Beckon of Tinsel Town

I was cleaning up things before Durga Puja as is done in a typically Bengali household. I came across my copy of English exercise book. I last read it when I was in class seven. I was casually turning over the pages wondering how I learnt English and why mother still kept it in our book shelf, neatly folded. My eyes got fixated on a word – “Tinsel Town”. If you search in the Google with this word, you come to know that it refers to Hollywood. In Indian context, it would be Bollywood represented by all handsome hunks and beautiful women. Let us randomly check a few international and national celebrities – Julian Moore, Julia Roberts, Eva Mendes, Cyndi Crawford, Bar Refaeli, Brad Pitt, Keeanu Reeves, Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Milind Soman, Rajeev Mulchandani [seems unfamiliar, he was famous for his off-screen dalliances with Aishwarya Rai]. How do you feel reading these names? Don’t you feel the urge to quickly open a browser and search? Why do you feel so tempted to know them? Tinsel Town always beckons us, pulling us towards it.

Spy Literature & James Bond – 007 – why bond movies are so appealing

I came across an excellent article by Mr. Manas Das on The Statesman on 20^th August 2011. http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=380420&catid=44

It has reignited in me the love for bond movies. I scanned my repository and there were a few – “From Russia with love”, “Goldfinger”, “The Spy who loved me”, “World is not enough”. I also saw “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace” and followed that up with a casual search over the net on Ian Fleming. “From Russia with love” Starring Sean Connery was released in 1963 and Quantum of Solace starring Daniel Craig in 2008. James Bong star-casting during 5 decades experienced the shift from Sean Connery to Roger Moore to Pierce Brosnan and to Daniel Craig. The James Bond still remains as appealing today as he was 70 years back. So what make Bond movies so special?

1. One reason is definitely his super spy image. He cannot be a real star, a real secret agent. He would not have survived even a day with his identity known to all counter intelligence divisions across the world. I feel the character appeals to fantasy of people cutting across geographical boundaries.
2. Secondly, every bond movie has a very good story line with twists and turns happening at a moment when they are most unexpected. It has the advantage of carrying usual high octane thrill ride typically associated with secret service/espionage operation. That is further fuelled by extensive usage of improvised gadgets. Imagine you are driving a car at high speed on an express way. Now you take an exit, drive 1 km, take a sharp turn and find a sea beach glittering with sunlight. Deep blue sea is just visible in front of you. You are in no mood to stop the car, simply drive through the sand into the sea. How would you feel: driving the car under the sea? Remember the scene from “the spy who loved me”. James Bond movie can engage you in quite exotic way.
3. Then come the bong girls. “Bond Girl” has really been packaged and marketed well. They really spice up the thing. Close your eyes and imagine what strikes you when you hear the word: stunningly beautiful, lethal package but humbled in the end by the super man, Mr. Bond. Take a look at the picture of Tatiana Romanova, Pussy Galore, Solonge Dimetrius, Vesper Lynd [Their names in the movies”]. Imagine how this post would seem to you without these pictures: A differentiating factor no doubt.

This is what I think. I would like to see your opinion too…….