Jill in Gold
Perhaps the most iconic image from the film, and the one that is most often associated with it, is the image of the dead Jill Masterson covered in gold paint on the bed. It is striking in its beauty as well as its morbidity, an image that evokes the excess and greed of the villain Goldfinger as well as the ubiquitousness of the beautiful woman figure in the James Bond universe. The image looks like something out of a fairytale, like she is a kind of supernatural being, but we soon realize that she has been murdered in a bone-chilling way. The image was so shocking and infamous at the time of the film's release, that an urban legend arose that Shirley Eaton, the actress, died after filming.
Bond in a Romper
James Bond is not only an iconic hero because he is competent and assured under pressure, but because he is an exceedingly charming and attractive man at that. Part of his poise and allure is his flawless sense of style. Throughout the film, he is mostly wearing beautifully tailored tuxedos and suits, but on his vacation to Miami, he wanders around the pool, and then up to Goldfinger's room, wearing a form-fitting romper. This rather androgynous garment strikes an unusually masculine figure on Bond, proving that the Scottish spy can pull off almost anything.
The Flying Circus
For most of the film, Pussy Galore is a sapphic villain, a lady-loving tough blonde whose attitude is impenetrable when it comes to James Bond. She is a highly competent pilot who leads an all-female (and all-blonde) group of pilots called "Pussy Galore's Flying Circus." When Bond arrives in Kentucky, we see the female pilots all landing their crafts and emerging from the cockpits. The image of a group of gorgeous blonde women emerging from a squadron of airplanes is an unexpected and memorable one.
Laser
When Bond is captured by Goldfinger in Geneva, he is brought back to an ominous lab and strapped to a table. He initially thinks he's getting questioned, but then Goldfinger turns on a laser that starts at the bottom and slowly moves up the table towards Bond's crotch, likely to cut him in half. The image of the laser is a suspense-building one, as the viewer worries about Bond's safety in this moment. It was also one of the first lasers to appear in a feature film, likely the first time an audience member in 1964 encountered the concept of the deadly laser.
