AT 14 years of age Robert Ludlum, creator of the superspy Jason Bourne whose exploits have spawned a $500m movie franchise, ran away from prep school, changed his name to John Holmes and made his Broadway debut in Junior Miss. Lying about his age, he attempted to join the Canadian airforce before his mother caught up with him.

Through Bourne . . . and other characters in thrillers that sold 210 million books before his death in 2001 . . . Ludlum fulfilled his urge to be someone else.

Like Bourne, it seems Ludlum is indestructible. Since his death he's somehow created no fewer than 12 new espionage bestseller.

His publishers have kept quiet about where they're coming from. Is it another trick of the imagination or the ultimate conspiracy thriller?

Not for your consideration. . .

BASQUE director Julio Medem, in a deeply personal article in leading Spanish newspoaper El Pais, has revealed that "the most serious and unjust experience of my life" was an attempt by the ruling Partido Popular government to have his film La Pelota Vasca removed from consideration for the 2004 Goya Awards, Spain's equivalent of the Oscars. Falangist members of the PP-backed Association of Victims of Terrorism picketed the ceremony, yelling "Assassin, Assassin" when Medem arrived. Medem's latest film Caotica Ana opens in Spain on 24 August.

IRELAND: TOP FIVE MOVIES (weekend 10-12 August)

1(1) The Simpsons Movie (David Silverman) 502,403 ( 6,604,718 to date)
2 (2) Transformers (Michael Bay) 253,806 ( 2,437,561)
3(3) Evan Almighty (Tom Shaydac) 178,300 ( 730,510)
4 (-) Licence To Wed (Ken Wappis) 130,033
5(5) Hairspray (Adam Shankman) 90,506 ( 966,537)

Compiled from Sunday Tribune industry sources.

US TOP FIVE MOVIES (weekend 10-12 August)
1(-) Rush Hour 3 (Brett Ratner) $50.2m (-)
2(1) The Bourne Ultimatum (Paul Greengrass) $33.7m ($132.3m to date)
3(2) The Simpsons Movie (David Silverman) $11.1m ($152.2m)
4(-) Stardust (Matthew Vaugn) $9m 9-0
5(5) Underdog (Frederik Du Chau) $6.5m ($24.7m)