Machine Code

Synopsis

Following the murder of her father, oil magnate Sir Robert King, Elektra is assigned a bodyguard – MI6’s top agent James Bond. Sir Robert, an old friend of M’s, has been assassinated by terrorist Renard, who also seems to be targeting the 800-mile King pipeline, under construction from Azerbaijan to bring oil to the West. Freelance terrorist Renard has a bullet lodged in his skull following a run-in with 009; slowly dying, he feels no pain. Bond and Elektra become emotionally involved, but it transpires that Elektra, previously the victim of a kidnapping plot by Renard, seduced him and has engineered the takeover of her father’s business empire. Elektra kidnaps M and plans to detonate a nuclear explosion in Istanbul, contaminating the Bosphorus and ensuring the King pipeline is the sole oil route west. Bond, aided by atomic physicist Dr Christmas Jones, kills Elektra and Renard, rescues M, and prevents the cataclysm.

Cast

Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, John Cleese, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, Colin Salmon, Goldie, David Calder, Serena Scott Thomas, Ulrich Thomsen, John Seru, Claude-Oliver Rudolph, Patrick Malahide, Omid Djalili Jeff Nuttal, Diran Meghreblian

Producers

Michael G. Wilson
Barbara Broccoli

Director

Michael Apted

Release Date

26 November 1999 (UK)
19 November 1999 (USA)

World Premiere

8 November 1999, Bruin & Fox Theatre, Los Angeles, USA

Locations

Baku, Azerbaijan; Istanbul, Turkey; Chamonix, France; Tudela and Bilbao, Spain; offshore Bahamas; Snowdonia National Park, Wales; Hankley Common, Surrey, Swindon, London and Pinewood Studios, England; Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland 

Music

“The World Is Not Enough” – performed by Garbage, lyrics by Don Black, written by David Arnold

Vehicles

Q Boat; BMW Z8; Parahawks; Zukovsky’s cream Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II; Sunseeker Superhawk, Aston Martin DB5

Gadgets/Weapons/Technology

• Walther P99
• Heckler & Koch G36K & H&K HK21 machine guns
• Inflatable avalanche survival jacket
• Detonator spectacles
• Omega watch with piton
• Nuclear weapon
• Lapel pin transmitter
• Locator card
• Pipeline PIG
• Torture chair
• Visa card skeleton key
• Walking stick gun
• X-ray specs

Trivia

Bond (Pierce Brosnan) on skis for the fifth time on location in Chamonix, France doubling for the Caucasus Mountains between the Caspian and Black Seas

Stunt co-ordinator Simon Crane selected champion extreme skiers Francine Moreillon and Stephan Dan to double for Sophie Marceau and Pierce Brosnan because they were also expert guides who knew the rocks, crevasses and other hazards of Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains

The parahawks used in the ski chase sequence are hybrids designed by the Bond production team

Emmanuel Prévinaire’s mini-helicopter with its flying eyeball provides some of the most spectacular swooping shots in the ski chase sequence

A 170-strong crew shooting for four weeks captured the four and a half minutes of ski chase film time

Shooting took place at 12,000 feet to get the virgin snow and rugged backdrop that second unit director Vic Armstrong wanted

The 14 minute pre-title sequence is the Bond series’ longest