TRIVIA FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD OF GOLDENEYE - Part 3

After a one year and a half hiatus, we proceed with the "trivia facts about GOLDENEYE" article. We've seen some trivia of the 1995 film in part 1 and the 1997 Nintendo 64 videogame in part 2 back in 2011. Now, in part 3 we'll explore some trivia facts of another videogame, Electronic Arts' GOLDENEYE: ROUGE AGENT, released in 2004.

WARNING - SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD

• GOLDENEYE: ROGUE AGENT was the first Bond videogame ever not starring James Bond. The player gets on the role of an unknown MI6 agent who loses his eye in a fight against Dr No, which causes him to carry on missions in a gratitous violent way and gets fired by MI6. He's then recruited to join Auric Goldfinger's war against Dr No, which rewards him with a bionic eye built by Francisco Scaramanga and gets christened as "GoldenEye" by Pussy Galore.

GoldenEye, a vengative agent dismissed from
MI6 who joins forces with Goldfinger

• Due to his short cameo in the game, Pierce Brosnan didn't provide his likeness or voice to James Bond. The character got the artificial look of 2001's AGENT UNDER FIRE and was voiced by Jason Carter, and is a victim of one of GoldenEye's "brutality attacks" during a virtual reality simulation of the Fort Knox mission inspired by the climax of the 1964 film GOLDFINGER.

Xenia Onatopp was voiced by
Jenya Lano.

• Despite the appaerance of various Bond characters in the film, only Judi Dench and Christopher Lee provided their voice to the roles of M and Scaramanga. Xenia Onatopp, Dr. No, Pussy Galore were voiced by Jenya Lano, Carlos Alazraqui and Jeannie Elias, respectively.

• Veteran Bond set designer Ken Adam worked on the game, re-designing his original film sets.

• As it later happened with Activision's GOLDENEYE 007 remakes, it was also rumoured that this game would be a second-generation version of Rare's 1997 game because of the title. Othe rrumors even implied that parts of the original game would be included as an easter egg on the game.

Natasha Bedingfield sings
"If You're Gonna Jump" for the end credits.

• Actress Jessica Biel, who starred in THE ILLUSIONIST oposite Edward Norton, was rumoured to provide the likeness and voice for Pussy Galore. It's still unknown why the idea hasn't prosperred.

• The game's multiplayer version includes Bond maps like Fort Knox, the Volcano Lair and Zorin's Blimp from GOLDFINGER, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and A VIEW TO A KILL. For unknown reasons, two maps were axed from the final game: St Cyril's monastery from FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and Piz Gloria from ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. The latter would resurface from the single campaign and multiplayer modes for Activision's 007 LEGENDS.

• In the tradition of the Electronic Arts 007 games, it was expected that a talented singer would perform a song for the main titles for the game. Finally, the opening credits contained a remix by composer Paul Oakenfold (who remixed the James Bond Theme for the DIE ANOTHER DAY promotions in 2002). For the game end credits, we can hear "If You're Gonna Jump" by British singer Natasha Bedingfield, who would later provide the  voice and likeness for the character of Elizabeth Stark for the 2005 game FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The song can be found on Bedingfield's album "Unwritten."

Source: MI6-hq.com and IMDB

TRIVIA FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD OF GOLDENEYE - Part 2

In part two of our Trivia Facts About The World of GoldenEye section, we look back at some unknown trivia facts about the 1997 Nintendo 64 videogame GOLDENEYE 007, based on the 1995 film and developed by Rareware.

WARNING: IT MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS

• GOLDENEYE 007 was originally intended to be a Super Nintendo release to tie-in with the film’s release date of November 1995. The original idea was an on-rails shooter in the style of VIRTUA COP.





Render featuring a gunbarrel sequence


• GOLDENEYE 007 was the first Bond game for the Nintendo 64 console system, and it also was the first 007 videogame to feature a simultaneous 4-Player Multiplayer mode.

• Many tendencies from this game were set as standards in future 007 videogames, as the blood-drip death screen, which can also be seen in TOMORROW NEVER DIES, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (both N64 and PS1 versions), NIGHTFIRE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, BLOOD STONE and, of course, the 2010 remake of GOLDENEYE 007.

• The guns in the game were renamed from the originals, maybe for copyright reasons: Bond’s Walther PPK became the PP7, the Kalashnikov 47 became the KF7 Soviet, the M16 Assault Rifle became the AR33, the H&K MP5 became the Deutche MP5, and Ouromov’s reglamentary Makarov handgun became a DD44 Dostovei, which is actually a Tokarev.

• In the first mission, the Dam, the guard that can be seen opening the gates at the opening cinematic, won’t attack us until he reaches his route, even if he sees us. Using the ‘Turbo Mode’ cheat we can get to him.

• In the same level, there’s an island where Bond was supposed to visit in order to accomplish an objective. Fans who got to the island using the GameShark tools claim there’s a gun and a body armor there, besides the desactivated gun turret that can be seen using Sniper Rifle.

• According to the film, Alec Trevelyan face scars are produced by the Facility explotions. Still, in the second mission of this game (based on that scene), we can not only see the scars, but also a wedding ring on his hand.

• The Facility scenario has appeared not only in the Multiplayer mode of other Bond games like GOLDENEYE ROGUE AGENT, but in Rare games like PERFECT DARK and PERFECT DARK ZERO. In GOLDENEYE 007, the level also features the Bond silohuette with a ban signal, maybe as an in joke from the Rare team.

• One of the scientists in the level keeps the Keycard A, which can open every door in the Facility. Players can wait him in the toilet to force him to drop this keycard. There’s a scientist called Dr. Doak in the game, which is a double agent we have to contact in the Secret Agent and 00 Agent difficulty settings. The character was named after David Doak, a member of the Rare team.

• David Doak was not the only developer who got his name and face on the game. Ken Lobb, ex member of Nintendo of America, lent not only his face to the soldiers, civilians and scientists, but the name to one of the weapons: the Klobb. Other workers such as Greame Norgate and Grant Kirkhope can also be seen ‘playing’ characters in the game.

• We can remember that 006 kills a scientist at the beginning of the film. Still, in the Facility and in some other missions we have clears orders of prevent scientist/civilian casualties. In fact, if we harm scientists in the Facility level, some of them defend themselves with grenades and DD44 guns.

• The dialogue changes in this level when you meet Trevelyan. If you get to the bottling room harmless, Bond will say “It was too easy (getting here), Alec”. Otherwise, he’ll say “It was a bit tricky” or “I almost got killed getting here.” If we shoot him, he’ll attack us claiming: “So, the golden boy is a traitor, how ironic”. If we kill him, he’ll say: “Why, James?”





Render featuring the tank chase. The vehicle
features in two missions: Runway and Streets.


• Also, original stills of this level showed, just like in the film, more gas tanks than the ten we find in the bottling room.

• In the Runway level, inspired in Bond’s escape from the Facility, Bond can get a tank to reach the place, instead of the bike used in the film. The bike was designed and a miniature model can be seen in a table on the next level, Surface. However, in the Wii remake of the game, Bond rides a bike just like in the film and tries to catch the plane in mid-air.

• In the Bunker 1 level, blowing up the hanging TVs in the control room with remote mines will cause bullets and rockets freeze in the air. In this level, we meet Boris for the first time. Even when he is a civilian and shouldn’t be killed, we won’t fail the mission if we kill him (except in the Secret Agent and 00 Agent modes before he turns expendable).

• Original images of the Silo level showed Bond taking and elevator and shooting enemies with an AR33. Finally, we don’t get that gun nor that elevator in this level.

• In the same level, Bond is ambushed by Ouromov. If we shoot him (or if we kill him with the Golden Gun), he’ll escape and throw a briefcase. Still, this belonged to a lost objective from the level.

Bond infiltrates the Severnaya Bunker, a place he didn't
visited in the original film.

• According to Moneypenny’s briefing for the Frigate mission, Xenia Onatopp may be aboard, just like in the film. Still, there’s no trace of her in the final game. Also, the pilot she shoots in the film is a character available in the Multiplayer mode. The helicopter aboard the frigate was renamed “Pirate” instead of “Tiger”.

• In the Bunker 2 level, we can get Throwing Knives by using the Magnet Watch on a grating on the floor. In the same level, we are asked to recover a CCTV VideoTape, which features the poster artwork for the 1995 film.

• In the Statue Park level, we finally find out Alec Trevelyan is Janus. To meet him, we have to reach the Lenin statue. If we’re carring a gun, he’ll ask us to put it away. If we go unarmed, he’ll say: “No gun 007? MI6 must have been readjusting budgets.” We can also kill Trevelyan if we use a Sniper Rifle or if we shoot him with the Golden Gun, but we’ll fail the mission since he hasn’t revealed himself.

• The Archives level features two hidden passages; one of them is hidden behind a big pile of four boxes. They’re also available in the Multiplayer mode.

• In the Streets level, where we ride the tank again, we were supposed to face Russian Police troops, just like in the film, but for unknown reasons they were dropped out and only available with the 64 characters cheat for Multiplayer.

• We have two ways of ending the Depot mission. One is to shoot both guards after opening the doors of Trevelyan’s train; the other is to enter without killing the guards. If we go for the second option, we’ll watch Bond killing the guards before straightening his tie in the cinematic.

• In the Train level, if we destroy the wooden crates, we’ll get a RCP-90 in Agent and Secret Agent, and a gun in 00 Agent. If we are quick enough and get to kill Ouromov, Xenia and Alec (quickly with the Gold PP7 and using the ‘Turbo Mode’ cheat), we’ll have the chance to get to the the end of the wagon. Still, there’s nothing interesting there. By hitting Xenia or Alec, the cowntdown for the bomb will start later.

• The RCP-90 gun, which we ‘officialy’ get in this level, was named after the graphic chip of the N64: RCP stands for Reality CoProcessor and 90 is the frecuency the CPU can reach (93.5 MhZ).

In GOLDENEYE 007, Bond has a 'closer' contact
with Boris Grishenko

• The same that happened in Facility and Statue Park occurs in the Control level: the dialogue variations. At the beginning of the mission, we have to take all enemies down so that Natalya can unlock the doors. If we succeed harmless, she’ll say: “James, you were wonderful.” If we lose some health, she’ll tell us: “James, you’re hurt.”

• In the same mission, if we blow up a computer where Natalya’s working at, she’ll tell us: “I’m going back to the lift, I might be there when you stop clowning around.” And our mission will be failed. The same happens if we kill Boris, since she isn’t angry with him as in the film.

• In the Caverns level, if we shoot some crates next to the radio we use to contact Jack Wade, we’ll get a double AR33.

• The Antenna Cradle level is the last mission of the film’s storyline. After we find Trevelyan, the fight can get longer and longer depending of how good our accuaracy is. Everytime he gets shot, he’ll say phrases based on the movie. If we stand next to the stairs for about ten seconds without entering the Console Control Room where he’s waiting us, he’ll kill himself with a grenade (a glitch) and our objective B will be complete. On the other hand, if he challenges us for a duel in the platform (just like in the film) and we kill him, we’ll get an animation of him falling down, before the classic cinematic of Bond clinging to the helicopter. The latter animation may change if we use the ‘Fast Animation’ or ‘Slow Animation’ cheats, where, depending on the case, Bond will jump before the helicopter gets to pick him up or the helicopter will leave without him.

• If we beat the storyline missions in the Secret Agent difficulty, we’ll unlock the Aztec Complex mission, inspired on the film MOONRAKER. In this level, we’ll have to battle Jaws (even when he turned on our side at the end of that film) in order to get a security card. However, there’s a complicated trick that allows us to get the door open avoiding Jaws: if we attract the guards before reaching the mainframe room and we hide somewhere, one guard will open that door.

• Just like in the MOONRAKER film, there were also female guards in this level, but they were dropped out of the level and left only for the Multiplayer Mode. At the second stage of the game, we’ll find a bridge that goes through a pit. If we fall down there, we’ll get on a corridor that will eventually lead us where Jaws is.

• The last level of the game is Egyptian, based on LIVE AND LET DIE and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN. This level can be unlocked by beating the game in the 00 Agent difficulty setting. Here, we have to recover the Golden Gun and confront Baron Samedi. At the end of the game, we’ll have a cinematic of him laughing, just like in the end of LIVE AND LET DIE. Still, changing the control settings to ‘Domino’ and using remote mines, we can blow him away (we can also do the same with Natalya in Bunker 2 and Archives).

GOLDENEYE 007 magazine ad. You can noticed
the white tuxedo clad Bond inspired by Sean Connery
that was removed from the game.

• Other Bond classic characters, May Day from A VIEW TO A KILL and Oddjob from GOLDFINGER, are available in the Multiplayer mode after you beat the game. Still, they are nowhere in the single player campaign.

• The Multiplayer mode originally featured an ‘All Bonds’ cheat, as it could be seen in many production stills of the game featuring a character with a white tuxedo (presumably based on Sean Connery). Still, for copyright reasons, this cheat was removed but discretely kept in PERFECT DARK.

Sources: MI6 Declassified Magazine #2 (February 2008), MundoRare.com

TRIVIA FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD OF GOLDENEYE (Part 1)

Welcome to our Trivia Facts About The World of GoldenEye section. Troughout the years we'll be posting some unknown trivia facts about the many stories the original plot of GOLDENEYE brought to the screen and videogames. We'll start with the 1995 film released by United Artists and starring Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

• The name "Golden Eye" has a long story that harkens back to fifty years before the film's release. In 1941, British Naval Commander Ian Fleming organized an operation to prevent Adolph Hitler's invasion attempt to the Rock of Gibraltar. The codename of this operation was "Golden Eye" after Carson McCullers novel REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (made into a film by John Houston). When the Führer lost interest in Gibraltar, the operation was aborted. Three years later, Ian Fleming named his Jamaican estate "Goldeneye" after the book and the cancelled operation. This is where Fleming first penned his first James Bond novel, CASINO ROYALE. In 1989, twenty five years after Fleming's passing, Don Boyd directed a TV biopic where renowed British actor Charles Dance played James Bond's creator. The film's name was GOLDENEYE - THE SECRET LIFE OF IAN FLEMING. The story continued when the name of Fleming's estate was yet again chosen for Pierce Brosnan's onscreen debut as James Bond in 1995, because in 1997 Rareware released the GOLDENEYE 007 videogame for Nintendo 64 based, of course, in the film released two years ago. Since the game was a sizable hit and a legend in the world of videogaming, in 2004 Electronic Arts, then in charge of the James Bond videogame rights, decided to broke all the rules and announced a spin-off videogame where the player wouldn't play James Bond, but a rookie agent dismissed from the British Secret Service in league with Auric Goldfinger. Taking full advantage of the success of the 1997 game, the title chosen for the project was GOLDENEYE: ROUGE AGENT, released for platforms like Playstation 2 and Nintendo Gamecube. Despite the name, the product success was not even close to the Nintendo 64 game. The last time the title was used was in 2010, when Activision released the Nintendo wii remake of GOLDENEYE 007, who followed the same story of the film and the original game, re-adapted for the 21st century by its original writer Bruce Feirstein, this time with Daniel Craig providing his voice and likeness for the role of James Bond.

• Michael France's first draft for the film was written in 1993, before Pierce Brosnan's choice as James Bond. France, a long time Bond fan, included many interesting scenes excluded in the final shooting script: Bond breaking into the KGB headquarters in Moscow, a SPECTRE-like meeting between Alec Trevelyan (who was a lot older and aristhocratic than Sean Bean's portrayal) and his associates, and a chase including chain-saw attached helicopters (which was finally used in 1999's THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH). This script also meant the return of General Pushkin from 1987's THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and the inclusion of a strong henchman named Savatier, as well as Alexei Mavienko, a nuclear expert that later would became computer hacker Boris Grishenko. Romaly, Bond's contact in Russia, was finally replaced by bulry CIA agent Jack Wade.  Also, the script included Bond’s secretary Loelia Ponsonby and MI6’s neurologist Sir James Moloney, characters from the Ian Fleming novels.





Pierce Brosnan as James Bond

• In early drafts of the script, Natalya Simonova was called Marina Varoskaya. Probably, the name of the character was changed to homage location manager Natalya Smirnova.

• Pierce Brosnan was originally cast as James Bond for THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, in 1987, but due to contract obligations with MTM for the TV series REMINGTON STEELE, he lost the chance and Welsh Shakespearian actor Timothy Dalton finally portrayed James Bond in that film. However, after Dalton left the series in 1994, the producers considered Brosnan again and finally on June 1st, 1994, at exactly 12.05pm, Brosnan's agent Fred Spector called him to his house in Malibu to bring him the good news: "Hello, Mr. Bond - you've got the part!", he said when Brosnan awnsered the call. The Irish actor would play Bond until 2002's DIE ANOTHER DAY.





Martin Campbell directing Pierce Brosnan and Joe Don Baker

• It was director Martin Campbell's idea to make M, the head of the British Intelligence, a woman, a time after Ms. Stella Rimington was named head of the real MI6. Noted character actress Dame Judi Dench made her first appaerance as M, a role she would portray in all subsequent Bond films up to date - and she signed for the next James Bond adventure in 2012!

• Early drafts of the screenplay includes some scenes and lines that where unused in the final print for various reasons. In the pre credits sequence, Bond was supposed to shoot in cold blood to two guards who where playing a chess match right before jumping into the dam. This scene was re-shoot with the guards watching TV and Bond dogding them, but was again deleted from the film (tough available now in the Ultimate Edition DVD). Judi Dench's M was supposed to smoke a cigarette while giving her briefing to Bond (as we can read in John Gardner's novelization), but, since the actress didn't smoked and felt uncomfortable with a cigarette, Martin Campbell decided that she wouldn't be smoking in that scene. And one of Judi Dench's lines was also reworked - M was supposed to tell Bond that he was a relic of the Cold War "whose boyish charms I might actually have succumbed to ten years ago", but apparently, to avoid the idea of Bond and M having had an old affair, the line was finally modified to "...whose boyish charms altough wasted on me."





Alec Trevelyan kills a soviet scientist in a
shot cut from the final print.

• The Making-of Featturete GOLDENEYE: THE SECRET FILES shows a shot of the soviet scientist falling dead on a table after being shot by Alec Trevelyan in the film's pre title sequence. In order to avoid problems with the censors, the shot didn't remain in the final cut.

• Martin Campbell was the only director in the history of the franchise to launch two different actors as James Bond. He wouldn't only be responsible of the world fame of Pierce Brosnan in GOLDENEYE, but eleven years later he would direct Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond, CASINO ROYALE.





Pierce Brosnan and Kate Gayson.

• Filming of GOLDENEYE started on January 16th, 1995 - exactly 33 years after Sean Connery shot the famous "Bond, James Bond" introduction for the very first time in DR NO. Incredible enough, Kate Gayson, daughter of Eunice Gayson who played Sylvia Trench (the girl whom Connery's Bond introduces himself with his immortal line) makes a short extra appaerance in the casino scene in GOLDENEYE.

• Right before the production for the film started, Pierce Brosnan had his hand injured while trying in a domestic accident. His son, Christopher, doubled his right hand in four moments: pulling on the Aston Martin DB5 handbrake, opening the glove compartment of the DB5 revealing a bottle of Bollinger, using the laser gun at the beginning in Arkangel, and cutting the floor of the train with the laser beam of the Omega watch.

• GOLDENEYE shares two things in common with Kevin McClory's unofficial Bond film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983): a laser watch, and actor Billy J Mitchell, who portrayed Capt. Pederson in the 1983 film and Admiral Farrel, Xenia's victim, in GOLDENEYE.

• Simon Crane (stunt coordinator) and Wayne Michaels (pre credits bungee jump performer) played Françoise Brouse and Bernard Joubert, the Tiger Helicopter pilots murdered by Xenia.

• In the nerve gas plant, when Bond shoots the lock of the upper storage containing the gas barrels so that they fall over the Soviet soldiers, the barrels plopped down instead of springing forward. A pneumatically-operated conveyor belt was added so that the barrels could be thrown forward. Needless to say they were made of lightweight foam so that the poor stuntmen playing the soldiers wouldn't be seriously injured.





The soviets soldiers are crushed by metal
barrels at the beginning of the film

• Since GOLDENEYE had an international cast with Dutch (Famke Janssen), Polish (Izabella Scorupco), German (Gottfried John), French (Tcheky Karyo) and Scottish (Robbie Coltrane and Alan Cumming) actors and actresses, voice coach Andrew Jack had the hard task to make sure all the actors mentioned, who played, Russian characters had an uniform accent.

• Born in Poland in 1970, Izabella Scorupco started her career as a singer in Stockholm. GOLDENEYE was her first English-spoken film. And even when it was a big step in her career, the shooting demands seriously compromised her relationship with Polish-born ice hockey player Mariusz Czerkwski. Maybe as an in-joke, in the first draft of the TOMORROW NEVER DIES script, Bond tells Jack Wade that Natalya “married a hockey player.”

• Actors Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan would also work together in 2010’s PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTENING THIEF.

• GOLDENEYE wasn’t the only Bond adventure to feature agent 006. In Ian Fleming’s novel, ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVCE, we are told that agent 006 is an Ex-Royal Marine Commander who “disputes” Bond for the love of Mary Goodnight, the new young secretary working for the 00 section. In 1965’s THUNDERBALL, Sean Connery’s Bond assists to a full briefing where all the 00 agents are present. He sits on the seventh chair, making us assume sitting next to him is yet another agent 006.

• Famke Janssen’s portrayal of Xenia Onatopp wasn’t her only participation in the world of cinematic spying. In 2002, she played femme fatale Rachel Wright in the film I SPY, starring Owen Wilson and Eddie Murphy and based on the 60’s TV series.





Pierce Brosnan wears a three-piece
Brioni suit in GOLDENEYE

• After using trademark watches as Rolex, Seiko, Breitling and Tag Heuer, GOLDENEYE marks the beginning of the long association between James Bond and Omega watches. In all the subsequent films of Pierce Brosnan, James Bond would sport an Omega Seamaster watch, as well as in Daniel Craig's Bond film CASINO ROYALE.

• GOLDENEYE meant a change of trademark for Bond’s lifestile beside watches, too. From this film on, Bond changed his classic British Savile Row suits for Brioni’s Italian tailored clothes. Founded by Nazareno Fonticoli and Gaetano Savini in 1945, Brioni provided clothes for artists like Robert Wagner and Clark Gable. 007 would use Brioni’s suits from GOLDENEYE to CASINO ROYALE.

• Another minor but high sounding change was in Bond’s car. For the first time, Agent 007 would take a BMW German made vehicle over the British models of Aston Martin and Lotus (Driven by Sean Connery and Roger Moore respectively). Still, Bond’s alliance with BMW only lasted for three films: GOLDENEYE (BMW Z3), TOMORROW NEVER DIES (BMW 750il) and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (BMW Z8).

• Bond’s BMW Z3 design was kept in secret until the film’s release. Even tough Q describes a lot of explosive gadgets like Stinger Missles, Paratuches and Radar System, only the latter is seen in the film. One would suppose that this was due to budgetary reasons.

Bond's Aston Martin beats Xenia's Ferrari
during a top speed race at the Grand Corniche

• GOLDENEYE marks the return of the classic Aston Martin DB5. The car hadn't been used since 1965's THUNDERBALL. Still, the car's number plate is two digits different from Sean Connery's car: BMT 214A instead of BMT 216A.

• The contract with Ferrari included a clause that stated that Xenia’s Ferarri 355 had to lose against Bond’s Aston Martin DB5. Something that can’t be possible in real life, since Bond’s car top speed is 148.2 mph, while Xenia’s car has 186 mph as top speed.

• GOLDENEYE is not Title Designer Daniel Kleinman's first job in the world of 007: six years before, he also designed Gladys Knight music video for "Licence to Kill", the main title song for Timothy Dalton's second and last outing as James Bond. Kleinman, who was the first designer who used CGI elements on the 007 main titles, would also work in the James Bond films until 2006's CASINO ROYALE.

• For Pierce Brosnan's third Bond film, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, Robbie Coltrane reprised his acclaimed role of arms-dealer-turned-Bond-ally Valentin Zukovsky from GOLDENEYE.

• GOLDENEYE co-screenwriter Bruce Feirstein would not only write the screenplay for TOMORROW NEVER DIES and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, but he would also work with Electronic Arts and Activision for the James Bond videogames EVERYTHING OR NOTHING, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (based on the 1963 film), and the recent GOLDENEYE 007 (the remake of the 1997 game) and BLOOD STONE.

• Recently, an apparently rejected GOLDENEYE soundtrack by Michael J. Lewis surfaced on the net. However, many film soundtrack experts claimed it's a fake made by fans and it wasn't even considered by EON.

• Third Bond actor Roger Moore paid a visit to the GOLDENEYE set at Leavedsen and greeted Pierce Brosnan and producer Michael G Wilson, who co-wrote the last three Moore 007 adventures: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981), OCTOPUSSY (1983) and A VIEW TO A KILL (1985).

• The music band Ace of Base wrote a song called "The GoldenEye" for the film. Since it wasn't considered, the band slightly changed the arrangements and the lyrics to the song, now renamed "The Juvenile".

• The “James Bond Theme” version Eric Serra composed for the tank chase sequence was considered not appropiate for such a thrilling sequence that composer John Altman was hired to make a composition that could fit that sequence. While Serra’s original version remained in the GOLDENEYE soundtrack (Track 10 – “
  A Pleasant Drive
  in St. Petersburg”), Altman’s version wasn’t released, and only a cover version performed by The City Of Prague Phillarmonic Orchestra is available on the disc BOND BACK IN ACTION 2 as “
  Tank Drive
  in St. Petersburg”.

• GOLDENEYE was the last film long time producer Albert R "Cubby" Broccoli saw before his death in 1996. His heirs in the Bond franchise, daughter  Barbara Broccoli and stepson Michael G Wilson, would not also dedicate the following film, 1997's TOMORROW NEVER DIES, to his memory, but also would mantain the tradition to keep the late producer's name in every following Bond film credits.

• GOLDENEYE was the highest grossing film in the worldwide box office since 1979’s MOONRAKER.

Sources: THE MAKING OF GOLDENEYE by Garth Pearce; KISS KISS BANG BANG by Alan Barnes and Marcus Hearn; THE ESSENTIAL BOND by Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worral.