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James Bond was real

Last updated on: September 22, 2010 15:48 IST
Sean Connery in Goldfinger

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A new history of the Secret Intelligence Service has revealed that one of James Bond's most famous scenes was inspired by the wartime exploits of an MI6 spy.

The moment when the fictional spy emerges from the water in a wetsuit and plants explosives before unzipping the suit to reveal a spotless dinner suit really took place during the Second World War.

The scene where Bond, played by Sean Connery, emerges in his wetsuit in the 1964 movie Goldfinger was inspired by the real life exploits of Dutch agent Pieter Tazelaar, according to MI6 by Keith Jeffery, the first official history of SIS.

Tazelaar was sent in by sea in 1940 to make contact with agents in Holland.

The book recounts that he 'put ashore at 4.35 am on November 23 at Scheveningen near the seafront casino in full evening dress and smelling of alcohol, wearing a specially designed rubber oversuit to keep him dry while landing,' reports the Daily Mail.

'Rather than leaving him somewhere on the dunes, the aim was for him to be able to mingle with the crowd on the front.

'Having landed on the beach his colleague Erik Hazelhof sprinkled a few drops of Hennessy XO brandy on him, to strengthen his party-goer's image.'

Professor Keith Jeffery, of Queen's University, Belfast, was given unrestricted access to the surviving historic files of the Secret Intelligence Service. But his work only covers the period up to 1949 and he was banned from revealing the identities of spies that are not already in the public domain.

The book also confirms that one of the templates for James Bond was another spy with the unpromising name of Wilfred 'Biffy' Dunderdale.

'When head of the SIS Paris station in the 1930s, he had a penchant for pretty women and fast cars and has been proposed as one of the possible models for Bond,' the book reports.

'He was a great friend of Ian Fleming and claimed that he found parts of his own stories in the James Bond novels.'

Another model for Bond's exploits might have been Air Commodore Lionel 'Lousy' Payne.

He was described in an SIS report as 'often well informed, probably due to the fact that information is more readily obtained in bed.'

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Greatest Survival Movie Of All Time

Last updated on: September 22, 2010 15:48 IST
Tom Hanks in Cast Away

Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks, has been named the Greatest Survival Movie Of All Time.

The film topped the poll of more than 2,000 film fans, with 16 per cent of the vote.

It beat apocalyptic end of the world thrillers like Roland Emmerich's 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow.

Armageddon landed the second spot in the poll by DVD rental and streaming service Lovefilm, with 14 per cent.

Third on the list was 1975 classic Jaws, which tells the story of man pitted against nature in the form of a giant shark out for blood.

'When it comes to the survival of the human race, Hollywood directors like Roland Emmerich tend to go big on the visual effects and catastrophic storylines, so it's refreshing to see a story of a single man's survival quest taking top place in our best survival films list,' the Mirror quoted Helen Cowley, editor at Lovefilm, as saying.

The rest of the top 10 was completed by Touching The Void (2003), Alive (1993), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Mad Max (1979), Lord Of The Flies (1963), 2012 (2009) and War Of The Worlds (2005).

The worst ever cover song

Last updated on: September 22, 2010 15:48 IST
Britney Spears

Pop star Britney Spears' version of I Love Rock 'N Roll has been named worst ever cover song.

The survey for car maker Seat revealed that the 28-year-old's attempt at the 1981 Joan Jett classic sold just 51,000 copies.

'When someone ruins a classic, it's the cause of much anger,' the Daily Star quoted Luke Lewis, of NME.com, as saying.

Meanwhile, the Muse cover of Feeling Good topped the poll.

Paris Hilton barred from entering Japan

Last updated on: September 22, 2010 15:48 IST
Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton was barred from entering Japan after admitting cocaine possession in a US court just a few hours earlier.

The hotel-heiress, 29, was quizzed at Tokyo's Narita airport after flying in for 'business obligations.'

And it was after six-hours of detention that Hilton was placed at the scruffy Airport Rest House as the authorities debated whether or not to let her in.

Just hours earlier, at a Las Vegas court, she had admitted possessing cocaine and obstructing a cop. She was given a 12-month suspended jail term.

'Paris was contractually bound to her business trip and didn't want to let down her brands and many Asian fans,' the Sun quoted her spokeswoman as saying.

'She is trying hard to do the responsible thing, but this is beyond her control. She is very disappointed,' she added.

Paris -- ordered to attend drug counselling over her cocaine rap -- flew into Tokyo by private jet.

Her sister Nicky, 26, and pals were waved through, but Paris was detained. Japan allows in those serving suspended jail terms only for 'special reasons.'

The heiress and Nicky had been due to promote Paris's new fashion line in Tokyo today but the event was cancelled.

Source: ANI