James Bond: Top 10 Gadgets

Posted on 29 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

10. Acid Pen
Film: OCTOPUSSY

Why Great? In his Indian department, Q hands Bond a special fountain pen. When one twists the top, a highly concentrated mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid comes out. Dissolves all metals. Not spectacular, but very handy in certain situations.

9. Special Suitcase
Film: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Why Great? Q’s first gadget for Bond, how could we not include this one? This suitcase contains plenty ammo, a sniper riffle, a knife and gold coins. It also has a canister of mace hidden inside for if the wrong chap happens to open it (this happens to villain Donald Grant). What more could 007 want on his mission to Turkey?

8. Rocket Cigarette
Film: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

Why Great? While captured in his arch enemy’s volcano base, Bond asks permission to smoke a cigarette. Against his better judgment, Blofeld permits this. Unfortunately for Blofeld and his men, one in particular, the cigarette is able to fire a rocket-propelled bullet.

7. Ordinary Lighter
Film: LICENCE TO KILL

Why Great? Given to Bond for being best man at his friend Felix Leiter’s wedding. This may not be one of Q’s fancy gadgets, but it does save his life. Bond uses the very high flame it produces to set fire to a gasoline drenched bad guy who is about to kill him.

6. Magnetic Watch
Film: LIVE AND LET DIE

Why Great? This watch designed by Q Branch has a very special feature on it. When you pull out a button it turns into a hyper intensified magnetic field. It is powerful enough to deflect the path of a bullet at long range, or so Q claims. Bond uses the watch several times in the movie. First, at M’s spoon (which he does not appreciate). Later, to attract a metal boat when he is surrounded by crocodiles, only to find out it is attached to a short rope. Later he uses it to pick up a very useful dummy bullet. An extra feature is a motorized knife that can cut through rope when your hands are tied by enemies.

5. Wrist Shooter
Film: MOONRAKER

Why Great? This handy device allows James to shoot very effective darts by simply making the right wrist muscle movements. Q supplies him with five red-tipped cyanide-coated darts, causing death in 30 seconds and 5 blue-tipped armour-piercing darts. ‘Very novel Q, you must get them in stores before Christmas’, Bond comments. Laugh it up James, both types of darts save your life once in the movie.

4. Key Ring
Film: THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

Why Great? This special key ring releases stun gas by whistling the first bars of ‘Rule, Britannia’. The gas disorients any normal person for about 30 seconds. ‘How do I blow up the room, whistle ‘God Save the Queen’? Bond jokes. The keys are useful as well as they can open 90 percent of the world’s locks.

3. Dentonite Toothpaste
Film: LICENCE TO KILL

Why Great? The latest in plastic explosives. Very useful when you want to assassinate a drug lord who’s behind armed security glass. A cigarette functions as detonator and Bond is also supplied with a sniper riffle disguised as camera. Many thanks, Q.

2. Pen Gun
Film: NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

Why Great? The Pen Gun is a projectile weapon disguised as a fountain pen. In NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, 007 is equipped by Q with a Mont Blanc 149 fountain pen emblazoned with a Union Jack flag on the barrel. The pen’s nib is actually an explosive rocket. Q notes that the weapon is not perfected yet, leading to a delayed explosion when used in the field. This happens indeed later in the movie when Bond shoots a small rocket inside of the SPECTRE villainess Fatima Blush. Despite the delay, it does explode and only a pair of smoking spike heels remain of Fatima.

1. Class 4 Grenade Pen
Film: GOLDENEYE

Why Great? The most lethal pen in the world. Three clicks arms the four-second fuse. Another three disarms it. ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’, Bond remarks. ‘Thanks to me they were right’, answers Q.

James Bond: 10 Most Memorable Deaths (Caused by Bond’s Adversaries)

James Bond: Top 20 Action Sequences

James Bond: Top 20 Action Sequences

Posted on 25 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

20. Space Invaders
Film: MOONRAKER

Clearly inspired by the massive box office hit STAR WARS that came out two years before MOONRAKER. Although nowhere near the amazing Death Star climax of A NEW HOPE, it is a spectacular space battle in which military style astronauts help Bond to take out the space station of uber villain Hugo Drax.

19. Slippery Slope
Film: THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

Long and exciting chase sequence in which Bond and the attractive cellist Kara have to outrun the Russian army. They start out in a laser and rocket charged Aston Martin, and later switch to a cello case. According to IMDb, the cello was specially made of fibreglass, and fitted with control handles on the sides and skis underneath. During filming, the case would tend to topple over as Timothy Dalton was heavier than actress Maryam d’Abo who plays Kara.

18. Saigon Chase
Film: TOMORROW NEVER DIES

Crowded markets are always fun for fast pursuits. Bond takes fellow agent Lin on a motor bike and they drive through the streets of Saigon, while being chased by trucks and a helicopter. Very fast and furious.

17. Swiss Course
Film: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Bond goes skiing along the scenic Swiss route and takes some palls along with him. Eric Krieger is one of them, a German skiing champion who also happens to work for the KGB. James proves again to be the best skier around. During the pursuit, he navigates a bobsledding track and a massive ski jump.

16. Delhi Chase
Film: OCTOPUSSY

When filming a Bond-movie in India, a tuk-tuk pursuit through the crowded streets of New Delhi is a must. The result is an exciting and especially funny action scene filled with stunts (the tuk-tuk is a well-equipped company car). Features many bad guys with knives and throwing stars, and also camels, beggars and elephants. Lots of roepies save the day eventually.

15. Carmageddon
Film: DIE ANOTHER DAY

Bond drives against the Korean terrorist Zao on the icy slopes of Iceland. Both their cars are equipped with more guns and explosive toys than even the most high-tech videogame can come up with, so that ensures entertaining combat. Ends with a spectacular chase through the ice palace. Bond eventually wins due to the adaptive camouflage feature of his Aston Martin.

14. Swamp Run
Film: LIVE AND LET DIE

A long chase by speedboat through the New Orleans bayou is one hell of a chase. Bond steers his boat through land, roadblocks, water blocks and wedding buffets. The chase was originally written in the script as just ‘Scene 156 – The most terrific boat chase you’ve ever seen’. Bond’s speedboat jump made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for its distance of 110 feet, a record that stood for three years. Sheriff J.W. Pepper makes his debut as the purchaser (he returns in the following Bond-film THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN).

13. Downhill Racer
Film: THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

While skiing, Bond and oil magnate Elektra King are attacked by four parahawks. Armed with machine guns, grenades and rocket launchers, they make it pretty difficult for James. However, since he is the best skier in the world, he outsmarts them. But then they have to survive an avalanche…

12. Battle of Scotland
Film: SKYFALL

This climatic battle takes place at James’ parents old country house in Scotland, where Albert Finney helps Bond and M dispose of dozens of bad guys using old hunting rifles and explosives. One can’t help to think about HOME ALONE during this scene, but it’s an impressive work of destruction nonetheless with quite some humour adding to the enjoyment.

11. The Italian Game
Film: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME

After a visit to bad guy Stromberg in Sardinia, Bond and love interest Major Anya Amasova get chased by a collection of baddies; cars (with Jaws among the passengers), motorcycles and a helicopter. After getting rid of several of them, including pushing Jaws’ car down a cliff which he survives, Bond and Amasova take the car for a dive underwater. There they blow the chopper out of the sky and deal with several enemy underwater vehicles. The sequence ends with them going back ashore at a beach to the astonishment of the beach guests.

10. Showdown at Scaramanga’s Maze
Film: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN

At the start of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, villain Scaramanga demonstrated how well he knows his way around in his fun palace. And he can shoot too. Bond’s Walther PPK (6 shots) versus Scaramanga’s golden gun (1 bullet): an exciting duel. 007 is supposed to be Scaramanga’s masterpiece, but after a suspenseful cat and mouse game, Bond defeats him by pretending to be his own wax image.

9. Vertigo
Film: A VIEW TO A KILL

Spectacular climatic action scene of A VIEW TO A KILL. Bond fights psychopathic villain Max Zorin and a zeppelin on top of the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco. Lot’s of thrills and heart stopping moments in this one.

8. Liparus Shootout
Film: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME

Bond and several submarine crews are held prisoner on supertanker Liparus. Bond manages to break free the crew and a massive shootout erupts with villain Stromberg’s men. Director Lewis Gilbert likes to end Bond films in this fashion, since he did so in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, and would do so again in MOONRAKER (see 20). This one is the best though. It is a very exciting action scene with loads of explosions and bullet riddled baddies.

7. Flying High
Film: THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

While his girlfriend Kara is at the wheel of a transport plane, Bond is fighting baddie Necros while hanging out of the back of the plane. Oh, then there is also a bomb about to go off. Suspense filled flight that ends beautifully with Bond using the bomb to help out a group of Afghan freedom fighters.

6. Madagascar Foot Chase
Film: CASINO ROYALE

This must be the best purchase on foot ever committed to celluloid. In Uganda, Bond chases a terrorist through jungle and a construction site. The suspect moves like a tiger, but Bond – on his first mission ever – earns his stripes here as a true action hero. The literal highlight is a showdown on a huge crane, in which Bond keeps his head way cooler than his audience.

5. Tank Escape
Film: GOLDENEYE

To hell with subtlety. Bond steals a T-55 tank and chases down Russian baddie Ouromov through the streets of St. Petersburg. There is plenty of damage done. This sequence took around six weeks to film, partly on location in St. Petersburg and partly at Leavesden Studio in London. It is still regarded as one of the most iconic action scenes in the James Bond legacy.

4. Mountain Pursuit
Film: ON YOUR MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE

The James Bond legacy brought us the finest skiing action in cinema history, period. The sequence in which 007 and his fiancée Tracy are chased by Blofeld and his Austrian thugs in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE is a prime example. Two highlights: The first one happens when one of Blofeld’s men falls into a snow machine and he gets sprayed all over the slope. Bond remarks: ‘He had a lot of guts’. Classic Bond! The second highlight is Blofeld causing a massive avalanche that fails to kill Bond and Tracy, but does kill three of own men.

3. Train Fight
Film: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

007 takes on killer Donald Grant in a moving train. This is a very exciting struggle in the narrowest of settings. Filmed in 1963, but still looks quite realistic. As often, Bond wins due to a gadget from Q; a knife hidden in his suitcase. Grant makes a formidable enemy though.

2. Sky Battle
Film: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

Bond is flying his ‘Little Nellie’ over a volcanic area in rural Japan, looking for clues of a secret hidden base. Out of nowhere, four hostile helicopters appear. Bond has to use every available weapon on board to fight them off, including heat seeking missiles, aerial mines and flame guns. ‘Little Nellie got a hot reception’, Bond comments. ‘Four big-shots made improper advances, but she defended her honour with great success.’ Beautifully photographed action sequence that still stands tall decades after it was filmed.

1. Highway to Hell
Film: LICENCE TO KILL

Now this is one chase you’ll never forget. 4 trucks filled with highly explosive kerosene, truckloads full of baddies, 4 stinger missiles and a small airplane. Those are the ingredients of this highly ambitious and explosive sequence. Bond performing a wheelie to avoid a missile is just one of the amazing stunts featured in this scene. Action cinema doesn’t get any better than this.

Read also:

James Bond: Top 10 Vehicles

James Bond: 10 Greatest Villains

James Bond: 10 Greatest Henchmen

James Bond: 10 Most Memorable Deaths (Caused by Bond’s Adversaries)

Posted on 22 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

10. Strawberry Fields
Film: QUANTUM OF SOLACE
Killer: Quantum
Quote: ‘You might like to tell her your theory about there being no oil. Her lungs are full of it’ [M]

Why Memorable? Another tragic death of one of Bond’s girlfriends. She is found drenched in oil in a hotel room, simply for being an employee of MI6. If Bond wasn’t yet driven by revenge for the death of his love Vesper, now he surely is.

9. Kronsteen
Film: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Killer: Morzeny (Blofeld’s man)
Quote: ‘12 seconds. One day we must invent a faster working venom’ [Blofeld]

Why Memorable? Chess player Kronsteen was a secret operative for SPECTRE (Number 5). He was in charge with cooking up strategies for committing thefts and other wicked crimes. But in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, his plan to steal a cipher machine from the Russians failed thanks to James Bond. And failure at SPECTRE is not tolerated! Blofeld therefore has Kronsteen killed with a special pointy shoe. Autch!!

8. Japanese Businessman
Film: A VIEW TO A KILL
Killer: May Day
Quote: ‘This way…’ [May Day]

Why Memorable? This hapless business guy is released from baddie Max Zorin’s blimp into the San Francisco Bay for refusing to cooperate with Zorin’s evil plans for Silicon Valley. It is freaky that the airship has a door and staircase made specifically for this purpose. It would then be almost a shame not to use it, which is no problem in Max Zorin’s case. He seems to enjoy killing more than anything else in the world. ‘So, anyone else want to drop out?’ Zorin asks the other business men. No response.

7. Stromberg’s Secretary
Film: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
Killer: Stromberg
Quote: ‘It was you who betrayed me. You had access to all the information. And now you will pay the penalty’ [Karl Stromberg]

Why Memorable? ‘Someone has attempted to sell the plans of our tracking project to competing world powers.’ When you hear a villain utter these words, you know someone is about to seriously get it. The beauty about this scene is that you think that Professor Markovitz and Dr. Bechmann are screwed until Stromberg pushes a button dropping his secretary through the elevator floor into a shark basin. Markovitz and Bechmann gaze in horror as the shark starts eating her. Then they have to take the elevator themselves . . .

6. M
Film: SKYFALL
Killer: Silva
Quote: ‘Free both of us with the same bullet’ [Silva]

Why Memorable? M is surely the greatest regular character besides Bond since Judi Dench took the role in GOLDENEYE, so her death seven movies later feels like a major blow. She dies right in James’ arms, but not after telling him; ‘I did get one thing right.’ Get out the handkerchiefs now. Even Bond sheds a tear…

5. Milton Krest
Film: LICENCE TO KILL
Killer: Franz Sanchez
Quote: ‘You’re right it’s not your money. It’s mine…’ [Franz Sanchez]

Why Memorable? Milton Krest becomes a victim in 007’s quest to exact vengeance on drug dealer Sanchez for torturing his friend Felix and murdering his wife Della. Thanks to insinuations from Bond, Sanchez suspects that Krest tried to have him assassinated. Then his goons find his own stolen money in Krest his decompression chamber (planted there by Bond). A furious Sanchez kicks Krest inside the decompression chamber and gradually turns the pressure valve to an extreme level, before hacking the vent with an axe. The rapid decompression causes Krest his head to expand and then violently explode, splattering the porthole window with blood. Gruesome, but also funny for those with a stomach for this kind of violence.

4. Admiral Chuch Farrel
Film: GOLDENEYE
Killer: Xenia Onatopp
Quote: ‘Lyubeemyets’ [Xenia Onatopp]

Why Memorable? What the admiral though was just wild sex, turned out a little too wild. He is killed by suffocation by Xenia Onatopp’s thighs. A very impressive performance by Xenia, who even casually steals an access pass out of his jacket while doing the strangling.

3. Vesper Lynd
Film: CASINO ROYALE
Killer: Quantum
Quote: ‘I’m sorry James’ [Vesper Lynd]

Why Memorable? It appears though as Bond’s true love Vesper betrayed him by stealing a large sum of money, but she actually helped him. The organisation behind the whole plot in CASINO ROYALE blackmailed her to deliver the money in exchange for saving Bond’s life. Bond kills the men and tries to rescue Vesper, but she locks herself in an iron-frame lift and allows herself to drown as the building sinks. A very sad ending for this lovely girl, which reminds us of the death of Bond’s new wife Tracy in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE. Speaking of which…

2. Tracy
Film: ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE
Killer: Irma Bunt
Quote: ‘We have all the time in the world’ [James Bond]

Why Memorable? Perhaps the most tragic death in the entire series. After finally finding stability and a future with James, Tracy gets shot in her car right after their wedding. When a policeman stops over to check it out, Bond tells him: ‘It’s all right. She’s having a rest. We’ll be going on soon. There’s no hurry you see? We have all the time in the world.’ By now, half the audience is crying like Miss Moneypenny was at the wedding.

1. Jill Masterson
Film: GOLDFINGER
Killer: Oddjob
Quote: ‘Felix, get over here right away. The girl is dead. No, Jill Masterson. She’s covered in paint. Gold paint’ [James Bond]

Why Memorable? Jill Masterson sure messed with the wrong guy. No not Bond, well also. But Auric Goldfinger, the man with the Midas touch, is a whole different story. Jill failed to help him win a rigged game of poker due to interference from Bond. His revenge makes for one of the most memorable scenes in the entire James Bond series. After making love, James is knocked out by Goldfinger’s henchman Oddjob. When he comes to, he finds Jill covered in gold paint!

James Bond: 10 Best Title Sequences

James Bond: 10 Finest Bond Girls

James Bond: 10 Greatest Licensed Kills

Posted on 20 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

10. Fake Blofeld
Film: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Kiss off line: ‘Wrong pussy’

Why Great? After Bond already supposedly killed his main adversary Blofeld in the pre-title sequence of the movie by drowning him in a pool of superheated mud, he is surprised to learn that he is still alive. Not only that, he has created another copy of himself. Bond has one hook in his climbing gun, so he can kill only one of them, but which one? Bond has an idea, he kicks Blofeld’s cat which jumps into the arms of one Blofeld who James then shoots and kills. Unfortunately another pussycats walks into the room… ‘Right idea Mr. Bond’, the real Blofeld remarks. ‘But wrong Pussy’, concludes Bond.

9. Emile Leopold Locque
Film: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
Kiss off line: ‘He had no head for heights’

Why Great? Bond kicks this bastard down a ravine for the murder of one of his colleagues. Roger Moore proves that his Bond can also be a cool killer when he needs to be.

8. Dario
Film: LICENCE TO KILL
Kiss off line: None

Why Great? The sadistic Dario ends up in the same cocaine grinder he wanted to put Bond in. This is a way too unpleasant death, even for him. A gruesome detail is that you can hear him cry his master’s name ‘Franz’ in a final call for help. A god awful, agonizing death.

7. Oddjob
Film: GOLDFINGER
Kiss off line: ‘He blew a fuse’

Why Great? Great because it’s his own deadly hat that becomes his undoing. Bond fries Oddjob when he reaches for his hat that is stuck between bars of the Fort Knox vault during their final fight. Oddjob was a toughie, so it is an impressive kill for the mighty James Bond.

6. Xenia Onatopp
Film: GOLDENEYE
Kiss off line: ‘She always did enjoy a good squeeze’

Why Great? In Xenia’s final encounter with Bond on Cuba, she ambushes him and his girl Natalya Simonova by rappelling from a helicopter and trying to squeeze him to death between her legs (she first takes out Natalya with a headbut). However, Bond is able to connect the rope she rappelled down with to her safety harness, grabs her AK-74 rifle, and shoots down the helicopter which then pulls Onatopp off Bond and sends her flying into the crotch of a tree, with her safety harness crushing her to death. How fitting.

5. Hugo Drax
Film: MOONRAKER
Kiss off line: ‘Take a giant step for mankind’

Why Great? He was another villain with a God complex, Drax wanted to wipe out the earth’s population and start a whole new race from space, with specimens he handpicked himself. But Bond ruins his plans and Drax wants to shoot him in revenge. But Bond shoots him first with a poison dart. Before Drax dies, Bond pushes him out of the airlock of his space station; a very suiting death for this space-obsessed lunatic. ‘He had to fly’, Bond later comments when asked what happened to Drax.

4. Franz Sanchez
Film: LICENCE TO KILL
Kiss off line: ‘Don’t you want to know why?’

Why Great? An unlicensed kill really, since Bond lost his licence earlier. Villain Sanchez – who Bond had been trying to extract vengeance upon for the torture of his friend Felix and death of Felix’s wife – is holding a machete to Bond’s head, preparing to slay him. Bond buys some time by explaining Sanchez why he wanted revenge on him. He does so by showing him the lighter Felix gave him as a wedding present. The inscription reads: ‘James. love always. Della and Felix’. Sanchez covered in petrol, realises who Bond is, but before he can respond, Bond sets him aflame. He dies screaming and 007 gets his deserved vengeance.

3. Alec Trevelyan
Film: GOLDENEYE
Kiss off line: ‘For me’

Why Great? Bond is a professional killer, but once in a while he makes a personal kill (Blofeld in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY for example). Killing Alec is probably the most personal kill in his career because Alec was his friend. He betrayed both James and England, and after almost killing Bond a few times, 007 manages to throw him down a mast, only holding him by his feet. ‘For England James?’, asks the defeated Trevelyan. ‘No, for me’, Bond replies and drops Alec to his death.

2. Dr. Kananga
Film: LIVE AND LET DIE
Kiss off line: ‘He always did have an inflated opinion of himself’

Why Great? Bond takes care of baddie Kananga by making him eat a compressed air pattern causing him to blow up like a balloon. This is the first time 007 commits a political assassination, Kananga being a head of state.

1. Elektra King
Film: THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
Kiss off line: ‘I never miss’

Why Great? This is the first time Bond kills a Bond Girl, who was a major love interest for him. Off course he has good reasons: she wanted to kill him and M after all. Still, it is a cold, professional move by Bond.