Return of Tintin

Blistering barnacles and thundering typhoons ! Ten-year old Tanuj Batra does not know Captain Haddock or his iconic expressions of exasperation. Millions across the world may have chuckled at the antics of the colourful Captain and reveled in the adventures of his famous friend, the quiff-haired reporter who makes news more often than he reports it.But Tanuj and many others of his generation haven’t made their acquaintance yet. “I purchased a few Tintin books, hoping that he will get hooked,” says Tanuj’s father, Arvind. “However , he didn’t show much interest since his other friends were not much into it. ”
That may not be surprising. Parents who grew up on a diet of Tintin comics, have often tried to introduce their children to them. Only a few have succeeded. Things however might change for the rest when The Adventures of Tintin — The Secret of the Unicorn directed by Steven Spielberg and co-produced by Peter Jackson hits cinemas next week. (In India, the film releases in November).
If the movie lives up to its promise, it might also spark off a renewed interest in the 24-book series created by Belgian artist Herge. Booksellers are among those keeping their fingers crossed. “Hopefully, after watching the movie, children will want to read the books on their own rather than parents urging them to do it,” says Mirza Salim Baig of Delhi’s Midland Book Shop, himself an avid Tintin fan.
For many other Tintin loyalists — and there are still quite a lot of them in India, especially the generations that grew up in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s — the movie might be a chance to reconnect with the intrepid reporter and his extended family that includes, besides Haddock, an array of characters like the absent minded professor Calculus , the bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson and Tintin’s arch enemy, the cigarpuffing tycoon, Rastapopoulos. Adman Suhel Seth who recalls many happy memories associated with the books, says he is looking forward to the movie “like an excited child.” “From what I have seen of the trailers, the movie appears to be a blend of The Crab with the Golden Claws and The Secret of the Unicorn — two of my favourite Tintins and also among Herge’s finest works. I just hope Spielberg has been able to retain the essence of these books.”
This is a worry that has been nagging many die-hard Tintin fans. Not every comic book character has spelt magic on the screen. However, initial reactions of previews held in Belgium — Herge’s homeland, where Tintin is considered a national icon — have been gushing , with Belgian daily ‘Le Soir' proclaiming that “the American has fully grasped the Herge grammar.’’
In India though, the buzz is slowly picking up. Bangalorebased Chocolate Junction is planning Tintin themed chocolate boxes, while Funskool India is bringing out puzzles around the characters. A UK-based travel company On the Go Tours, is planning Tintin holidays,where travellers can follow the footsteps of the snubnosed adventurer. The flagship holidays are in India and Egypt — setting of The Cigars of the Pharaoh — and Jordan — home to The Red Sea Sharks. According to Prue Goudie, spokesperson of On the Go Tours, the response has been “very positive.” The company plans to start off with the trips from early next year.
By then, the Tintin movie would already have been released everywhere. Interestingly , even though Tintin travelled to America in one of his first adventures, the movie reaches there only around Christmas, almost two months after its release in Europe. In a trail-blazing spirit somewhat reminiscent of his principal character , Spielberg is taking his film to the States only after it has traversed half the world and created sufficient enough buzz to interest the Americans, who have so far remained unaffected by Tintin’s charms.
The challenge for Tintin then, as he embarks on his newest adventure, would be clear — to tap unchartered waters and get the new generation hooked on to his exploits. Till now, his luck has held on, as he has battled Red Indians and the Aurambyas, tackled sundry dictators in Syldavia and Borduria, fought the Abominable Snowman and even pulled off a historic exploration of the moon.
Will he be able to pull off this one as well?