Machine Code

Synopsis

It’s 1986, James Bond and agent 006, Alec Trevelyan, infiltrate a Russian weapons factory, but Trevelyan is killed by General Ourumov while Bond escapes. Nine years later General Ourumov and Russian mafia assassin Xenia Onatopp attack the Severnaya satellite control centre and gain control of the GoldenEye weapons system in outer space. Only computer programmer Natalya Simonova escapes Severnaya alive. In St Petersburg, Bond discovers that Trevelyan had faked his own death, and is planning to use the GoldenEye system to punish Britain for betraying his Cossack parents, who later committed suicide. After a dramatic tank chase on the streets of St Petersberg, Bond and Natalya join forces to track Trevelyan to Cuba, and infiltrate his facility. Natalya reprograms GoldenEye, and Bond fights Trevelyan to the death on the installation’s giant radio dish.

Cast

Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Joe Don Baker, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Cumming, Gottfried John, Tcheky Karyo, Michael Kitchen, Serena Gordon, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond

Producers

Michael G. Wilson
Barbara Broccoli

Director

Martin Campbell

Release Date

24 November 1995 (UK)
17 November 1995 (USA)

World Premiere

13 November 1995, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY, USA

Locations

Monte Carlo, Monaco; near Thorenc, France; St. Petersburg, Russia; Nene Valley, Peterborough, London, Leavesden Studios, England; Puerto Rico; Locarno, Switzerland

Music

“GoldenEye” – performed by Tina Turner, written by Bono and the Edge

Vehicles

Bond’s BMW Z3 Roadster; Aston Martin DB5; Tiger helicopter; Xenia’s 1995 Ferrari 355; Russian tank; Cagiva Motorcycle; Trevelyan’s armoured train; British Airways Boeing 757-200; Whitaker’s blue ZAZ 965

Gadgets/Weapons/Technology

• Walther PPK 7.65mm
• GoldenEye device
• Parker Pen grenade
• Piton belt
• Code-cracking device
• Piton laser gun
• Omega Seamaster laser watch – 300M Diver Quartz not only features a laser but by pressing the watch’s helium release valve it disarms limpet mines
• Digital monocular
• Magnetic Limpet mines
• Rocket firing leg cast
• Phone box with concealed suffocating airbag
• X-ray document scanner concealed in tray

Trivia

This was the first Bond film to use CGI, with computer graphics being used to create the iconic gun barrel opening reimagined by Daniel Kleinman who also produced the main title sequence

‘GoldenEye’ is the name of Ian Fleming’s house in Jamaica where he wrote the Bond novels and short stories

Brosnan drank water in place of his vodka martini on set

The famous tank chase took approximately four weeks to film, the tank was nicknamed Metal Mickey by the crew

This was Barbara Broccoli’s first Bond film as a producer

The film marked the return of the Aston Martin DB5, which had not appeared in a Bond film since Thunderball (1965)

Pierce Brosnan never travelled to St. Petersburg for filming. Peter Lamont recreated the Russian streets on the Leavesden film lot