While the hotly anticipated news of who will be the next James Bond draws closer, fans also want to know what the new iteration of the beloved character will be like. There are plenty of possibilities this time around – arguably more than ever.
After the appointment of Daniel Craig as Bond in 2006, the spy franchise took on a new direction that involved a more vulnerable 007, and that jettisoned the often extensive and cheesy gadgets of past films. Some of those gadgets, however, remain relevant even today.
The Garrotte Watch (From Russia With Love) (1963)
The garrotte watch – a regular-looking wristwatch that allows a steel wire to be drawn from it – was used by SPECTRE operative Red Grant in the final moments of From Russia With Love. Used to strangle enemies, the garrotte watch is a simple but effective lethal weapon.
Because the watch’s garrotte wire remains hidden in the watch until it’s needed, there’s really nothing about it to suggest that it’s actually a weapon. There’s no ridiculous flair or pretension involved, and despite its cleverly hidden feature, the wire’s use is entirely straightforward. The weapon is perfect for a sneak attack – a tactic that will never feel outdated in the world of James Bond.
The Fake Fingerprint (Diamonds Are Forever) (1971)
Diamonds Are Forever may be one of the least popular 007 films of all time, but it introduced the ability for Bond to utilize a fake fingerprint in order to assume the identity of someone else. The advantage was a big one for 1971 and even today it’s an impressive subterfuge.
Of course, it wouldn’t be necessary to devote too much time to a fake fingerprint in Bond’s modern iteration, but the device could still come in handy. While it’s true that today the ability to rely on DNA evidence has made searching for fingerprints somewhat archaic, a fake fingerprint gadget tweaked with another’s DNA, for example, could still throw off pursuers and enemies without much eye-rolling from audiences.
Mini Breathing Apparatus (Thunderball) (1965)
This cigar-sized, self-contained scuba regulator saved Bond’s life on three separate occasions throughout the course of Thunderball. Clearly, it’s a valuable tool and the concept is so desirable that it was even used in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode III – The Phantom Menace.
Because it’s so small, the mini breathing apparatus hasn’t aged all that badly. Granted, these days Bond would probably opt for something even smaller were he in need of a portable, self-contained scuba regulator, but whether ultra-small or the same size as it was in Thunderball, a modern-day Bond would not look foolish utilizing one of these.
The Bug Sweeper (Live And Let Die) (1973)
Built for its user to pass over the walls and fixtures of any given room in order to search for hidden microphones, Bond’s use of the gadget seemed perfectly normal for a secret agent in the early 1970s. The device looked rather basic, but the idea remains a solid one.
Today the presence of microphones or cameras practically anywhere is not just an option for megalomaniacal super-villains. Because of this, it’s entirely pragmatic for Bond to have some sort of device – the likes of which could be as simple as an app on his phone – that would detect and point out the location of any technology used to spy on him.
Ski Pole Gun (The Spy Who Loved Me) (1977)
Used during what is arguably one of the most beloved openings from a Bond film, the ski pole gun remains a fairly self-explanatory item: a ski pole that also functions as a rifle. Bond fires the device while skiing backward, killing his attacker.
Today’s Bond most likely wouldn’t be seen skiing backward and firing a ski pole gun at anyone. But that doesn’t mean the idea couldn’t still be used as a legitimate tool. If used as a single shot sniper’s rifle in an area that could only be accessed by skiing, the ski pole gun could conceivably be a less-corny alternative to the one seen in The Spy Who Loved Me.
Ring Camera (A View To A Kill) (1985)
The ring camera offered the ability to take still photos via a hidden camera in a signet ring. Highly advantageous for any secret agent, the device played into the nothing-is-as-it-seems concept that so many of the early Bond films relied on.
The advent of digital cameras created a world in which photos can actually be viewed immediately after being taken. This luxury did not exist in 1985, but that doesn’t mean that the gadget is useless today. In fact, the preponderance of cameras today arguably makes the ring camera more credible than ever – as long as its photos upload to an MI6 database.
Parker Jotter Ballpoint Pen Grenade (GoldenEye) (1995)
The Parker Jotter is a retractable ballpoint pen that is ultimately deployed by Bond in GoldenEye’s finale. Three clicks of the pen arms its four-second fuse, while another three clicks disarms the device. Though small in size, the pen delivers a large-scale explosion.
Today the idea of any kind of Bond gadget that has an abundance of rules and directives bogs down the overall tone and dates it. The grenade pen certainly isn’t a necessity, but the passing of time still hasn’t managed to render the concept outdated, either. Compact and lethal, the grenade pen could still appear in a Bond film without sacrificing the franchise’s modernity.
Electromagnetic RPM Controller Ring (Diamonds Are Forever) (1971)
Also known as the slot machine ring, this Q-Branch device was developed in order to guarantee a slot machine jackpot. Considering that Diamonds Are Forever spent the majority of its run-time in Las Vegas, this somewhat impractical gadget was well suited to the film.
While hardly a necessity, the controller ring could still be justified today, though admittedly its practicality is questionable. Nonetheless, were an iteration of the ring conceived that transmits a jackpot-triggering virus into all slot machines, it could offer a valid distraction. Admittedly, the fact that the ring would only be useful in a casino is a bit of a disadvantage.
Underwater Camera (Thunderball) (1965)
Boasting an ability to take sub-aquatic infra-red photos, this Bond gadget was the perfect option for underwater snaps in the dark. Even at the time the film was released, the idea of an underwater camera was hardly ground-breaking. Still, nothing’s sneakier than taking underwater photos at night.
Present-day Bond films rarely (if ever) find 007 scuba diving, and the numerous camera options available to the public might make a device like this less than impressive. The truth, however, is that this camera could be made tiny today, with a far greater ability to photograph than its predecessor. Add in an option to instantly upload the photos to MI6 (much like the aforementioned ring camera), and this remains a valid bit of spy gear.
Wrist-Mounted Dart Gun (Moonraker) (1979)
This slightly cumbersome gadget helped Bond kill the highly ambitious supervillain Hugo Drax, which then allowed 007 to offer some classic parting quips. It took little more than a flex of the wrist in the right direction to set this off, making it a great secret weapon.
Any use of this gadget today would require a dramatic scaling back of its size, making it all but invisible to the naked eye. There’s no apparent reason why something as subtle as this couldn’t fit into Bond’s present-day arsenal of weapons, without compromising Eon’s wish to keep the character up to date and less overblown than some of his predecessors were.
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