5 replies to this topic

[Captain Tightpants]

Between the constant calls for Q to return to the James Bond franchise, and hints dropped by the Powers That Be, I find myself caught in a bit of a conundrum. Having Q return to the series might be nice, but what is he actually going to do? With the series' renewed focus on realism and the way we live in a society with plenty of our own gadgets (iPhones, anyone?), the hardest part about reintroducing Q is finding gadets that are not too over-the-top (so no invisible cars), but still ahead of their time (or else we get into the Jeffrey Deaver "Spying? There's an App for that" approach). So I thought I might start this thread so we can brainstorm some ideas for potential gadgets that could be included in future films. I'll start the ball rolling:

A car that comes with the following features:
- "Heat stealth", a system of pipes in the engine bay that pump liquid nitrogen around to lower the temperature of the car, rendering it invisible to thermal imaging.
- Deadbolts in the doors that can be remotely activated, sealing the occupants inside and disabling the car, turning it into a mobile prison cell.
- A connection to a spy satellite (instead of a GPS one) that allows Bond to remotely view the enemy.
- High definition 'parking assist' cameras connected to MI6 in real time for constant surveillance.
- An in-car radio that doubles as a radio scanner, allowing Bond to eavesdrop on conversations, triangulate enemy positions and isolate/filter out individual sounds.
- A panel in the glovebox to conceal Bond's weapon, which can only be opened by a fingerprint scanner (useful if Bond gets pulled over and the car searched).
- "Chaff mist", a device that sprays a cloud of superfine, superadhesive particles that jam up mechanical systems (like the engines of pursuing cars).

And some field equipment:
- "Lock-busters", cigarettes with low-density plastic explosive concealed in the filter. Bond insters the filtered end into a lock, then lights the other end, starting a five-second fuse to an explosive that will break a door lock. Could also be used as a nasty anti-personnel weapon.
- 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.

So. Your turn.

[Syndicate]

IF they want realism in that area just look to these two book as a guide.

The Wizards Of Langley: Inside The Cia's Directorate Of Science And Technology by Jeffrey T. Richelson

Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda by Robert Wallace, H. Keith Melton and Henry R. Schlesinger

It would be better IF there are books on MI-6's side of it for them to use.

They can do what the movie makers did when making Patriot Game and The Sum Of All Fears, and go CIA's public realtion. They can go to MI-6's if they have one.

IF none of those just stick with the super spy theme in that area, like Mission Impossible, The Man From Uncle and From Paris With Love. That what Bond been and that how Q branch been or we would not hear those jokes between Bond and Q and other stuff. Just leave the realism in that area to movies like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Patriot Game, Clear And Present Danger and The Siege.

[SecretAgentFan]

Between the constant calls for Q to return to the James Bond franchise, and hints dropped by the Powers That Be, I find myself caught in a bit of a conundrum. Having Q return to the series might be nice, but what is he actually going to do? With the series' renewed focus on realism and the way we live in a society with plenty of our own gadgets (iPhones, anyone?), the hardest part about reintroducing Q is finding gadets that are not too over-the-top (so no invisible cars), but still ahead of their time (or else we get into the Jeffrey Deaver "Spying? There's an App for that" approach). So I thought I might start this thread so we can brainstorm some ideas for potential gadgets that could be included in future films. I'll start the ball rolling:

A car that comes with the following features:
- "Heat stealth", a system of pipes in the engine bay that pump liquid nitrogen around to lower the temperature of the car, rendering it invisible to thermal imaging.
- Deadbolts in the doors that can be remotely activated, sealing the occupants inside and disabling the car, turning it into a mobile prison cell.
- A connection to a spy satellite (instead of a GPS one) that allows Bond to remotely view the enemy.
- High definition 'parking assist' cameras connected to MI6 in real time for constant surveillance.
- An in-car radio that doubles as a radio scanner, allowing Bond to eavesdrop on conversations, triangulate enemy positions and isolate/filter out individual sounds.
- A panel in the glovebox to conceal Bond's weapon, which can only be opened by a fingerprint scanner (useful if Bond gets pulled over and the car searched).
- "Chaff mist", a device that sprays a cloud of superfine, superadhesive particles that jam up mechanical systems (like the engines of pursuing cars).

And some field equipment:
- "Lock-busters", cigarettes with low-density plastic explosive concealed in the filter. Bond insters the filtered end into a lock, then lights the other end, starting a five-second fuse to an explosive that will break a door lock. Could also be used as a nasty anti-personnel weapon.
- 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.

So. Your turn.

Brilliant, Captain. I was clearly mistaken when I thought that the gadget thing is a thing of the past.

[Pussfeller]

A weaponized version of this thing would make for an interesting, slightly surreal sequence, perfect for an assassination or an attack on a heavily-guarded hideout.

[Captain Tightpants]

Reminds me of the remote controlled car bomb in THE DEAD POOL. Not that that's a bad thing.

[Captain Tightpants]

Brilliant, Captain. I was clearly mistaken when I thought that the gadget thing is a thing of the past.

Thanks. I was trying to come up with ideas for things that would support Bond rather than do the work for him (case in point: when Bond infiltrates Elliot Carver's offices, he needs a skeleton key, security charger and a fingerprint scanner - all of which are contained within his mobile phone). Like the dummy zippo to incapacitate a sentry. Or number two on this list; Bond, posing as an art dealer, sells a fake artwork to the villain (which he asks Q to build for him), which is actually a directional listening device without any moving parts.