Inspired by 007, Day of Dead parade to be organized

The opening scene of the movie Spectre shows James Bond chasing a bad guy through a Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City — except there has never been such a procession. But life is about to imitate art.

Inspired by the film, officials decided to hold a similar parade on Oct 29 that will start at the Angel of Independence monument and end at the historic Zocalo square.

The procession will have hundreds of volunteers and will “revisit the props and the wardrobe of the wellknown film Spectre,” the city government said in a statement on Thursday.

In the film, the British spy played by Daniel Craig goes after a bad guy through a parade featuring giant skeletons floating among people dancing with their faces painted as skulls.

The parade didn’t exist in Mexico City in real life, said Tourism Minister Enrique de la Madrid. “Now, based on the film, there will be this festival.” The procession will be part of a series of events that will run through Nov 2 in the capital.

The Day of the Dead takes place between Nov 1 and 2 every year, when Mexicans visit cemeteries to pay respects to their late relatives, bringing them food and drinks in a centuries-old tradition mixing pre-Hispanic and Catholic beliefs.