73 replies to this topic

[Morgan]

This has been discussed before in a few threads by the CBn AM fans.

The conclusion, is Yes, Bond would.

In a way, the DB5 was his prize after CR. The Bond of the novels (as described in TB) took a totally wrecked Bentley and had it refitted with custom coachwork and bucket seats. "The most selfish car in the world" and he loved it.

I think this a great nod to Bond as a character of the books and Craig's Bond in the here and now. Getting a DB5 converted to RHD is no simple or inexpensive chore, but there are companies (see: astonworks.co.uk) that make their stock in trade on matters like this on a daily basis. Bond is an eccentric when it comes to his personal car. Has been since CR - Sporting about in 1933 Bentley in 1950's London let alone the continent? Why the Hell not?

It's right. It fits and it's perfect for the 50th anniversary IMO.

OK, it could be... fair point, the one from the novels. However, I would wish at least one line about this car modification in SF, to avoid a continuity change that could mirror the strange disappearing of Bond's waistcoat between CR's end and QOS beginning.

I agree. My whole critisim of SF is based on the lack of explanations, even the slightest, on things like the car and how Bond survived being shot and falling to his apparent death.

[The Shark]

This has been discussed before in a few threads by the CBn AM fans.

The conclusion, is Yes, Bond would.

In a way, the DB5 was his prize after CR. The Bond of the novels (as described in TB) took a totally wrecked Bentley and had it refitted with custom coachwork and bucket seats. "The most selfish car in the world" and he loved it.

I think this a great nod to Bond as a character of the books and Craig's Bond in the here and now. Getting a DB5 converted to RHD is no simple or inexpensive chore, but there are companies (see: astonworks.co.uk) that make their stock in trade on matters like this on a daily basis. Bond is an eccentric when it comes to his personal car. Has been since CR - Sporting about in 1933 Bentley in 1950's London let alone the continent? Why the Hell not?

It's right. It fits and it's perfect for the 50th anniversary IMO.

OK, it could be... fair point, the one from the novels. However, I would wish at least one line about this car modification in SF, to avoid a continuity change that could mirror the strange disappearing of Bond's waistcoat between CR's end and QOS beginning.

I agree. My whole critisim of SF is based on the lack of explanations, even the slightest, on things like the car and how Bond survived being shot and falling to his apparent death.

Why should the filmmakers have to spoon-feed audiences?

[MalibuSurfer]

http://jamesbond.wik...ston_Martin_DB5

The above link is SC in 1963 with the original DB5. Note lisence BMT216A. This one is tricked up and is RHD.

The DB5 in SkyFall is by implication this vehicle that Bond has kept hidden in storage, away from MI6 because they have not tagged it with a tracker and M does not seem to be aware of even the existance of the garage in which it is kept. All of Bond personal posessions MI6 was aware of have been disposed of (sold: his flat, his family home, SkyFall) because they thought he was dead, except the DB5 that they were obviously not aware of.

The vehicle Bond won in CR was left at the airport in the Bahamas. That was a LHD vehicle with different tags.

The continuity line here is that Bond is so good he knows such thing such as where M lives, can gain access to her home when he wants, and can keep other things secret from MI6 as he sees fit.

The DB getting trashed in the movie seems to be kind of an ongoing thing.

This is not the same vehicle drive by Bond (Pierce Brosnen) in GoldenEye. That one was tagged BMT214A.

[Bradford]

This bugged me since watching SF and actually prompted me to join this forum. (first post) I love Craigs Bond, ( though QOS was very poor in my opinion) given the re-boot, I see SF as the follow on film to QOS... so all the films are now all up for grabs and contemporary remakes as far as I'm concerned. The DB5 bugged me at first... But my only conclusion was, as mentioned above. That it was the DB5 from CR.. shipped back to the UK. Converted to right hand drive and retro fitted with machine guns, ejector seat etc in a Pimp my Aston old school makeover. The fact that M knows about the red button... Suggests she is fully aware of the modifications. Perhaps it's all been done at his own expense, but authorised by military intelligence. Presumably Bonds not short of a few quid... So why not indulge in a classic car, with a few gadgets that might come in handy?

[stamper]

How can she be aware of the modifications, but not of the existence of the car in a box?

[Vauxhall]

How can she be aware of the modifications, but not of the existence of the car in a box?

It's reasonable to assume she wouldn't know where Bond's car is stored, particularly as all his possessions were put into storage or sold following his presumed death.

[stamper]

OK, but then we have Q saying they don't do gadgets anymore... they didn't seem to do them when 007 started up in CR either, yet they put them GF style in the Aston? These director's fan wank don't make sense. They are just capricious director pleasuring himself (and some fans along the way) without any logic to the story or context. I'm very disapointed in Mendes there, these are coke fueled decisions, not logical to the story.

[Skudor]

I think they make it rather clear when M and Bond drive off in the Aston - they are going back in time. There's nothing rational or logical about it, it's a Bond indulgence for the 50th anniversary.

[Dustin]

I for one thank heavens the producers and Mendes did not elaborate the point, it would have become one needless info-dump. Let the fan community sort it out in the aftermath...

[MalibuSurfer]

That M was not aware of the DB5's existance or location, both facts kept secret by Bond for all these years, is a testament to his superior skills as a covert operative.
There is no 'time travel' here, these events are all happenning on the existing time line, acknowledged by the many references to Bonds age, his numerous injuries, and even his reliance on pharmasuticals to control the pain from those injuries, an age relate affliction.
Again, the CR vehicle never made it back to England as it would have caught M's attention, doing the special mods would have drawn attention to the vehicle as well.
Remember, M was not always the boss MI6. She was station chief in Hong Kong and the villian in SkyFall worked for her there. That Bond stored this after recovering it and having it repaired after it was shot up. It seems to be somewhat of a tradition to beat up a DB in a Bond movie, doesn't it?
Anyway, that the DB5 from Goldfinger/Thundball fell off the radar and Bond was able to keep it secretly stashed away seems considerably less far fetched as 'time travel' and if you pay attention to SkyFall it seems the most reasonable explination. Note that even though M is supprised to see the vehicle, acknowledging she was unaware of its existance, she was aware of its various features. And remember the tag is BMT216A, and other DBs do have other tags.

[starschwar]

We've got a four to six year gap between the events of QoS and Skyfall. I imagine that in that time Bond went on several other missions, and was outfitted by Q branch with a variety of gadgetry. This explains new-Q's remarks about exploding pens and the like, as well as Silva's comments on Q branch in general. During this time, Bond probably unearthed one of their modified DB5s from the 1960s, and took the liberty of liberating it for his personal use before it could be retrofitted with modern tracking devices. M would be aware of the "usual refinements", such as the ejector seat because they'd been in service for a long while.

[Aisforauric]

He sold it and bought another one.

He sold it and bought 'a higher specification' one ;-)

[RMc2]

Sorry if I'm repeating what's already been said: In Empire magazine's SkyFall podcast interview with Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the screenwriters said that the original script specified that it was the same Aston Martin that Bond won in Casino Royale, with no gadgets. Director Sam Mendes then insisted upon changing it to the Goldfinger DB5 because he wanted to include it. So in essence its appearance in SkyFall is down to a continuity cock-up by Mendes. The film in general makes statements or references which are all designed as metaphor/homage to the franchise as a whole but cause continuity problems with Craig's reboot; but thankfully it completely avoids the Die Another Day mess of references!

However, when I first watched the film my immediate thought was that it was CR's Aston Martin refitted by Q-branch in the 6 year gap between CR and SF, though I couldn't quite get my head around the plot holes you guys have brought up here. You've really helped iron out some of the plot difficulties here (and expressed my puzzlement more eloquently than I could have). I really like the suggestions put forward here and joined commanderbond specifically to contribute to this thread!

[MalibuSurfer]

I understand the idea of using the CR DB5 but I think the Goldfinger car works better into the plot. When I first saw the car I recognized the tag number as the one from Goldfinger, not CR, and it made perfect sense.
I thought the statement by Q about not relying on gadgets anymore as more of a statement that the whole concept of 'Bond' had matured a bit beyond boys-with-toys.

[marktmurphy]

This bugged me since watching SF and actually prompted me to join this forum. (first post) I love Craigs Bond, ( though QOS was very poor in my opinion) given the re-boot, I see SF as the follow on film to QOS... so all the films are now all up for grabs and contemporary remakes as far as I'm concerned. The DB5 bugged me at first... But my only conclusion was, as mentioned above. That it was the DB5 from CR.. shipped back to the UK. Converted to right hand drive and retro fitted with machine guns, ejector seat etc in a Pimp my Aston old school makeover. The fact that M knows about the red button... Suggests she is fully aware of the modifications. Perhaps it's all been done at his own expense, but authorised by military intelligence.

That's why I reckon he got Q Branch to fit old gadgets from some old 60s Q Car that they were breaking onto his one: the ejector seat is a standard old Q gadget so she's familiar with it.

[AMC Hornet]

I don't care which Aston this is supposed to be; I don't care where the gadgets came from; I liked the casual mention of the ejector seat (I even suggested earlier in this thread that Bond could eject M on the way to Scotland - how prescient!) and the way it set up one of my favorite moments in Skyfall:

As Silva's mercenaries crept up on the lodge, past the perfectly innocent-looking classic car, I was thinking to myself, "mow 'em down with the built-in machine guns - oh please do have them too!"

And my wish was granted. What a moment, what a payoff!

Then Silva had the temerity to signal his gunship and erase the thing 'o beauty from the list of tropes. Bastard! No more Aston, no ancestral home - Bond's past has been explored and thoroughly destroyed. Now CraigBond will have to find a new set os signature wheels.

And I have no doubt that he will

[delfloria]

In the movie "Casino Royale" Bond wins an Aston Martin with right hand drive. In "Goldfinger" Bond is issued a left hand drive Aston Martin with license plate BMT 216A. In "Skyfall" we see a left hand drive Aston Martin with license BMT 216A. Did MI-6 take custody of the Aston in CR as Bond was on a mission for them? Later, the events of "Goldfinger" occur and MI-6 adds refinements including left hand drive to the Aston. MI-6 retrieves the Aston and repairs it for operation Thunderball. Bond retrieves the Aston after the Thunderball mission is completed. He has driven other Aston Martins in other movies without the BMT 216A license plate number. He has kept the Aston from "Goldfinger" with BMT 216A hidden from MI-6 at his ancestral home. The events in "Skyfall" take place after the events of CR, "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball". If the events of "Skyfall" take place after all of the other movies, then Bond drove the Astons with different license plates to conceal that he had the actual Aston from "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball". (If "Skyfall" events take place in the middle of the series, then the Astons driven are a tribute to the Aston from the Goldfinger mission.) It seems that Craig's Bonds are bookends for the series' 50 years. CR is the beginning and "Skyfall" is the latest mission. Of course just because the Aston for the Skyfall mission has the same license plate number doesn't mean it's the same Aston he used in the Goldfinger and Thunderball missions. Maybe "Skyfall" the movie will tell us.

After seeing SKYFALL this works for me. It goes along with Bond being a new agent in CR and QOS and then being an experienced agent who is an old dog learning new tricks in SKYFALL. Same weird logic as YOLT being filmed before OHMSS.

[radio_wmn]

No, I don't believe in what I just wrote.

I´m glad you don´t. It would undoubtedly flame a new discussion on continuity and please...we don´t want one of those again

Still, nice thought.

PS: I´m gonna go re-watch CR right now Just because I´m hyped!

Is there a discussion on Craigverse continuity? While it seems that the "Back into the Past" line was meant to accommodate the Goldfinger Aston-Martin -- and I'll take that at face value, whether Bond or MI6 or some other agency retrieved it and has been keeping it in storage, fully-fueled-up, for whatever reason -- I'm put-off by Bond choosing to call Mallory, in his new position, "M" at the end of the film...

[AMC Hornet]

Feinnes' character could have been called 'Miles' - saving his last name for the end of the movie - but that would have been too obvious.

[stromberg]

As Silva's mercenaries crept up on the lodge, past the perfectly innocent-looking classic car, I was thinking to myself, "mow 'em down with the built-in machine guns - oh please do have them too!"

And my wish was granted. What a moment, what a payoff!

Exactly the same here. What a great moment.

[00 Brosnan]

Just saw SkyFall today and man was it cool to see not only a car with gadgets again, but the DB5...with gadgets. Honestly, most audiences won't question the origin of the car as they aren't hardcore Bond fans analyzing every detail.

In SkyFall (and in GE for that matter) it's Bond's personal car. That's good enough for me, not every single back-story detail has to be explained.

[sharpshooter]

Bond threatening M with ejection and shooting the thugs with the front machine guns are such fun moments that any "it doesn't make sense" criticisms are null and void for me. As users have explained, you can make your own backstory. At some point gadgets were added.

[S K Y F A L L]

I was a little disappointed that the ejector seat wasn't used cause I was expecting it to be but I was so surprised when it fired its machine guns.
A lot of things do not make sense and the car isn't one of those things I really care to debate. Its just a bonus when the car makes it back to the films.

I remember seeing Brosnan's BMW from GE on the bridge when MI6 blows up or at least during production when people posted photos of it being filmed. I never seen it in the film itself so it must not have made the cut.

[marktmurphy]

Did the deleted scene of the DB5 in TWINE ever get released?

[TheSilhouette]

I never got the fuss with the car. The way I'd always seen it is that there's a pretty substantial gap in time between CR/QOS and Skyfall in which Bond's Aston Martin was given the royal treatment by the "old" quartermaster (hence Whishaw's "I'm your NEW quartermaster." line), whom we never actually got to meet but I felt like some of the dialogue in Skyfall implied that there indeed was a Q before Whishaw's Q who had the more traditional gadgetry etc.

[roger no more]

Bond threatening M with ejection and shooting the thugs with the front machine guns are such fun moments that any "it doesn't make sense" criticisms are null and void for me. As users have explained, you can make your own backstory. At some point gadgets were added.

agree, its just a movie why so serious...it doesn't make sense...there's still a lot don't make sense....remember its a movie, it should be fun.

[lechero]

Bond threatening M with ejection and shooting the thugs with the front machine guns are such fun moments that any "it doesn't make sense" criticisms are null and void for me. As users have explained, you can make your own backstory. At some point gadgets were added.

agree, its just a movie why so serious...it doesn't make sense...there's still a lot don't make sense....remember its a movie, it should be fun.

Let another round of Batman comparisons begin!

Edited by lechero, 24 November 2012 - 01:05 PM.

[graric]

OK, but then we have Q saying they don't do gadgets anymore... they didn't seem to do them when 007 started up in CR either, yet they put them GF style in the Aston? These director's fan wank don't make sense. They are just capricious director pleasuring himself (and some fans along the way) without any logic to the story or context. I'm very disapointed in Mendes there, these are coke fueled decisions, not logical to the story.

How do we know they didn't do Exploding Pens in CR? His mission is to play a game of cards, not deal with a breach in Mi6 security...what gadgets would they think to supply him with? (He receives a gun, a tracking device and a car that appears equipped for at least any medical emergency better than a gun and a radio)
The GF Aston Martin is very clearly not the work of the new Q it, like Bond, is part of the Old Guard...Q says they don't go in for that sort of thing, but the point of the Aston was that Bond still does!
As for no logic to the story, what part of the story in Skyfall makes no sense because of the car? He does not have to be bound to the continuity of previous films (Bond has always seen certain pieces of continuity as optional at best) and in any case there is clearly enough of a gap between CR and Skyfall 'in universe' for Bond to have gotten himself this Aston Martin (or had his fitted with the equipment.)
Ultimately Skyfall acknowledges the absurd nature of the Bond continuity and emphasizes that having a good story should not be reliant on what previous films may have told us!

[S K Y F A L L]

Did the deleted scene of the DB5 in TWINE ever get released?

I believe its on the ultimate edition dvds but you can watch it on youtube as well. The World Is Not Enough (1999) Deleted Scenes

[Double-0-Seven]

As Silva's mercenaries crept up on the lodge, past the perfectly innocent-looking classic car, I was thinking to myself, "mow 'em down with the built-in machine guns - oh please do have them too!"

And my wish was granted. What a moment, what a payoff!

I completely agree. When they kept showing minor close-ups of the car I had the same thought in my mind: "I wonder if it has the machine guns?"

At the same time, I expected maybe Bond was still in the lodge and Silva's men were just going to shoot at the car to make a point.

What a surprise when Bond was laying in it, ready to fire! I haven't felt a chill like that in a Bond movie in a long time. Awesome stuff! My friends and I let out a little cheer, as did many others in attendance.