grappling Hook Watch in TWINE.
  • SPECTRESPECTRE
    edited October 2012 Posts: 51
    Obviously they aren't necessary for a great film, but they're part of the Bond formula and should be in every film. Just as you can have a great film with gadgets, you can have great films without. From Russia with Love, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Goldfinder all have plenty of gadgets (including vehicles) and are all great films. QOS had no gadgets and is the second worst film since the Dalton era (after DAD).

    There are also two type of gadgets:
    - gadgets that make Bond look ridiculous (Moore's hovercraft in Moonraker)
    - gadgets that appear realistic and practical (Connery's mini-rebreather in Thunderball)

    Every Bond movie should at least have the latter.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    The days of Bond going around with an assortment of gadgets from Q Branch seem a thing of the past, and maybe that's not so bad. Bond seems more dependant on cell phone accessories and modern technology than anything resembling what we saw from the last century. I don't know what that new kid will come up with for Skyfall, but you couldn't imagine anything too out of the ordinary from what we have seen lately but then again there could be a surprise or two waiting. I'd rather see a damn fine Bond movie and Craig giving another good performance rather than what he is given to use or aid his mission etc
  • DRESSED_TO_KILLDRESSED_TO_KILL Suspended
    Posts: 260
    no , casino royale.(2006) already proved this thread wrong
  • DRESSED_TO_KILLDRESSED_TO_KILL Suspended
    Posts: 260
    lets face the core reality of this question, when gadgets had a big part of the franchise, the technology during the pre-2000 era didn't really have this kind of technology, androids and iPhones will play a big role in the up and coming 007 films. I guarantee you Q will definitely design custom-made apps. this will be the core root of Q's work for Bond. What they would be? who knows. Perhaps an App called "LastResort", where Bond touches an app on his smartphone, whether its an android or IPhone it would explode or be an explosion type or smoke bomb. kind of in the sense where Bonds pen in Goldeneye exploded with Boris and 006 present. Anyways goodnight all
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    However anyone wants to see it, I think that could be the scenario ahead. In the simplest terms, Bond from a 21st century perspective it seems, is reliant on modern technologies and 'phone tricks and basically what has been described in the immediate above rather than traditional gadget types or what we saw up until Brosnan's tenure. Some may like it, some may not, but we've moved on from the days of Thunderball type rocket packs, Wrist nerve darts with Cyanide tipped points or even Explosive Alarm Clocks (?!)

    That's the way it is, the gadgets of what some may remember are a thing of the past it greatly seems. I myself will miss it, but times change, and what can you do
  • LicencedToKilt69007LicencedToKilt69007 Belgium, Wallonia
    Posts: 523
    Better with ! As Q's line said : "Without me and my gadgets, you'd be dead long ago !"

    The very first gadgets were used in FRWL, which is considered like a realistic 007 film. So, yes, it's better with. CR is the exception that confirm the rule, in addition to QoS...
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Murdock wrote:
    I did like the Grappling Hook Watch in TWINE.

    Yeah I always thought that was pretty badass. Something like that in the new films would be cool.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I think they are needed, but in moderation. They're an ingredient in the Bond formula, without them it's not the same, like moving the gunbarrel to stupid places in the films for equally stupid reasons.
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