Forget Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo, Kaka and all the other footballing flops. The World Cup’s biggest star has been Paul The Octopus, the result-predicting cephalopod mollusk phenomenon. To celebrate Paul’s genius, we select our eight favourite octopus movies…

Old Boy (2003) Lead character Oh Dae-Su (played by Choi Min-Sik) eats a live octopus. Don’t try this at home.

Reap The Wild Wind (1942) John Wayne dukes it out with an eight-limbed opponent and bites the big one. Director Cecil B De Mille staged the scenes using an enormous mechanical device operated by hydraulic pistons (presumably for the octopus, not John Wayne).

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1916) This silent version of Jules Verne’s classic adventure story was notable for groundbreaking underwater photography by George and Ernest Williamson.

Sea Devils (1953) Almost certainly the only Rock Hudson film shot on the island of Guernsey, which is recommendation enough for this adaptation of Victor Hugo’s Les Travailleurs De La Mer.

Octopus (1998) If you’re a mutated octopus in a Japanese sci-fi film, you’re contractually obliged to wreak havoc on Tokyo. Job done.

Mega Shark Vs Giant Octopus (2009) OK, it’s rubbish. But it’s not often you get the chance to see the Golden Gate Bridge attacked by calamari.

Octopussy (1983) The 13th instalment of the James Bond franchise features a cult called Octopus. Fact: online bookmaker Betfred is currently offering 8-1 for Paul The Octopus to appear in the next Bond film.

Help (1965) The Beatles’ second full-length feature was originally entitled Eight Arms To Hold You.

Colin Houlson