James Bond's shaving method

[shavorama]

Hi All,

As far as I know there were only two movies that gave us a glimpse into Bond's shaving habit. Goldfinger where he used a DE razor and the electric Norelco shavoer in "Die another day". Does anyone know of any other isntances I might have missed?

Also some people think Bond is a wet shave guy but I can see him also be high tech electric razor guys as he is always surrounded with electronic gadgetery.

What does everyone else think?

 

[RichGem]

Paging Blackfoot! This one's for you.

 

[blackfoot]

I have seen this before, but I don't know about some of the details.

When traveling, Bond carries a Gillette Adjustable (you can see it in the Goldfinger movie). Generally, though, Bond shaves with a cheap, Russian military issue straight razor which was once used on him by a SMERSH agent. Bond's face was the last thing he ever saw on this earth. When in London, he is often shaved at Taylor's of Grosvenor Street. The barbers at Blades, M's club, often shave him, as a courtesy to M. Taylor's and Blades are happy to hone his Russian razor for him, though they do urge him to replace it with a "finer instrument."

I will look into it a little more.

 

[RichGem]

I have seen this before, but I don't know about some of the details.



I will look into it a little more.

I'm scared now.

(altho the answer does sound pretty through.)

 

[blackfoot]

I'm scared now.

I don't actually remember any reference to him getting a shave at Blades. It may be there, but sometimes these fans like to embellish.

 

[brianw]

Live and let die... Roger Moore in the bath tub with canned goo and a cartridge razor

 

[blackfoot]

Live and let die... Roger Moore in the bath tub with canned goo and a cartridge razor

In all fairness, Roger Moore wore leisure suits too.

 

[DirtyDave]

In all fairness, Rodger Moore was a handsome actor portraying James Bond. Sean Connery was James Bond.

 

[HoratioCaine]

Live and let die... Roger Moore in the bath tub with canned goo and a cartridge razor

Actually, if memory serves, it was an Injector. He also used some kind of aerosol aftershave, I think. After he lights the spray with a cigar to torch the snake, he pats some on his face. All in all, it looked like a dreadful shave, Injector notwithstanding.

 

[blackfoot]

Actually, if memory serves, it was an Injector. He also used some kind of aerosol aftershave, I think. After he lights the spray with a cigar to torch the snake, he pats some on his face. All in all, it looked like a dreadful shave, Injector notwithstanding.

I had forgotten that.

 

[Drubbing]

If overt shaving occurs in any of the more current films, it will be more to do with paid product placement than a glimpse in the layers of his character.

When people think of Bond, they don't readily associate with Sir Rog - his era slid the franchise into parody. Hence the canned goo

 

[blackfoot]

If overt shaving occurs in any of the more current films, it will be more to do with paid product placement than a glimpse in the layers of his character.

When people think of Bond, they don't readily associate with Sir Rog - his era slid the franchise into parody. Hence the canned goo

No shaving scenes should be considered canon after Moore.

 

[luvmysuper]

From this thread, which is quite entertaining;

http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1768099

I just read one of Ian Fleming's short stories about James Bond, "007 in New York", so I thought I'd resurrect this thread...

In a paragraph in which Bond lists the shops worth visiting in New York, this appears:

"Hoffritz on Madison Avenue for one of their heavy, toothed Gillette-type razors, so much better than Gillette's own product".

I assume, he was using a Hoffritz as seen here:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=67765&highlight=Hoffritz

In one Bond-story Fleming writes:

"He (Bond) used a Hoffritz safety razor patterned on the old-fashonied heavy-toothed Gillette type."

So, it was probably not a slant, that Hoffritz is famous for.

Anyway, seeing Craig shaving with a vintage Hoffritz-slant in the next Bond movie would be nice.

 

[HoratioCaine]

If overt shaving occurs in any of the more current films, it will be more to do with paid product placement than a glimpse in the layers of his character.

The Norelco scene in Die Another Day was blatant product placement. Norelco's placement deal also evidently included a licensing component, so they could dub the model Brosnan used in that scene as "The James Bond." The same goes for Omega, which has released watches with the 007 logo emblazoned on the watch face. Even Santa Maria Novella got a little exposure in Casino Royale; a bottle of Melograno cologne was clearly visible in the late Vesper's personal effects as Bond was going through them. What is interesting is to see how things can change from movie to movie, depending on who is the highest bidder: in Casino Royale every character wore Persol sunglasses; there was even a drugstore-style Persol sunglass rack at the Miami airport - clearly invented for audience consumption, since Persols would never be sold in such a fashion in real life. In Quantum of Solace, everyone switched to Tom Ford shades.

 

[The Nid Hog]

In the novels, doesn't Bond endorse the use of Clubman products when he's in the US? Pinaud Elixir Shampoo? I bet he had a bottle of Lilac Veg under his sea island cotton shirts too.

 

[shavorama]

The Norelco scene in Die Another Day was blatant product placement. Norelco's placement deal also evidently included a licensing component, so they could dub the model Brosnan used in that scene as "The James Bond." The same goes for Omega, which has released watches with the 007 logo emblazoned on the watch face. Even Santa Maria Novella got a little exposure in Casino Royale; a bottle of Melograno cologne was clearly visible in the late Vesper's personal effects as Bond was going through them. What is interesting is to see how things can change from movie to movie, depending on who is the highest bidder: in Casino Royale every character wore Persol sunglasses; there was even a drugstore-style Persol sunglass rack at the Miami airport - clearly invented for audience consumption, since Persols would never be sold in such a fashion in real life. In Quantum of Solace, everyone switched to Tom Ford shades.

I agree that it is about product placement, but the product has to come across as suitable for Bond's character otherwise it won't be believable enough for people to purchase them.

I myself believe that a high tech electric razor is somewhat believable as a product Bond would use , especially in the 21st century.

But I like to find out if others think so as well.

 

[Drubbing]

I agree that it is about product placement, but the product has to come across as suitable for Bond's character otherwise it won't be believable enough for people to purchase them.

I think you underestimate the power of the product placement $. Bond is a Connoisseur, but has few loyalties or regard for anyone or anything. He gets his cars and gadgets for free and trashes them all. He is not a typical consumer who covets things; while he likes to maintain the position of an indulged playboy, it's mostly a means to an end.

Anything is up for grabs in the bidding to be seen with Bond. The producers have no scruples in this regard. Bond makes money, whether the aspirational consumer buy/can afford the product or not. Would Bond ever drink Coke Zero? No. But the demographoc that goes and watches will:

http://www.universalexports.net/Movies/quantumofsolace-productplacement.shtml

Bobby Brittain, Brand Director, Coca-Cola Great Britain, said, "The new edgier Bond persona is the ultimate embodiment of the ‘Coke Zero’ brand personality, and is expected to deepen the brand’s engagement with its core target audience of 20 something men."

There you go. Coke, like bond, is now 'Edgy'.

 

[thunderball]

Not to the muddy the waters further, but I believe that recent archaeological evidence points to James Bond being a closet Mandom-wearer from 1967 onward. Not coincidentally, this date coincides with the release of You Only Live Twice...apparently Mr. Connery ran out of his usual stuff while on set and a gaffer was sent out to buy "whatever he could find". When he didn't return a second lackey was sent and came upon the lifeless body of the first runner (having being mobbed to death by women on the return leg of his errand). Needless to say, the nectar was somehow conveyed to Mr. Connery (with several lives lost in the process), and he instantly fell in love with it. Please ignore the fact that Mandom wasn't released until 1970...when you're Sean Connery you ask and you get. Believe what you will.

 

[The Nid Hog]

I agree that it is about product placement, but the product has to come across as suitable for Bond's character otherwise it won't be believable enough for people to purchase them.

I myself believe that a high tech electric razor is somewhat believable as a product Bond would use , especially in the 21st century.

But I like to find out if others think so as well.

An electric doesn't sound really Bondlike to me. I think that Bond gets set on something, then he keeps using it. He's not really a nostalgic guy but a creature of habit. Plus he has kind of a taste for luxury in small things. As much as it pains me to say it, I can't see him (the rebooted Bond that is) using a brush or soap or anything like that. Probably a very basic canned cream that he would have some special justification for using--some particular virtue in its simplicity. Maybe an Atra to shave? Adopted it when he was in the service and continues to find it functional and effective.

Not to the muddy the waters further, but I believe that recent archaeological evidence points to James Bond being closet Mandom-wearer from 1967 onward.

I think that Oddjob was the Mandom user.

On the other hand, I bet Rodger Moore used an Epilady when he shaved.

 

[Drubbing]

Not to the muddy the waters further, but I believe that recent archaeological evidence points to James Bond being a closet Mandom-wearer from 1967 onward... Please ignore the fact that Mandom wasn't released until 1970...when you're Sean Connery you ask and you get. Believe what you will.

Impossible. Ignoring the 1970 thing you kindly disclosed, Connery thought Bronson was a wuss with a teenagers 'tache.