Kim Jong-il loved Rambo, Godzilla movies

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-il who passed away Saturday was a huge film buff and his most favourite Hollywood movies were 'Rambo' and 'Godzilla'.

A list of 10 things about the leader compiled by The Telegraph newspaper on Monday says he was a fan of Elizabeth Taylor, and also had a collection of over 20,000 video tapes.

Quoting his official biographers, it said his birth in 1941 in Baekdu Mountain was apparently prophesied by a swallow and heralded with a double rainbow and a new star in the heavens.

Kim travelled by private train for state visits - a decision believed to be connected to his apparent fear of flying, a phobia he was believed to share with his father.

His private train journeys were as luxurious as befitted a leader of North Korea, despite the millions left behind starving due to famine.

One Russian emissary who travelled across Russia by train with Kim described how live lobsters were airlifted daily to his train, the newspaper said.

Kim ordered the kidnapping of Shin Sang-ok, the South Korean film director, and his actress wife Choi Eun-hee in 1978 in order to build up North Korea's film industry. They made seven films before escaping to the West in 1986.

Kim apparently produced a patriotic 100-part documentary series on the history of his North Korean homeland as well as writing a book entitled 'On the Art of Cinema'.

Film was not his only passion.

Kim also apparently composed six operas and enjoyed staging musicals, again according to his official biography.

He was hailed as a demigod style guru in North Korea, although South Korea portrayed him as a vain playboy with a penchant for bouffant hair, jumpsuits and platform shoes designed to make him look taller.

He reportedly spread the myth across North Korea that he could control the weather with his moods, as if by magic.

There have been reports that he would refuse to consume anything not produced in North Korea - although he made an exception of French wine as reflected in the 10,000 strong collection of bottles in his cellar, the newspaper added.

Kim Jong-il, the 69-year-old supreme leader of nuclear-armed North Korea, died Saturday during a train journey, the country's official KCNA news agency announced Monday.

He died "from a great mental and physical strain at 08.30 Dec 17, 2011, on train during a field guidance tour", the agency said. His youngest son Kim Jong-un was made the 'great successor'.