BLOG NO-004

DA VINCI CODE 18-7

2008-03-27T20:18:00.004-07:00

Fleeing the men's room, they moved into the shadows just as Fache rushed past.

Now, with the fire alarm silenced, Langdon could hear the sounds of DCPJ sirens tearing away from the Louvre. A police exodus. Fache had hurried off as well, leaving the Grand Gallery deserted.

"There's an emergency stairwell about fifty meters back into the Grand Gallery," Sophie said. "Now that the guards are leaving the perimeter, we can get out of here."

Langdon decided not to say another word all evening. Sophie Neveu was clearly a hell of a lot smarter than he was.

FOR CHAPTER 19 CLICK HERE .

DA CINCI 18-6

2008-03-27T20:18:00.003-07:00

Handing the bar to Langdon, Sophie retrieved a heavy, cylindrical trash can from under the sinks. Before Langdon could protest, Sophie ran at the window, holding the can before her like a

battering ram. Driving the bottom of the trash can into the center of the window, she shattered the glass.

Alarms erupted overhead at earsplitting decibel levels.

"Give me the soap!" Sophie yelled, barely audible over the alarm.

Langdon thrust the bar into her hand.

Palming the soap, she peered out the shattered window at the eighteen-wheeler idling below. The target was plenty big—an expansive, stationary tarp—and it was less than ten feet from the side of the building. As the traffic lights prepared to change, Sophie took a deep breath and lobbed the bar of soap out into the night.

The soap plummeted downward toward the truck, landing on the edge of the tarp, and sliding downward into the cargo bay just as the traffic light turned green.

"Congratulations," Sophie said, dragging him toward the door. "You just escaped from the Louvre."

DA VINCI CODE 18-6

2008-03-27T20:18:00.001-07:00

Langdon had been standing inside the men's room refusing to run from a crime he didn't commit, when Sophie began eyeing the plate-glass window and examining the alarm mesh running through it. Then she peered downward into the street, as if measuring the drop.

"With a little aim, you can get out of here," she said.

Aim? Uneasy, he peered out the rest room window.

Up the street, an enormous twin-bed eighteen-wheeler was headed for the stoplight beneath the window. Stretched across the truck's massive cargo bay was a blue vinyl tarp, loosely covering the truck's load. Langdon hoped Sophie was not thinking what she seemed to be thinking.

"Sophie, there's no way I'm jump—"

"Take out the tracking dot."

Bewildered, Langdon fumbled in his pocket until he found the tiny metallic disk. Sophie took it from him and strode immediately to the sink. She grabbed a thick bar of soap, placed the tracking dot on top of it, and used her thumb to push the disk down hard into the bar. As the disk sank into the soft surface, she pinched the hole closed, firmly embedding the device in the bar.

DA VINCI 18-5

2008-03-27T20:17:00.004-07:00

It's over, Fache knew. His men would have the truck surrounded within minutes. Langdon was not going anywhere.

Stowing his weapon, Fache exited the rest room and radioed Collet. "Bring my car around. I want to be there when we make the arrest."

As Fache jogged back down the length of the Grand Gallery, he wondered if Langdon had even survived the fall.

Not that it mattered.

Langdon ran. Guilty as charged.

Only fifteen yards from the rest room, Langdon and Sophie stood in the darkness of the Grand Gallery, their backs pressed to one of the large partitions that hid the bathrooms from the gallery. They had barely managed to hide themselves before Fache had darted past them, gun drawn, and disappeared into the bathroom.

The last sixty seconds had been a blur.

DA VINCI CODE 18-3

2008-03-27T20:17:00.003-07:00

The alarm cut off finally, and Collet's voice became audible again over the walkie-talkie.

"...moving south... faster... crossing the Seine on Pont du Carrousel!"

Fache turned to his left. The only vehicle on Pont du Carrousel was an enormous twin-bed Trailor delivery truck moving southward away from the Louvre. The truck's open-air bed was covered with a vinyl tarp, roughly resembling a giant hammock. Fache felt a shiver of apprehension. That truck, only moments ago, had probably been stopped at a red light directly beneath the rest room window.

An insane risk, Fache told himself. Langdon had no way of knowing what the truck was carrying beneath that tarp. What if the truck were carrying steel? Or cement? Or even garbage? A forty-foot leap? It was madness.

"The dot is turning!" Collet called. "He's turning right on Pont des Saints-Peres!"

Sure enough, the Trailor truck that had crossed the bridge was slowing down and making a right turn onto Pont des Saints-Peres. So be it, Fache thought. Amazed, he watched the truck disappear around the corner. Collet was already radioing the agents outside, pulling them off the Louvre perimeter and sending them to their patrol cars in pursuit, all the while broadcasting the truck's changing location like some kind of bizarre play-by-play.

DA VINCI CODE 18-2

2008-03-27T20:17:00.001-07:00

Fache kept running, cursing the length of the hallway with every step.

"Langdon's moving faster!" Collet was still yelling on the radio. "He's running down Carrousel. Wait... he's picking up speed. He's moving too fast!"

Arriving at the partitions, Fache snaked his way through them, saw the rest room door, and ran for it.

The walkie-talkie was barely audible now over the alarm. "He must be in a car! I think he's in a car! I can't—"

Collet's words were swallowed by the alarm as Fache finally burst into the men's room with his gun drawn. Wincing against the piercing shrill, he scanned the area.

The stalls were empty. The bathroom deserted. Fache's eyes moved immediately to the shattered window at the far end of the room. He ran to the opening and looked over the edge. Langdon was nowhere to be seen. Fache could not imagine anyone risking a stunt like this. Certainly if he had dropped that far, he would be badly injured.

DA VINCI 18-1

2008-03-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Fache sprinted down the Grand Gallery as Collet's radio blared over the distant sound of the alarm.

"He jumped!" Collet was yelling. "I'm showing the signal out on Place du Carrousel! Outside the bathroom window! And it's not moving at all! Jesus, I think Langdon has just committed suicide!"

Fache heard the words, but they made no sense. He kept running. The hallway seemed never-ending. As he sprinted past Saunière's body, he set his sights on the partitions at the far end of the Denon Wing. The alarm was getting louder now.

"Wait!" Collet's voice blared again over the radio. "He's moving! My God, he's alive. Langdon's moving!"

DA VINCI CODE 9-9

2008-02-23T21:44:00.001-08:00

Langdon stared. "But—"

"It's the three-digit code on the paper I gave you."

Langdon opened his mouth to explain the bizarre error, but Sophie flashed him a silencing glare that lasted only an instant. Her green eyes sent a crystal-clear message.

Don't ask questions. Just do it.

Bewildered, Langdon punched in the extension on the slip of paper: 454.

Sophie's outgoing message immediately cut off, and Langdon heard an electronic voice announce in French: "You have one new message." Apparently, 454 was Sophie's remote access code for picking up her messages while away from home.

I'm picking up this woman's messages?

Langdon could hear the tape rewinding now. Finally, it stopped, and the machine engaged. Langdon listened as the message began to play. Again, the voice on the line was Sophie's.

"Mr. Langdon," the message began in a fearful whisper. "Do not react to this message. Just listen calmly. You are in danger right now. Follow my directions very closely."

FOR CHAPTER 10 CLICK HERE

DA VINCIC CODE 9-8

2008-02-23T21:43:00.002-08:00

The line began to ring.

One ring... two rings... three rings...

Finally the call connected.

Langdon expected to hear an embassy operator, but he found himself instead listening to an answering machine. Oddly, the voice on the tape was familiar. It was that of Sophie Neveu.

"Bonjour, vous êtes bien chez Sophie Neveu," the woman's voice said. "Je suis absenle pour le moment, mais..."

Confused, Langdon turned back toward Sophie. "I'm sorry, Ms. Neveu? I think you may have given me—"

"No, that's the right number," Sophie interjected quickly, as if anticipating Langdon's confusion. "The embassy has an automated message system. You have to dial an access code to pick up your

messages."

DA VINCIC ODE 9-7

2008-02-23T21:43:00.001-08:00

"Mr. Langdon," she declared, pulling a small slip of paper from her pocket, "this is the number for your embassy's messaging service. They asked that you phone in as soon as possible." She handed him the paper with an intent gaze. "While I explain the code to Captain Fache, you need to make this call."

Langdon studied the slip. It had a Paris phone number and extension on it. "Thank you," he said, feeling worried now. "Where do I find a phone?"

Sophie began to pull a cell phone from her sweater pocket, but Fache waved her off. He now looked like Mount Vesuvius about to erupt. Without taking his eyes off Sophie, he produced his own cell phone and held it out. "This line is secure, Mr. Langdon. You may use it."

Langdon felt mystified by Fache's anger with the young woman. Feeling uneasy, he accepted the captain's phone. Fache immediately marched Sophie several steps away and began chastising her in hushed tones. Disliking the captain more and more, Langdon turned away from the odd confrontation and switched on the cell phone. Checking the slip of paper Sophie had given him, Langdon dialed the number.

DA VINCI CODE 9-6

2008-02-23T21:38:00.005-08:00

Langdon reacted with surprise, his excitement over the code giving way to a sudden ripple of concern. A message from the States? He tried to imagine who could be trying to reach him. Only a few of his colleagues knew he was in Paris.

Fache's broad jaw had tightened with the news. "The U.S. Embassy?" he demanded, sounding suspicious. "How would they know to find Mr. Langdon here?"

Sophie shrugged. "Apparently they called Mr. Langdon's hotel, and the concierge told them Mr. Langdon had been collected by a DCPJ agent."

Fache looked troubled. "And the embassy contacted DCPJ Cryptography?"

"No, sir," Sophie said, her voice firm. "When I called the DCPJ switchboard in an attempt to contact you, they had a message waiting for Mr. Langdon and asked me to pass it along if I got through to you."

Fache's brow furrowed in apparent confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sophie had already turned back to Langdon.

DA VINCI CODE 9-5

2008-02-23T21:38:00.003-08:00

Langdon took her soft palm in his and felt himself momentarily fixed in her strong gaze. Her eyes were olive-green—incisive and clear.

Fache drew a seething inhalation, clearly preparing to launch into a reprimand.

"Captain," she said, turning quickly and beating him to the punch, "please excuse the interruption, but—"

"Ce n'est pas le moment!" Fache sputtered.

"I tried to phone you." Sophie continued in English, as if out of courtesy to Langdon. "But your cell phone was turned off."

"I turned it off for a reason," Fache hissed. "I am speaking to Mr. Langdon."

"I've deciphered the numeric code," she said flatly.

Langdon felt a pulse of excitement. She broke the code?

Fache looked uncertain how to respond.

"Before I explain," Sophie said, "I have an urgent message for Mr. Langdon."

Fache's expression turned to one of deepening concern. "For Mr. Langdon?"

She nodded, turning back to Langdon. "You need to contact the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Langdon. They have a message for you from the States."

DA VINCI CODE 9-4

2008-02-23T21:38:00.001-08:00

"Excusez-moi, messieurs."

Langdon turned to see a young woman approaching. She was moving down the corridor toward them with long, fluid strides... a haunting certainty to her gait. Dressed casually in a knee-length, cream-colored Irish sweater over black leggings, she was attractive and looked to be about thirty. Her thick burgundy hair fell unstyled to her shoulders, framing the warmth of her face. Unlike the waifish, cookie-cutter blondes that adorned Harvard dorm room walls, this woman was healthy with an unembellished beauty and genuineness that radiated a striking personal confidence.

To Langdon's surprise, the woman walked directly up to him and extended a polite hand. "Monsieur Langdon, I am Agent Neveu from DCPJ's Cryptology Department." Her words curved richly around her muted Anglo-Franco accent. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

DA VINCI CODE 9-3

2008-02-23T21:37:00.004-08:00

At thirty-two years old, she had a dogged determination that bordered on obstinate. Her eager espousal of Britain's new cryptologic methodology continually exasperated the veteran French cryptographers above her. And by far the most troubling to Fache was the inescapable universal truth that in an office of middle-aged men, an attractive young woman always drew eyes away from the work at hand.

The man on the radio said, "Agent Neveu insisted on speaking to you immediately, Captain. I tried to stop her, but she's on her way into the gallery."

Fache recoiled in disbelief. "Unacceptable! I made it very clear—"

For a moment, Robert Langdon thought Bezu Fache was suffering a stroke. The captain was mid-sentence when his jaw stopped moving and his eyes bulged. His blistering gaze seemed fixated on something over Langdon's shoulder. Before Langdon could turn to see what it was, he heard a woman's voice chime out behind him.

DA VINCI CODE 9-2

2008-02-23T21:37:00.003-08:00

"I'm busy at the moment," Fache radioed back, leaving no doubt in his tone that a line had been crossed. "Ask the cryptographer to wait at the command post. I'll speak to him when I'm done."

"Her," the voice corrected. "It's Agent Neveu."

Fache was becoming less amused with this call every passing moment. Sophie Neveu was one of DCPJ's biggest mistakes. A young Parisian déchiffreuse who had studied cryptography in England at the Royal Holloway, Sophie Neveu had been foisted on Fache two years ago as part of the ministry's attempt to incorporate more women into the police force. The ministry's ongoing foray into political correctness, Fache argued, was weakening the department. Women not only lacked the physicality necessary for police work, but their mere presence posed a dangerous distraction to the men in the field. As Fache had feared, Sophie Neveu was proving far more distracting than most.

DA VINCI CODE 9-1

2008-02-23T21:37:00.001-08:00

To ensure his conversation with Mr. Langdon would not be interrupted, Bezu Fache had turned off his cellular phone. Unfortunately, it was an expensive model equipped with a two-way radio feature, which, contrary to his orders, was now being used by one of his agents to page him.

"Capitaine?" The phone crackled like a walkie-talkie.

Fache felt his teeth clench in rage. He could imagine nothing important enough that Collet would interrupt this surveillance cachée—especially at this critical juncture.

He gave Langdon a calm look of apology. "One moment please." He pulled the phone from his belt and pressed the radio transmission button. "Oui?"

"Capitaine, un agent du Département de Cryptographie est arrivé."

Fache's anger stalled momentarily. A cryptographer? Despite the lousy timing, this was probably good news. Fache, after finding Saunière's cryptic text on the floor, had uploaded photographs of the entire crime scene to the Cryptography Department in hopes someone there could tell him what

the hell Saunière was trying to say. If a code breaker had now arrived, it most likely meant someone had decrypted Saunière's message.

DA VINCI CODE 4-14

2008-02-23T05:18:00.004-08:00

Fache grumbled something in French and checked his watch. Then he dropped to his knees and slithered his bulky frame underneath the grate. On the other side, he stood up and looked back through the bars at Langdon.
Langdon sighed. Placing his palms flat on the polished parquet, he lay on his stomach and pulled himself forward. As he slid underneath, the nape of his Harris tweed snagged on the bottom of the grate, and he cracked the back of his head on the iron.
Very suave, Robert, he thought, fumbling and then finally pulling himself through. As he stood up, Langdon was beginning to suspect it was going to be a very long night.

FOR CHA[TER 5 CLICK HERE

DA VINCI CODE PART 4-14

2008-02-23T05:18:00.003-08:00

"Containment security," Fache said, as they neared the grate.

Even in the darkness, the barricade looked like it could have restrained a tank. Arriving outside, Langdon peered through the bars into the dimly lit caverns of the Grand Gallery.

"After you, Mr. Langdon," Fache said.

Langdon turned. After me, where?

Fache motioned toward the floor at the base of the grate.

Langdon looked down. In the darkness, he hadn't noticed. The barricade was raised about two feet, providing an awkward clearance underneath.

"This area is still off limits to Louvre security," Fache said. "My team from Police Technique et Scientifique has just finished their investigation." He motioned to the opening. "Please slide under."

Langdon stared at the narrow crawl space at his feet and then up at the massive iron grate. He's kidding, right? The barricade looked like a guillotine waiting to crush intruders.

DA VINCI CODE 4-12

2008-02-23T05:18:00.001-08:00

Everyone inside the office nodded their understanding.
Langdon had hung enough NE PAS DERANGER signs on hotel room doors to catch the gist of the captain's orders. Fache and Langdon were not to be disturbed under any circumstances.
Leaving the small congregation of agents behind, Fache led Langdon farther down the darkened hallway. Thirty yards ahead loomed the gateway to the Louvre's most popular section—la Grande Galerie—a seemingly endless corridor that housed the Louvre's most valuable Italian masterpieces. Langdon had already discerned that this was where Saunière's body lay; the Grand Gallery's famous parquet floor had been unmistakable in the Polaroid.

As they approached, Langdon saw the entrance was blocked by an enormous steel grate that looked like something used by medieval castles to keep out marauding armies.

DA VINCI CODE PART 4-11

2008-02-23T05:17:00.004-08:00

The sound of voices echoed down the marble corridor up ahead. The noise seemed to be coming from a large recessed alcove that lay ahead on the right. A bright light spilled out into the hallway.
"Office of the curator," the captain said.
As he and Fache drew nearer the alcove, Langdon peered down a short hallway, into Saunière's luxurious study—warm wood, Old Master paintings, and an enormous antique desk on which stood a two-foot-tall model of a knight in full armor. A handful of police agents bustled about the room, talking on phones and taking notes. One of them was seated at Saunière's desk, typing into a laptop. Apparently, the curator's private office had become DCPJ's makeshift command post for the evening.
"Messieurs," Fache called out, and the men turned. "Ne nous dérangez pas sous aucun prétexte. Entendu?"

DA VINCI CODE 4-10

2008-02-23T05:17:00.003-08:00

"This way," Fache said, turning sharply right and setting out through a series of interconnected galleries.
Langdon followed, his vision slowly adjusting to the dark. All around, large-format oils began to materialize like photos developing before him in an enormous darkroom... their eyes following as

he moved through the rooms. He could taste the familiar tang of museum air—an arid, deionized essence that carried a faint hint of carbon—the product of industrial, coal-filter dehumidifiers that ran around the clock to counteract the corrosive carbon dioxide exhaled by visitors.
Mounted high on the walls, the visible security cameras sent a clear message to visitors: We see you. Do not touch anything.
"Any of them real?" Langdon asked, motioning to the cameras.
Fache shook his head. "Of course not."
Langdon was not surprised. Video surveillance in museums this size was cost-prohibitive and ineffective. With acres of galleries to watch over, the Louvre would require several hundred technicians simply to monitor the feeds. Most large museums now used "containment security." Forget keeping thieves out. Keep them in. Containment was activated after hours, and if an intruder removed a piece of artwork, compartmentalized exits would seal around that gallery, and the thief would find himself behind bars even before the police arrived.

DA VINCI CODE 4-9

2008-02-23T05:17:00.001-08:00

Fache glanced over. "I gather, Mr. Langdon, you have never seen the Louvre after hours?"

I guess not, Langdon thought, trying to get his bearings.

Usually impeccably illuminated, the Louvre galleries were startlingly dark tonight. Instead of the customary flat-white light flowing down from above, a muted red glow seemed to emanate upward from the baseboards—intermittent patches of red light spilling out onto the tile floors.

As Langdon gazed down the murky corridor, he realized he should have anticipated this scene. Virtually all major galleries employed red service lighting at night—strategically placed, low-level, noninvasive lights that enabled staff members to navigate hallways and yet kept the paintings in relative darkness to slow the fading effects of overexposure to light. Tonight, the museum possessed an almost oppressive quality. Long shadows encroached everywhere, and the usually soaring vaulted ceilings appeared as a low, black void.

DA VINCI CODE 4-8

2008-02-23T05:16:00.004-08:00

Another odd question. Langdon shook his head. "No. Never." Fache cocked his head, as if making a mental note of that fact. Saying nothing, he stared dead ahead at the chrome doors.

As they ascended, Langdon tried to focus on anything other than the four walls around him. In the reflection of the shiny elevator door, he saw the captain's tie clip—a silver crucifix with thirteen embedded pieces of black onyx. Langdon found it vaguely surprising. The symbol was known as a crux gemmata—a cross bearing thirteen gems—a Christian ideogram for Christ and His twelve apostles. Somehow Langdon had not expected the captain of the French police to broadcast his religion so openly. Then again, this was France; Christianity was not a religion here so much as a birthright.

"It's a crux gemmata" Fache said suddenly.

Startled, Langdon glanced up to find Fache's eyes on him in the reflection.

The elevator jolted to a stop, and the doors opened.

Langdon stepped quickly out into the hallway, eager for the wide-open space afforded by the famous high ceilings of the Louvre galleries. The world into which he stepped, however, was nothing like he expected.

Surprised, Langdon stopped short.

DA VINCI CODE 4-7

2008-02-23T05:16:00.003-08:00

Although Langdon knew the elevator would expedite the long, two-story climb to the Denon Wing, he remained motionless.
"Is something wrong?" Fache was holding the door, looking impatient.
Langdon exhaled, turning a longing glance back up the open-air escalator. Nothing's wrong at all, he lied to himself, trudging back toward the elevator. As a boy, Langdon had fallen down an abandoned well shaft and almost died treading water in the narrow space for hours before being rescued. Since then, he'd suffered a haunting phobia of enclosed spaces—elevators, subways, squash courts. The elevator is a perfectly safe machine, Langdon continually told himself, never believing it. It's a tiny metal box hanging in an enclosed shaft! Holding his breath, he stepped into the lift, feeling the familiar tingle of adrenaline as the doors slid shut. Two floors. Ten seconds.
"You and Mr. Saunière," Fache said as the lift began to move, "you never spoke at all? Never corresponded? Never sent each other anything in the mail?"

DA VICNCI CODE PART 4-6

2008-02-23T05:16:00.001-08:00

"Perhaps Jacques Saunière knew of your manuscript?" Fache offered. "And he called the meeting to offer his help on your book."

Langdon shook his head. "Actually, nobody yet knows about my manuscript. It's still in draft form, and I haven't shown it to anyone except my editor."

Fache fell silent.

Langdon did not add the reason he hadn't yet shown the manuscript to anyone else. The three-hundred-page draft—tentatively titled Symbols of the Lost Sacred Feminine—proposed some very unconventional interpretations of established religious iconography which would certainly be controversial.

Now, as Langdon approached the stationary escalators, he paused, realizing Fache was no longer beside him. Turning, Langdon saw Fache standing several yards back at a service elevator.

"We'll take the elevator," Fache said as the lift doors opened. "As I'm sure you're aware, the gallery is quite a distance on foot."

DA VINCI CODE 4-5

2008-02-23T05:15:00.006-08:00

Fache made note of that fact in his book.

The two men were now halfway up the Denon Wing's entry tunnel, and Langdon could see the twin ascending escalators at the far end, both motionless.

"So you shared interests with him?" Fache asked.

"Yes. In fact, I've spent much of the last year writing the draft for a book that deals with Mr. Saunière's primary area of expertise. I was looking forward to picking his brain."

Fache glanced up. "Pardon?"

The idiom apparently didn't translate. "I was looking forward to learning his thoughts on the topic."

"I see. And what is the topic?"

Langdon hesitated, uncertain exactly how to put it. "Essentially, the manuscript is about the iconography of goddess worship—the concept of female sanctity and the art and symbols associated with it."

Fache ran a meaty hand across his hair. "And Saunière was knowledgeable about this?"

"Nobody more so."

"I see."

Langdon sensed Fache did not see at all. Jacques Saunière was considered the premiere goddess iconographer on earth. Not only did Saunière have a personal passion for relics relating to fertility, goddess cults, Wicca, and the sacred feminine, but during his twenty-year tenure as curator, Saunière had helped the Louvre amass the largest collection of goddess art on earth—labrys axes from the priestesses' oldest Greek shrine in Delphi, gold caducei wands, hundreds of Tjet ankhs resembling small standing angels, sistrum rattles used in ancient Egypt to dispel evil spirits, and an astonishing array of statues depicting Horus being nursed by the goddess Isis.

DA VINCI CODE PART 4-4

2008-02-23T05:15:00.005-08:00

"Who requested tonight's meeting?" Fache asked suddenly. "You or he?"

The question seemed odd. "Mr. Saunière did," Langdon replied as they entered the tunnel. "His secretary contacted me a few weeks ago via e-mail. She said the curator had heard I would be lecturing in Paris this month and wanted to discuss something with me while I was here."

"Discuss what?"

"I don't know. Art, I imagine. We share similar interests."

Fache looked skeptical. "You have no idea what your meeting was about?"

Langdon did not. He'd been curious at the time but had not felt comfortable demanding specifics. The venerated Jacques Saunière had a renowned penchant for privacy and granted very few meetings; Langdon was grateful simply for the opportunity to meet him.

"Mr. Langdon, can you at least guess what our murder victim might have wanted to discuss with you on the night he was killed? It might be helpful."

The pointedness of the question made Langdon uncomfortable. "I really can't imagine. I didn't ask. I felt honored to have been contacted at all. I'm an admirer of Mr. Saunière's work. I use his texts often in my classes."

DAVINCI CODE 4-3

2008-02-23T05:15:00.003-08:00

"And the museum's regular security staff?" Langdon asked.

"En quarantaine," Fache replied, sounding as if Langdon were questioning the integrity of Fache's team. "Obviously, someone gained entry tonight who should not have. All Louvre night wardens are in the Sully Wing being questioned. My own agents have taken over museum security for the evening."

Langdon nodded, moving quickly to keep pace with Fache.

"How well did you know Jacques Saunière?" the captain asked.

"Actually, not at all. We'd never met."

Fache looked surprised. "Your first meeting was to be tonight?"

"Yes. We'd planned to meet at the American University reception following my lecture, but he never showed up."

Fache scribbled some notes in a little book. As they walked, Langdon caught a glimpse of the Louvre's lesser-known pyramid—La Pyramide Inversée—a huge inverted skylight that hung from the ceiling like a stalactite in an adjoining section of the entresol. Fache guided Langdon up a short set of stairs to the mouth of an arched tunnel, over which a sign read: DENON. The Denon Wing was the most famous of the Louvre's three main sections.

DA VINCI CODE PART 4-2

2008-02-23T05:15:00.001-08:00

"Do you approve?" Fache asked, nodding upward with his broad chin.

Langdon sighed, too tired to play games. "Yes, your pyramid is magnificent."

Fache grunted. "A scar on the face of Paris."

Strike one. Langdon sensed his host was a hard man to please. He wondered if Fache had any idea

that this pyramid, at President Mitterrand's explicit demand, had been constructed of exactly 666 panes of glass—a bizarre request that had always been a hot topic among conspiracy buffs who claimed 666 was the number of Satan.

Langdon decided not to bring it up.

As they dropped farther into the subterranean foyer, the yawning space slowly emerged from the shadows. Built fifty-seven feet beneath ground level, the Louvre's newly constructed 70,000-square-foot lobby spread out like an endless grotto. Constructed in warm ocher marble to be compatible with the honey-colored stone of the Louvre facade above, the subterranean hall was usually vibrant with sunlight and tourists. Tonight, however, the lobby was barren and dark, giving the entire space a cold and crypt-like atmosphere

DA VINCI CODE PART 4-1

2008-02-23T05:14:00.000-08:00

Captain Bezu Fache carried himself like an angry ox, with his wide shoulders thrown back and his chin tucked hard into his chest. His dark hair was slicked back with oil, accentuating an arrow-like widow's peak that divided his jutting brow and preceded him like the prow of a battleship. As he advanced, his dark eyes seemed to scorch the earth before him, radiating a fiery clarity that forecast his reputation for unblinking severity in all matters.

Langdon followed the captain down the famous marble staircase into the sunken atrium beneath the glass pyramid. As they descended, they passed between two armed Judicial Police guards with machine guns. The message was clear: Nobody goes in or out tonight without the blessing of Captain Fache.

Descending below ground level, Langdon fought a rising trepidation. Fache's presence was anything but welcoming, and the Louvre itself had an almost sepulchral aura at this hour. The staircase, like the aisle of a dark movie theater, was illuminated by subtle tread-lighting embedded in each step. Langdon could hear his own footsteps reverberating off the glass overhead. As he glanced up, he could see the faint illuminated wisps of mist from the fountains fading away outside the transparent roof.

ORAM PO-REVIEW

2007-12-08T19:12:00.002-08:00

We rarely come across Tamil films approaching the various sections of people in a realistic manner. Belittling the marginalized segments by looking down or patronizingly portraying them is the normal practice of mainstream Tamil cinema. However, we get to see some realistic portrayals of such segments in recent days in films like Puduppettai, E, and Polladhavan. Oram Po is one such attempt.

The movie looks into the world of a section of Chennai auto rickshaw drivers as realistic as possible. The approach by debutant directors Pushkar and Gayatri is refreshingly new, as they do not look at them from outside. They make a sincere attempt to look at their lives from within.

Oram Po tells you the story of a set of auto rickshaw drivers based in Chennai in a simple and straight forward manner without any pretensions. The movie has nothing serious in its content. It provides you an engrossing experience with light hearted and enchanting sequences.

Director couple Pushkar and Gayatri makes their debutant with Oram Po, featuring Arya and Pooja in the lead roles. The couple has effectively recreated the lives and emotions of the auto rickshaw drivers. They have captured the various shades of their lives. They try to show you the lives as realistic as possible.

Chandru (Arya) and ‘Bigilu’ (Lal) are close friends. Chandru is an expert in auto race and Bigilu, a mechanic is an expert in customizing the autos to run at a dream speed of 130 km/hr.

Son of Gun (John Vijay) is the chief of rival group who wants to outsmart Chandru-Bigilu group. Chandru, the race champ tries to settle his dues for his auto through a race, which is almost a cakewalk for him. He and Bigilu challenge Son of Gun to a race. And the day for race is fixed.

Bigilu meanwhile introduces Chandru to his sister running a Biriyani shop. Chandru is attracted towards her daughter (Pooja), and woos her into his fold. The affair grows stronger and ends in sex. The care free auto driver however, is not interested in long term commitment and tells it on the face of the girl. Shocked Pooja curses him and moves away from him. The champion gets distracted on the D day because of the memories of his love affair and fails in the race. He looses his auto and later his dearest friend Bigilu, who comes to know about his affair.

The sub plot of the search for the missing diamonds by a smuggler adds flavour to the proceedings. The unpredictable and fun filled climax puts everything in order.

Arya looks credible as an auto driver but struggles to exude varied emotions demanded by various situations. His expressions are monotonous and hence tend to be boring. His expressions in the race and in wine shop sequences are impressive. He also scores in romantic sequences.

Pooja fits into the casual girl who serves Biriyani in her father’s mess. Her chemistry with Arya is good. She has enacted the romance, disappointment, and anger well.

Lal as an elderly friend to the hero gets a sumptuous role and does it convincingly. He handles the character with ease. John Vijay plays the villain cum comedian role perfectly. His presence lights up the proceedings and his handling of Nellai dialect is simply enjoyable.

Others including Vijay TV fame Jagan (Chandru’s friend), Ashwini (Chandru’s sister), and Nellai Siva are competent. The debutant director duo has avoided melodrama and sentiments. The narration is simple and smooth. The turning points are convincing. The script has avoided the routine sequences one could expect from this kind of stories. The separation and reunion of Lal and Arya are handled well.

The story has many threads like the financial problems of the protagonist, his casual love affair, the race, the tug of war between two groups, the diamond mystery, and the ups and downs of the friendship between Lal and Arya. All these threads have been deftly put together to make a neat script.

The couple has also worked hard to reproduce the lingo of the auto drivers with amazing reality. They have of course, gone overboard in using the filthy language in their pursuit for realistic portrayal. Some of the suggestive dialogues could have been easily done away with.

The music by G.V. Prakash Kumar goes with the tone of the movie. It is loud and entertaining. The background score add spice to the proceedings. ‘Nandavanathil’ song fits into the narration perfectly. The lyrics by Na. Muthukumar and the rendition by Manikka Vinayagam are impressive. The item song is enticing in terms of picturization and music as well. Alka Yagnik’s voice is mesmerizing.

Nirav Shaw’s cinematography is pleasant to the eyes. He has captured the race sequences well. The lighting in the shed, wine shop, and beach are quite natural and effective.

Overall, the movie has a sort of joyful spirit that makes it enjoyable.

EVANO ORUVAN -UNGALIL ORUVAN

2007-12-08T19:12:00.001-08:00

Nishikanth Kamath’s 'Evano Oruvan', a Tamil adaptation of Marathi film Dombivily Fast by the same director, tries to focus on the disgusting anomalies of the system.

The film opens with showing the routine of a family that lives in the outskirts of Chennai. The routine is full of struggles for various things like water, space in a train, time to relax, and of course, money.

Sridharan Vasudevan (Madhavan) is constantly disturbed by the corruptive and insensitive system. He is too sensitive to tolerate these things. He is too honest to indulge in dubious methods to fulfill his desires.

Result? He becomes unfit in the society. He is humiliated by everyone. His honesty is perceived as weakness by his wife (Sangeetha). The submissive man is provoked by his wife. Provoked by his colleagues. Provoked by the shop keepers.

The pressure grows. It gets more and more intensified by each passing day. One day he bursts into action. He turns violent.

The violence puts him in more isolation. He swings into impulsive action whenever and wherever he sees injustice. He is now chased by the police. Finally he is defeated but his actions touch the right chord in the public conscience.

Nishikanth Kamath has successfully depicted the pressure undergone by an ordinary citizen, who wants to live according to the laws and rules. The metamorphosis of the protagonist is convincingly portrayed. Nishikanth hasn’t shown him as a superman who could bring about miraculous change overnight. He has shown the power of righteous anger of an honest man and the limitations of an average middle class man. He raises sharp questions against the system on behalf of the ordinary citizen without providing any solution.

The director has conceived and executed many scenes well. The telephonic conversation between husband and wife is one such scene. The two living in two different worlds unsuccessfully trying to communicate with each other has been excellently portrayed. Seeman’s introspective conversation with his wife in the midnight too stands out. The investigation process – particularly the interrogation with the wife – is credible. The character of the beggar boy is etched out well.

The director however, slips in his approach to the script and the concept. Though Sridharan’s outburst against the shop owner is a stupid act, it can still be accepted as a natural outburst of a terribly disturbed man. But the stupidity continues and the film moves on the same path. The film struggles to move ahead. Madhavan and Seeman keep on churning out thought provoking messages. The ending is touching but not revealing.

If you look in to the concept, you feel less convinced. The focus on social deceases is not new to Indian cinema. The movie tries to approach the whole issue from an ordinary citizen’s perspective. It doesn’t offer any solution. But it shows the violence of a frustrated man. Does the director suggest that everyone should be ready to come to the streets to fight the system? But then he also advises through an old man that this method is not acceptable.

What does Nishikanth want to convey? Is he just content by highlighting the problems? Does he want to warn about a possible middle class upsurge against the system? Does he, at the same time, want to advise the middle class that violence is not the solution? Or does he just want to tell you the story of Sridharan Vasudevan?

Why can’t Nisjikanth see thousands of youth in India sacrificing their comforts to make a difference in the society? Why can’t he see many middle class citizens go beyond criticizing the society and render their services to see a better world? There is no doubt that Nishikant has made an honest attempt to highlight the darker side of our society and the system. But he has done it with some striking inadequacies.

Performance wise, Madhavan has done a commendable job as Shridharan Vasudevan. He has amazingly handled varied emotions of agony, despair, and anger. The metamorphosis of Sridharan is credibly portrayed. He has successfully underplayed the emotions in many places. His outburst in the midnight scene too is effective.

Seeman as a police officer with heart and self criticism is outstanding. He has never gone overboard. He has shown a lot of improvements as an actor. His successful rendition could well make him a full time actor.

Sangeetha has once again proved her caliber. She has handled her role as a middle class housewife with ease. Her performance is almost perfect. She excels in the scene when she blasts her husband for his inaction and the scene when she breaks down after losing him.

Te background score by P. Sameer is highly effective. The camera work by Sanjay Jadav is marvelous. The visual quality is superior and the lightings are natural. G.V. Prakash Kumar’s tune for the sole song is touching.

Madhavan’s effort in penning the dialogues is the surprise of the movie. The actor has proved his mettle as a writer too.

Overall, Nishikanth has made a sincere and commendable effort. He has executed many scenes well and extracted some top class performances. Had he worked more meticulously on focusing his ideas and the way they have been translated into a film, 'Evano Oruvan' could have been a memorable experience.

KALLOORI REVIEW

2007-12-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

Nowadays many directors and producers have the guts to come out with products that defy the set standards of so called commercial ventures. They have dared to be different to make films without fights, glamour, clichéd sentiments, and heroism.

Balaji Sakthivel, who has given us an amazing film 'Kadhal' is undoubtedly one such filmmaker. In fact he has been one of the trendsetters in the recent times for realistic films that defy the set rules. Kalloori, his latest offering under the banner of director Shankar’s 'S' Pictures, has reiterated Balaji’s mettle as a filmmaker who attempts to make meaningful movies.

'Kallori' is a simple story told in a straight forward manner. It revolves around a group of friends. The portrayal of these friends with varied background provides you an experience of living amidst the circle. The various colours and shades of each person and the emotional ups and downs keep the movie going. The depiction of the sublime friendship is near perfect.

The film begins in a bus that has a lot of collage students heading towards Government Arts Collage in a small town. A set of friends are introduced as long term friends. There is a small build up to the introduction of the hero (Muthu played by newcomer Akhil), who is part and parcel of the circle. All are studying in the same class. They enter into the collage for the first time.

In the class room they see a new girl (Shobhana played by Tamanna), who is strikingly different from the lot. She looks fair. She looks sad. She is aloof. The group sympathizes for her and brings her into its fold. The girl soon becomes part and parcel of the group.

The movie goes on to narrate the collage life with fun and colour. It shows the strength of the friendship besides showing the backgrounds of the friends. Most of them are from poor background. The protagonist has an aim in his life. Being an athlete, he wants to excel in sports and get a good job through sports quota to give his poor family a new lease of life.

Shobhana, a rich girl from an upper caste feels for the boy and helps him achieve his goal. In fact every friend does the same thing but Shobhana does it with some sort of special attachment. Slowly the love develops in the minds of both but they chose to put it on the back seat for the sake of the larger friendship they share with the group. In fact the poor lovers don’t even share their feelings.

The narration moves on to a point when they are compelled by the circumstances to come out with their feelings but life has some other designs. Balaji Saktivel has remarkably recreated the collage atmosphere and the bondage between the friends. The script has deftly handled the struggle between love and friendship. No scene or turning point seems to be unnatural and contrived. He has amazingly extracted natural performances from the cast that is full of newcomers. He has thankfully avoided melodrama and clichéd sentiments.

He has executed some scenes with aplomb. The death in Saleema’s house and the game in the rain stay in our memory. The development of love looks natural. Balaji has worked well in minute things. The grandma of Shobhana sounds proud when she tells about her ancestors. She suddenly turns shy when she mentions about her husband.

The script however, lacks the excitement, which could keep the interest of the audience intact. Though the proceedings are natural and enjoyable, they lack an element that could hold your attention. The result is that you tend to see the movie with a laid back approach.

The climax is powerfully conceived and executed. The shocking mishap that reminds you a real life gruesome happened in Tamilnadu a few years ago. No doubt that it is credibly portrayed. But it doesn’t fit well into the script which moves in a different path right from the beginning. The climax has no answers to the questions raised by the proceedings. It actually evades the crucial issue of the struggle between friendship of a group and the love between two persons among them.

Comparison with 'Kadhal' is inevitable though Balaji would like us to avoid it. Balaji’s directorial skills and execution ability have shown growth in Kalloori. But the film somehow lacks the weight, which was one of the strong points of 'Kadhal'. 'Kallori' is not predictable. But is not an exciting fare either.

Balaji has successfully made everyone perform well. You can’t find any fault with any of the actors. Everyone looks natural. Akhil, Tamanna, Bharani, Arunkumar, Alex, Prakash, Hema, Rajeswari, Sailatha, and Maya Reddy have done well in bringing in the campus atmosphere so naturally. They complement each other.

Tamanna looks fresh and handles her role with ease. Akhil has made a remarkable debutant.

Music director Joshwa Sridhar has done a neat job. The tunes fit into the situations perfectly, while the background score has added another dimension to the narrative. The theme music and the way it is used are effective. Lyricist Na. Muthukumar has rendered some powerful and poetic lines that go in tune with the theme.

Debutant cinematographer Chezhiyan has captured the campus and the near by areas so naturally that sometimes you forget that you are seeing a movie. The picturisation of rain sequence stands out.

Overall, the movie is has natural narration, amazing visual quality, effective music and credible performances. The lack of excitement and the less convincing climax weakens the remarkable efforts of the director and his team.

Finally, Shankar deserves special complements for encouraging such movies that dare to defy the rules to make a better atmosphere in the arena of Tamil film industry.

CELL PHONE IN AEROPLANE ....DANGEROUS OR NOT ?

2007-12-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

It's a fact of life for the frequent flier: Once the plane is off the ground, cell phones must be turned off and put away.

That's the rule and every commercial airline in the United States enforces it. But is there a good reason for this? Can a cell phone bring down a plane, or is that just a myth?

"The evidence strongly supports that there is a risk," said Bill Strauss, an electromagnetic interference expert.

Watch the story tonight on "20/20" at 10 ET. And look for other travel myths on next week's "20/20" airing Dec. 14.

According to Strauss, cell phones emit strong radio signals that could cause false readouts on an airplane's navigational equipment. Strauss and other researchers from Carnegie Mellon University invented a device that detects radio emissions from cell phones and other electronic devices. They tested 37 commercial flights and learned that on each flight between one to four cell phone calls were placed. But do those rule-breaking cell phones really affect the plane's equipment?
THE ANSWER IS UNCLEARED
SOURCE : ABC NEWS

COMMENTS FROM 1955

2007-12-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

"I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20."

"Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2000 will only buy a used one."

"If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous."

"Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?"

"If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store."

"When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage."

"Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls."

"I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying 'damn' in 'Gone With The Wind,' it seems every new movie has either "hell" or "damn" in it.

"I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas."

"Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the president."

"I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now."

"It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet."

"It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work."

"Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more; those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat."

"I'm just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business."

"Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress."

"The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on."

"There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $15 a night to stay in a hotel."

"No one can afford to be sick any more; $35 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood."

"If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it."

Nokia 6263

2007-12-08T19:05:00.001-08:00

Hi this is the new mobile from NOKIA .This t -mobile had many facilities that will be attractive.The bad news about this mobile is that they still don't have a 3G network available for their customers to use them on. The newest addition to this product line for the missing service is the latest one called Nokia 6263. Eventually, the phone will support 1700MHz UMTS network. The Samsung T 639 was the first phone in this product line. Really a great advantage right ? .It's a clamshell with music features and dedicated controls. It also has stereo Bluetooth, an FM radio, and a micro-SD for added capacity. The phone should be available from T-Mobile any day any where, but they have yet to put a price on this piece. As for the 3G network, we should finally see it roll out early in 2008. That should be just in time for the company to fall behind the rest of the companies again as other companies get their 4G networks rolling strong. Hope you will like this mobile

SUPER MODEL BOWLS CRICKETERS OVER

2007-12-01T18:41:00.001-08:00

Nothing sells like cricket in India, and it was no surprise when model Archana Vijay quit her job as a VJ and signed up with a cricket channel.

The 24-year-old quit Channel [V] in May and signed up with Neo Sports, which has the right to telecast all international cricket matches in India.

"I am doing a show called Tour Diary for Extra Cover, which is our pre-match show on Neo Sports."

"I travel across the country with the Indian team and the foreign teams, like it is with Pakistan now," Archana told rediff.com at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. "I have already done five tours, including Sri Lanka, Australia, West Indies and Bangladesh."

DIGITAL-STATUS

2007-12-01T18:40:00.002-08:00

The digital status is the way in which you’re perceived in the online world and online identity expert Garlik has developed a method and a system of calculating it.

The system was dubbed QDOS and it works by measuring an individual’s digital status and analyzing his/her popularity, impact and individuality online. So you’d better watch out what you share with your friends and which sites you surf or else you might find out that you’re popular for completely the wrong reasons.

The site where this "calculator" for digital statuses can be found is not surprisingly named… QDOS.com and it has so far analyzed tens of millions of digital profiles in order to provide a status for each of Britain’s 45 million adults, so if you’re a resident just check the site out, enter your name and your postcode and brace yourself for what’s going to come right at you.

The original purpose of the site was that of a warning to the danger of disclosing personal information online. "As events of the last week have graphically demonstrated, everyone has a digital identity whether they like it or not and these identities are valuable and worth protecting," said Tom Ilube, CEO of Garlik.

You might find surprising where some people turn for advice when it comes to very important decisions that will most definitely affect their future: 16 percent of the Britons have actually chosen their new home based on how their prospective neighbors appear online, while 12 percent looked up on the Internet for information about the person they were about to date. When it comes to jobs, Brits are a bit more thorough, one in five having researched a prospective boss before accepting the job offered.

Webuser.com tested it and found that "the QDOS score for celebrities reveals how web-savvy stars are proving more influential online than their old-fashioned counterparts. For example, MySpace user Lily Allen's score (Q8850) thrashes the total scored by Mick Jagger (Q6338)." How about it?

FUTURE WORKPLACE

2007-12-01T18:40:00.001-08:00

Ask Ranjani Ranganath, Senior Managing Director, Global Development Centre, Cisco, where her office is and she points to her laptop, a Webcam, a pair of headsets and a Nokia E 61i.

At any given day Ranganath finds herself working from any of her four offices -- three in the various Cisco buildings spread through Bangalore and the fourth one at her home. Ranganath does not have any “office-hours” as well. On the day we meet her, in one of her offices, she says she got there at 10.30 am and is going back home with her husband at 4.30 pm to spend some time with her daughters aged 21 and 18.

As soon as the sun goes down in Bangalore, Ranganath slips on her headset and switches on the webcam from home to talk her team at San Jose. At 8.30 pm it is time to touch base with the rest of her team at Raleigh, US.

For the majority of people reading this article, work still means getting to an office somewhere. Sure technology has managed to blur some of the traditional boundaries -- we can check our emails from home or on our blackberries or mobile phones -- but for most other things related to our working life like attending meetings or making presentations or attending reviews we still need to get to an office.

RARE INDIAN ANIMALS FOR ADOPTION

2007-11-23T19:51:00.000-08:00

A nature park in the northern Indian hill state of Himachal Pradesh is offering animals for adoption in an effort to ensure their well-being, a news agency reported on Saturday.

The animals on offer include rare Himalayan species like the snow leopard, Tibetan wolf and the Monal pheasant, the IANS agency reported.

A yak can be adopted for $46.50 (about R296) a month, a Tibetan wolf for $42, a brown or black bear for $33 and a Monal pheasant for less than 7 dollars.

The adoption is open to individuals and corporate bodies. The adopted animals and birds would stay in the park and the money raised would be spent on their upkeep, said Himachal wildlife department official RS Chauhan.

He said the wildlife department's initiative came after some animals died in the park, located nearly 3 000m above sea level in the Himalayan foothills, about 16km north of Himachal capital Shimla.

Sponsors will be kept informed of how their money is being spent and would have free access to the park, Chauhan said. -Sapa-dpa

james bond

2007-11-16T08:35:00.001-08:00

James Bond 007 is a fictional British agent^[1] created in 1952 by writer Ian Fleming, featured in twelve novels, two anthologies, and a film series.^[2] After Fleming's death in 1964, subsequent James Bond novels were written by Kingsley Amis (as Robert Markham), John Pearson, John Gardner and Raymond Benson. In addition Charlie Higson has begun to write a series of books detailing the "Young James Bond". In July 2007, it was announced that Sebastian Faulks has been commissioned to write a Bond novel for publication in 2008. Moreover, Christopher Wood novelised two screenplays, while other writers have authored unofficial versions of the secret-agent character.

Initially famed through the best-selling novels, James Bond is best known from the EON Productions film series, twenty-one of which have been made as of 2007. The 22nd EON-produced Bond adventure is currently in production. In addition there have been two independent feature productions (a 1967 spoof and 1983's Never Say Never Again) and one Fleming-licenced American television adaptation of the first novel, aired in 1954. The EON Productions films are generally described as the "official" films originating with the purchase of the James Bond film rights by eventual producer Harry Saltzman in the late 1950s when Bond was a popular novel series; this term is used throughout this article.^[3]