Skyfall Gadgets

Walther PPK S 9mm Short

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James Bond’s first meeting with the new Quartermaster is another opportunity for a clunky reference to 007’s age and dwindling usefulness.
A scruffy, lank haired, bespectacled youthful looking person, sits next to Bond at the National Gallery to share a first exchange in front of JMW Turner’s 1838 painting of The Fighting Tremaire, tugged to her last berth to be broken up.
Q: “It always makes me feel a little melancholy. The grand old warship being ignominiously hauled away for scrap. The inevitability of time, don’t you think? What do you see?”
007: “A bloody big ship. ‘Scuse me.”
Before he could make his leave, Q introduces himself: “007 – I’m your new Quartermaster.”
007: “You must be joking.”

If you could excuse a quick pause. In Dr No, Goya’s painting of the Duke of Wellington appeared in the baddie’s lair – in real life it had recently been stolen from the National Gallery. And 007’s “You must be joking” line was popped straight in; a repeat line from Goldfinger.
As this was the 50th anniversary film of Ian Fleming’s super spy’s first big screen incarnation, there are a huuuge amount of homage references for fans to spot throughout the film; including more stolen paintings, including one just in time for the film's next gadget.
Anyway, back to the dialogue.
Q: “Why, because I’m not wearing a lab coat?”
007: “No, because you still have spots.”
Q: “My complexion is hardly relevant.”
007: “Your competence is.”
Q: “Age is no guarantee of efficiency.”
007: “And youth is no guarantee of innovation.”
Q: “I’ll hazard I can do more damage on my laptop, sitting in my pyjamas, before my first cup of Earl Grey, than you can do in a year in the field.”
007: “Then why do you need me?”
Q: “Every now and then a trigger has to be pulled.”
007: “Or not pulled. It’s hard to know which, in your pyjamas.”

One Nil to 007.

And on to the movie’s first gadget – as it should be – on the 50th anniversary of Dr No, it is the same gadget and indeed the first gadget, of the franchise.
Q: “Walther PPK S 9mm Short. It has a micro-dermal sensor in the grip. Encoded to your palm print so only you can fire it. Less of a random killing machine; more of a personal statement.”

Skyfall is fairly heavy on the product placement, and perhaps the movie makers best ever inexpensive gift product is the Q mug, which our new Quartermaster drinks out of throughout a scene later in the film.

You can obviously get your own white mug printed with the letter Q on it, but this Wild and Wolf version is the licensed product that features the Scrabble letter scores on the reverse and explanatory print underneath. You can purchase one for just £6.95 at the link below.
007: “And this?”
Q: “A standard issue radio transmitter. Activate it and it broadcasts your location... Distress signal. And that’s it.”
007: “A gun and a radio. Not exactly Christmas, is it?”
Q: “Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that anymore.”

Ooh, One All.
Except, in all fairness an exploding pen could always come in handy.
Photo: Skyfall 2012 Sony Pictures. All rights reserved