10 ingenious, inventive and imaginative weapons from film and TV history – in pictures

The big, gold and shiny Point of View Gun from 2005's The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy might not blow your enemies to smithereens, but one quick blast will immediately cause them to see things from your perspective. It goes down as the only weapon in film and TV history which makes violence less likely to ensue.
Photograph: Capital Pictures

OddJob's hat from 1964's Goldfinger is as effective as it is sartorially elegant. Arguably the most iconic henchman in the history of James Bond, this is one gentleman you don't want to lose your head around. 
Photograph: Allstar

Jamie Lee Curtis's knitting needle from Halloween might not be top of the pile when it comes to "wow" factor, but it is extremely pointy, not to mention easily available when you really need to stab an insane, masked mass-murderer in the side of the head at short notice.  Photograph: ITV Global/The Kobal Collection

Iron Man's suit from any of the three Iron Man films (or 2012's The Avengers) is powerful enough to turn just about anyone into a superhero, though only billionaire genius Tony Stark could have built it in a cave in the desert out of a few old car parts and some sticky-backed plastic.  Photograph: Paramount/Everett/Rex Features

Data's "slick shoes" in The Goonies (a pair of tricked-out Nike Sky Force Highs which emit slippery oil on command) are just perfect when you need to trip up the enemy. A classic footwear option with unexpected impact from one of the most iconic kids' adventure movies from the 80s. Photograph: Alamy

Now here's a serious weapon. The Zorg ZF1 from 1997's The Fifth Element contains a machine gun, rocket launcher, poison arrow launcher, net launcher, flame-thrower, and freeze ray. Furthermore once the target has been chosen, a special "replay" function sends every subsequent round to the same place, making for the easiest take down in film history. Probably not available with "stun" option.
Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Feature

The Doctor's famous sonic screwdriver was first introduced in 1968 and seems to be capable of opening a zillion different types of locks, as well as interfacing with machines and computer systems of both alien and human origin. However, due to its size and shape it is probably not much use as an actual screwdriver.  Photograph: Adrian Rogers/BBC

Before writers Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis gave us the proton packs from 1984's Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel, the world was completely unaware that supercool "man-portable" particle accelerators were so vital in the fight against supernatural interlopers. Throw one of these babies in the direction of your nearest ectoplasmic entity and one can easily manipulate it into a convenient nearby ghost capture device. Just don't cross the streams!  Photograph: Columbia/The Kobal Collection

Frodo's magic sword, Sting, from the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) is sharper than the sharpest steel and glows usefully blue when goblins are approaching. Wrought by the elves of Gondolin in the first age of Middle Earth, it is also capable of finishing off evil spider Shelob with a quick stab to the abdomen. Unless you happen to be a hobbit, however, it might be a little on the small side at a mere 23 inches long. Photograph: PR

Say no more: Star Wars' lightsaber is simply the coolest weapon ever seen on film. "An elegant weapon, for a more civilised age," as Alec Guinness's Obi Wan Kenobi described it in 1977's A New Hope. With this miracle of engineering in your hands, the force really could be with you, though one must be careful not to turn to the dark side ... Photograph: Lucas Film/20th Century Fox/The Kobal Collection