25th Anniversary of GoldenEye (1995) starring Izabella Scorupco

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2020-11-17

On this day 25 years ago, the first James Bond 007 film starring Pierce Brosnan premiered at cinemas. GoldenEye was first released in USA on 17th November 1995. Then in the UK on the 24th and later in Sweden on 8th December.

Former agent 006, Alec Trevelyan, plans to use the Russian’s satellite weapon system ‘GoldenEye’ to steal millions via the London Banks’ computer systems in the final seconds prior to the satellite’s electromagnetic pulse destroys all the banks’ records.

>Read a report about the Stunts in GoldenEye
>Read a report about the Women in GoldenEye

Official teaser trailer for GoldenEye

Production notes on GoldenEye

(Source: MGM / Eon Productions)
• 7 June 1994: Pierce Brosnan was officially announced as the fifth actor to play James Bond
• 30 November 1994: Famke Janssen signed her contract to play Xenia Onatopp
• 19 January 1995: Robbie Coltrane began his two days on set playing the Russian gangster Valentin
• 22 January 1995: The principal cast was unveiled at Leavesden Studios
• 25 January 1995: Martin Campbell shot the scene in which Natalya first encounters Xenia Onatopp
• 29 January 1995: The production moved to Puerto Rico, which would doubled for Cuba in the film
• 7 February 1995: Dame Judi Dench shot her first ever scene as M
• 10 February 1995: Desmond Llewellyn began shooting his scenes as Q
• 14 February 1995: Shooting began on the casino scenes
• 17 February 1995: Campbell shot Bond and Natalya escaping the Russian Military Intelligence Archive
• 20 February 1995: The model unit shot a mini MiG 'copter crashing into Severnaya Station after the activation of GoldenEye
• 1 March 1995: Shooting began on the car chase between Xenia Onatopp and Bond
• 10 March 1995: Martin Campbell filmed Xenia Onatopp’s death scene
• 21 March 1995: Pierce Brosnan & Famke Janssen shot the scene where Xenia tries to crush Bond to death with her thighs
• 24 March 1995: Shooting began on the climactic scenes at the Arecibo Control Complex
• 10 May 1995: Shooting began on Bond and Alec Trevelyan’s climactic fight scene
• 27 June 1995: The model unit filmed the climactic destruction of the satellite
• 13 November 1995: GOLDENEYE had its world premiere at Radio City Music Hall in New York

A selection of filming locations for GoldenEye

(Source: On the Tracks of 007)
• Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, Puerto Rico (Goldeneye Satellite Dish, Cuba)
• Alpes-Maritimes, France (James Bond car race with Xenia Onatopp)
• Bouches-du-Rhône, France (James Bond car race with Xenia Onatopp)
• British Sugar Factory, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK (exteriors: end of the tank chase)
• Brompton Cemetery, Fulham Road, West Brompton, London, England, UK (exterior Russian church of Our Lady of Smolensk, St. Petersburg)
• Cantone Ticino, Switzerland (opening sequence bungee jump - Arkangel Chemical Weapons Facility)
• Casino de Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco (casino scenes)
• Ciénaga de Cibuco Farm, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico (Bond and Natalya meet Jack Wade and exchange BMW and plane)
• Courtyard, Somerset House, Strand, London, England, UK (Central Square, St. Petersburg)
• Decembrists Square, St. Petersburg, Russia (senate square)
• Draper's Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, Broadgate, London, England, UK (interiors Russian defence ministry council chambers in St Petersburg)
• Epsom Downs Racecourse (Queen's Stand), Epsom Downs, Epsom, Surrey, England, UK (Bond meets Jack Wade at St Petersburg Airport)
• Fort Antoine, Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, Monaco (James Bond views the Admiral and Xenia Onatopp boarding the Manticore yacht)
• Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes, France (James Bond car race with Xenia Onatopp)
• Greolieres, Alpes-Maritimes, France (James Bond car race with Xenia Onatopp)
• Greolieres-les-neiges, Alpes-Maritimes, France (James Bond car race with Xenia Onatopp)
• Laguna Tortuguero Beach, Manatí, Puerto Rico (exteriors: beach scene)
• Langham Hotel - Portland Place, London, England, UK
• Leavesden Studios (now Warner Bros Studios Leavesden), Hertfordshire, England, UK (studio, tank chase)
• Manatí, Puerto Rico (exteriors: finale ambush scene with soldiers)
• Moika Canal, St. Petersburg, Russia (exteriors: tank chase)
• Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, Monaco (James Bond views the Admiral and Xenia Onatopp boarding the Manticore yacht)
• Monte Carlo Bay, Monte Carlo, Monaco (Xenia Onatopp steals the stealth Tiger helicoper)
• Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK (exteriors: rail scenes - Alec Trevelyan's train depot - exploding train)
• Port d'Hercule, La Condamine, Monaco (Xenia Onatopp steals the stealth Tiger helicoper)
• Rooftop Theatre, Fort Antoine, Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, Monaco (James Bond views the Admiral and Xenia Onatopp boarding the Manticore yacht)
• SIS Headquarters, 85 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London, England, UK (MI6/M's Office)
• Somerset House, Strand, London, England, UK (exteriors: Central Square, St. Petersburg - Jack Wade's blue car breaks down)
• St. Sofia's Greek Cathedral, Moscow Road, Bayswater, London, England, UK (interior Russian church of Our Lady of Smolensk, St. Petersburg)
• St. Petersburg, Russia (Headquarters - Janus crime syndicate/tank chase)
• Switzerland (opening sequence bungee jump - Arkangel Chemical Weapons Facility - motorcycle jump)
• Thorenc, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (James Bond's car race with Xenia Onatopp)
• Verzasca Dam, Cantone Ticino, Switzerland (opening sequence bungee jump - Arkangel Chemical Weapons Facility)

Vehicles used during the filming of GoldenEye

(Source: BMT 216A: The James Bond Vehicle Library)
• Aston Martin DB5
• Bell 204 HUEY
• BMW Z3 roadster
• Cagiva 600 W 16
• Cessna 172P Skyhawk
• Eurocopter 355 Twin Star
• Eurocopter PAH-2 Tiger
• Ferrari 355 GTS
• GAZ-3102 Volga
• Mercedes-Benz 280E
• Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo-Porter
• Robinson R-22 Beta
• Russian T-55 tank
• Speedboat
• Yacht Manticore
• ZAZ-965A Zabrosh (Moskowich)

Over the years, FSWL has been fortunate to meet, and written articles about some of the cast and crew on GoldenEye, below is a list with some of them:

>Andrew Noakes (production accountant)
>Anthony Waye (associate producer)
>Barbara Broccoli (producer)
>Chris Corbould (special effects supervisor)
>Debbie McWilliams (casting director)
>Derek Meddings (miniature effects supervisor)
>Desmond Llewelyn (actor)
>Eunice Huthart (stunts)
>Famke Janssen (actress)
>Gary Powell (stuntman)
>Gottfried John (actor)
>Izabella Scorupco (actress)
>Jim Dowdall (stuntman)
>Judi Dench (actress)
>Keith Hamshere (stills photographer)
>Lindy Hemming (costume designer)
>Martin Campbell (director)
>Michael G. Wilson (executive producer)
>Michael Kitchen (actor)
>Monty Norman (composer of the James Bond theme)
>Nick Gillard (stuntman)
>Nosher Powell (stuntman)
>Pauline Hume (end titles)
>Peter Lamont (production designer)
>Pavel Douglas (actor)
>Pierce Brosnan (James Bond)
>Remy Julienne (stuntman)
>Robbie Coltrane (actor)
>Rocky Taylor (stuntman)
>Roy Alon (stuntman)
>Samantha Bond (actress)
>Sean Bean (actor)
>Serena Gordon (actress)
>Tchéky Karyo (actor)
>Terry Cade (stuntman)
>Terry Richards (stuntman)
>Tom Pevsner (executive producer)
>Trevor Steedman (stuntman)