Author Topic: HitchHiker Movie (Read 4509 times)

nighthawk2099 · « **on:** February 17, 2005, 09:02:40 am »

Not sure if anyone knew (or cared) but .....

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" movie is out April 29, 2005.

if you haven't seen the full trailer, here it is.....

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/home/home.html/102-8297600-3955314

Sephroth57 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2005, 09:10:29 am »

yeah i saw that trailer in the movies, it looks cool =)

Harry Potter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2005, 09:22:00 am »

Yet another version that will contradict all the others but that's what it's all about. I hope they bring out HHGTTG towels.

It's a pity Doug couldn't see the final(?) culmination of his great vision.

Zakk · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2005, 09:40:19 am »

The towels would be much more useful than LOTR rings!

(Never lose your towel!)

Stingray · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2005, 10:35:16 am »

This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

-S

HaRuMaN · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2005, 01:17:11 pm »

Quote from: bosss7 on February 17, 2005, 09:22:00 am

Yet another version that will contradict all the others but that's what it's all about. I hope they bring out HHGTTG towels.

It's a pity Doug couldn't see the final(?) culmination of his great vision.

Who is Doug?

Stingray · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2005, 02:01:43 pm »

Douglas Adams, the author of the Hitchhiker books.

-S

pointdablame · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2005, 04:32:34 pm »

Damn, I can't wait for this movie. I love the books so much.. and I actually sat through the god awful BBC miniseries... so this movie can't be any worse.

I mean... it physically CAN'T be any worse than that BBC series.... I don't think anything can.

Grasshopper · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2005, 05:26:13 pm »

I liked the BBC series. It's just a shame they missed out a big chunk of the story. The first three episodes were great then it went downhill a bit.

DaveMMR · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2005, 05:32:36 pm »

They did release a HHGTTG towel way back when.

As for the miniseries... I don't know - I liked it. Yeah it doesn't age well and I could never get past that whole "tape indoors/film outdoors" transition British TV Shows possess but the animation was really cool. Okay, episode 4 dragged but it's forgivable. Besides, every incarnation of HHGTTG contradicts each other (the game, the radio series, the mini-series, the books) so the movie will be no different.

If you're anxious about the movie, here's a remade web version of the Infocom text adventure with graphics: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml

RayB · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2005, 05:46:50 pm »

Are they only doing the first book? I always felt the book ended "short".

Don't forget to put the pocket fluff in the flower pot... and , uhh... I don;t know what you're supposed to do with the dangly bit.

namzep · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2005, 06:17:10 pm »

One thing that I've heard that kind of bugs me about it is that they're saying that Zaphod Beeblebrox is only going to have two arms and one head. Kind of defeats the image of him.

Dartful Dodger · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2005, 07:26:08 pm »

Quote from: namzep on February 17, 2005, 06:17:10 pm

One thing that I've heard that kind of bugs me about it is that they're saying that Zaphod Beeblebrox is only going to have two arms and one head.

namzep · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2005, 07:32:55 pm »

I keep meaning to check out the trailer.

DaveMMR · « **Reply #14 on:** February 18, 2005, 10:36:31 pm »

Okay, while on the subject...

What 80's group chose their name as a homage to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

(I got this idea while filing away records)

danny_galaga · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2005, 07:19:51 am »

Quote from: pointdablame on February 17, 2005, 04:32:34 pm

Damn, I can't wait for this movie.

Harry Potter · « **Reply #16 on:** February 19, 2005, 09:40:01 am »

Douglas Adams was involved with it pretty much until he passed away so most of his magical touch should still be in the movie. Hopefully. $:-\$

Grasshopper · « **Reply #17 on:** February 19, 2005, 05:16:43 pm »

Well I've just downloaded the trailer, takes ages if you haven't got broadband.

I really want this film to be good but to be honest the trailer doesn't fill me with optimism. It does appear to be a bit hollywoodised.

Zaphod does have two heads but his second head appears to be hidden in his neck.

The good news is that Arthur Dent is actually played by an english actor (Martin Freeman). I was afraid at one point he might be played by Brad Pitt or someone like that.

Let's hope it's not as bad as that Dr Who movie they did a few years ago. What a travesty that was.

Grasshopper · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2005, 05:21:44 pm »

Just had a thought. The Hitchhiker's Guide would make a great theme for a cab.

quarterback · « **Reply #19 on:** February 19, 2005, 11:38:59 pm »

Quote from: DaveMMR on February 18, 2005, 10:36:31 pm

Okay, while on the subject...

What 80's group chose their name as a homage to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

I know, I know!

danny_galaga · « **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2005, 12:26:40 am »

Quote from: bosss7 on February 19, 2005, 09:40:01 am

Douglas Adams was involved with it pretty much until he passed away so most of his magical touch should still be in the movie. Hopefully.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #21 on:** February 20, 2005, 12:33:05 am »

whoever wrote the bio for 'beeblebrox' the band sure didn't know what they were saying:

"The name comes from Zaphod BeebleBrox, the main character in author Douglas Adams

lucindrea · « **Reply #22 on:** February 20, 2005, 01:22:25 pm »

zaphod wasnt the main char , Arther Dent was ( well from what i rember of the first book ) , yes zaphod was one of the main chars , but the story centered around arther

danny_galaga · « **Reply #23 on:** February 20, 2005, 10:35:36 pm »

Quote from: lucindrea on February 20, 2005, 01:22:25 pm

zaphod wasnt the main char , Arther Dent was ( well from what i rember of the first book ) , yes zaphod was one of the main chars , but the story centered around arther

exactly. as i say, they didn't know what they were saying. Arthur Dent is the main character with his friend Ford Prefect.

RayB · « **Reply #24 on:** February 20, 2005, 10:41:40 pm »

Lie down in the mud in front of the bulldozer.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #25 on:** May 02, 2005, 12:24:29 am »

just saw the movie last night. not TOO bad but they seemed to add an extra bit of story in there to make it a bit more 'hollywood' along with a more love- orientated angle on arthur and trillian. the only other thing is that the tv series covered the first two books while the movie is only hitchhikers guide- it doesnt include 'the restaurant at the end of the universe'. so im hoping the movie goes well so i can see the next one (",)

jbox · « **Reply #26 on:** May 02, 2005, 04:21:06 am »

Quote

It's a pity Doug couldn't see the final(?) culmination of his great vision.

Actually that was practically guarenteed. Namely Douglas Adams was the person *stopping* the movie from going ahead because he wasn't happy with the direction it was being taken in by the people he had sold the license to. After he died his wife basically said "screw it, you might as well make the movie anyway" and so on it went. Every interview with the writer or director I have read so far is filled with attempts to blame anything you might think is lame on Douglas and take credit for all the good stuff retroactively, without ever telling you specifically what the good or bad stuff actually is. This kind of 'buck passing' from two important roles in the process does not fill me with confidence.

Like SW:RotS, this is a movie I am doing my best *not* to look forward to (since I loved the TV series a whole bunch), in the hope that maybe I can be pleasently surprised when some of it polishes up nicely...

markrvp · « **Reply #27 on:** May 02, 2005, 11:24:04 am »

I saw the movie last night with my son. I have never read the books or seen the TV show. There are some things in the movie that didn't make sense to me that I'm guessing were covered better in the books? Like why is the towel important?

Funniest part of the movie is when the depressed robot shoots the fat guys with the perspective gun.

Also, "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

Harry Potter · « **Reply #28 on:** May 02, 2005, 11:40:29 am »

Quote from: markrvp on May 02, 2005, 11:24:04 am

I saw the movie last night with my son. I have never read the books or seen the TV show. There are some things in the movie that didn't make sense to me that I'm guessing were covered better in the books? Like why is the towel important?

Funniest part of the movie is when the depressed robot shoots the fat guys with the perspective gun.

Also, "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

No spoilers please. Some of us actually like to be a littlesurprised!

By the way, Tom Hanks dies at the end of Private Ryan and Darth Vader is really a she.

Dartful Dodger · « **Reply #29 on:** May 02, 2005, 12:24:43 pm »

Quote from: bosss7 on May 02, 2005, 11:40:29 am

Tom Hanks dies at the end of Private Ryan

Tom Hanks isn't dead, he was just in 'Ladykiller'.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #30 on:** May 02, 2005, 08:20:06 pm »

Quote from: markrvp on May 02, 2005, 11:24:04 am

FractalWalk · « **Reply #31 on:** May 03, 2005, 12:30:46 am »

I saw it and was disappointed. I don't think a lot of the humor translates well to film. I think it can be done but it would require a much better effort than what I saw.

My girlfriend who has never read the books kept asking my questions like, what's with the towel? why is there a whale in the sky? What's with the mice? etc. I tried to explain it but it's just not funny unless you read it.

And as someone who has read the books, I didn't think the literal translations were funny either. I found myself laughing mostly at the stuff that wasn't in the books.

However, having said that, I thought Sam Rockwell's Bebblebrox was outstanding. I was impressed with Mos Def as well.

menace · « **Reply #32 on:** May 03, 2005, 07:19:59 am »

Went and saw it last night--don't know why but I liked it--alot of the humor was WTF while laughing? but then again so is alot of monty python stuff. Once you accepted that it wasn't going to make sense and that it was just gratuitously silly, I think you can enjoy the film. Anyone that asks questions about the movie and expects an answer to make sense probably wouldn't like this movie.

delta88 · « **Reply #33 on:** May 03, 2005, 03:18:20 pm »

Did everyone see the Robot from th BBC series in the waiting room on Vogosphere!?!?!?!

He was there.. pretty cool stuff.. My G/F liked it.. Shes not even into any of that stuff though

-d88

danny_galaga · « **Reply #34 on:** May 03, 2005, 10:29:16 pm »

Quote from: delta88 on May 03, 2005, 03:18:20 pm

Did everyone see the Robot from th BBC series in the waiting room on Vogosphere!?!?!?!

He was there.. pretty cool stuff.. My G/F liked it.. Shes not even into any of that stuff though

-d88

i noticed. it wasn't just a replica either. it was THE marvin, the paranoid android (your plastic pal whos fun to be with)

jbox · « **Reply #35 on:** May 03, 2005, 10:37:34 pm »

Quote

i noticed. it wasn't just a replica either. it was THE marvin, the paranoid android (your plastic pal whos fun to be with)

How depressing.

Brain the size of a planet, and he ends up as just another extra.

Not to mention I heard they still haven't replaced all those faulty diodes yet either. $:-\$

(sigh) Life...

Jabba · « **Reply #36 on:** May 04, 2005, 12:02:57 am »

I went to see it tonight. Never read the book. I really did not get much at all. I thought the guy who played Zaphod was real good. Where have I seen him before??? On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a mediocre 5. I'm sure if I read the book, O would have liked it a lot more...

Is the book really that Good? Some of the concepts seemed pretty silly to me...

jbox · « **Reply #37 on:** May 04, 2005, 12:39:22 am »

Quote

Is the book really that Good? Some of the concepts seemed pretty silly to me...

Did you like "The Meaning Of Life"? How about the Flying Circus? People may disagree with me here, but basically DA is one of the best British 'skit' writers I have ever read, and his over-arching plots are essentially just a framework for exposing his humour (rather than the source of it). All of the different H2G2 mediums have differring story-lines without any problems, because so long as they are funny they are "true" to the spirit of H2G2. The best USA equivilant I usually think of is Dilbert (boring character becomes focal point for ironically funny scenarios).

Think some of the more wackier Doctor Who episodes ('ah, the original Romeo & Juliet, I recognise the hand-writing', "what, shakespeare's?", 'no, mine - he sprained his wrist writing a sonnet the week before'). His books are essentially a collection of excellent thirty second jokes, carefully dove-tailed into a 5 minute scene that took him hours to perfect, then pasted together into a book for convienience. Don't read Dirk Gently for a gripping drama involving time travel, an unorthodox detective, a dashing hero, a fair maiden, a vengeful ghost, an ancient sage and a horse. You read it for the jokes about government spending and protestantism. For example, the whale joke wouldn't be funny if it tried to use it again every other chapter.

In my mind Ben Elton is a good example of the exact opposite, namely a writer who attempts to embellish this massively clever plot only to discover he has to add sex, politics and poop jokes to ever actually get a laugh from his audience.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #38 on:** May 04, 2005, 09:39:34 am »

actually, i think his humour is over the top in the episodes he wrote for dr who (apparently thats one of the reasons tom baker called it quits), but perfect for hitchhikers guide...

FractalWalk · « **Reply #39 on:** May 04, 2005, 01:15:13 pm »

Quote from: Jabba on May 04, 2005, 12:02:57 am

I thought the guy who played Zaphod was real good. Where have I seen him before???

His name is Sam Rockwell and he is an outstanding actor. He was in The Green Mile, Matchstick Men, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Galaxy Quest and others.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005377/

Quote from: Jabba on May 04, 2005, 12:02:57 am

Is the book really that Good? Some of the concepts seemed pretty silly to me...

The books are great.

Jabba · « **Reply #40 on:** May 04, 2005, 01:33:15 pm »

Quote

His name is Sam Rockwell and he is an outstanding actor. He was in The Green Mile, Matchstick Men, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Galaxy Quest and others.

Thanks Fractal....Bingo.....Now I remember him. He has the crazy dude in the Green Mile. He is a real good actor! I don't remember him in Galaxy Quest though...

And another question, the guy who was the Priest guy in the scene where the're praying to the God a Achoo (I think that was it), the one with the freaky glasses....Isn't that the guy who played the phycho in the Silence of the Lambs? The queeer seamstress in the basement ??

FractalWalk · « **Reply #41 on:** May 04, 2005, 01:39:46 pm »

Quote from: Jabba on May 04, 2005, 01:33:15 pm

Isn't that the guy who played the phycho in the Silence of the Lambs?

No. John Malkovich played the priest (Humma Kavula), while the psycho in the silence of the lambs was Ted Levine.

Also, In Galaxy Quest, Sam Rockwell played the guy who was afraid he was going to die because he was the plucky sidekick.

Grasshopper · « **Reply #42 on:** May 18, 2005, 03:05:08 pm »

I finally got round to seeing this a couple of days ago.

It was very watchable as a movie in its own right, certainly no travesty, but I still came away feeling slightly disappointed. I just couldn't believe how many crucial jokes they had left out. It felt very similar to Terry Gilliam's films which are OK but not as funny or clever as The Hitchhiker's Guide.

I think the main problem is that most of the jokes in the books are in the dialogue and narrative. For some reason the filmmakers decided to strip most of these types of jokes out and replace them with mostly lame visual gags. I know that film is predominantly a visual medium but IMHO the BBC series managed to remain much closer to the spirit of the books on a much lower budget.

Having said that, the friend I went with really liked it. But he hasn't read the books or seen the BBC series so he wasn't aware of what he was missing.

RayB · « **Reply #43 on:** May 18, 2005, 04:41:54 pm »

The movie's ok. I bet I would have liked it better if I hadn't read the books. Since I have, well I knew everything that would happen, which spoiled everything. heh

I agree with their decisions to cut stuff including jokes. Much of it just wouldn't work on screen anyways.

Dartful Dodger · « **Reply #44 on:** May 18, 2005, 05:44:31 pm »

I read the books, and I thought it was a good movie.

If you want to see a movie this weekend, I think it's worth watching. Unlike the other Sci-Fi movie you won't have to start waiting in line for it yesterday.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #45 on:** May 18, 2005, 08:50:17 pm »

Quote from: RayB on May 18, 2005, 04:41:54 pm

The movie's ok. I bet I would have liked it better if I hadn't read the books. Since I have, well I knew everything that would happen, which spoiled everything. heh

I agree with their decisions to cut stuff including jokes. Much of it just wouldn't work on screen anyways.

you couldnt have known about the malkovich character from the books though as they obviously made that whole part of the movie up when adams died. (",)

as an aside. a german backpacker who ive been (trying to) chatting up went and saw it. she didn't get it at all (and which i could have told her beforehand), which certainly shows that its not a good movie to see 'cold'.

RayB · « **Reply #46 on:** May 18, 2005, 09:41:42 pm »

Malkovich's character was new? The religion that thinks they were sneezed into existence was from the books... I remembered that much.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #47 on:** May 20, 2005, 10:50:52 pm »

Quote from: RayB on May 18, 2005, 09:41:42 pm

Malkovich's character was new? The religion that thinks they were sneezed into existence was from the books... I remembered that much.

Grasshopper · « **Reply #48 on:** May 21, 2005, 06:29:20 am »

Yeah, I can't understand why they added the Malkovitch section. It doesn't really add anything to the plot, and is actually slightly confusing. For instance there was no explanation of how Malkovitch had obtained the coordinates to Magrathea.

One thing I really did like about the movie was their updated version of the theme tune. It brought all my fond memories of the original series flooding back. I just wish they'd played it at the beginning of the movie instead of the lame dolphin tune.

jbox · « **Reply #49 on:** May 22, 2005, 12:26:20 am »

Quote

Yeah, I can't understand why they added the Malkovitch section.

Something tells me there were supposed to a fair few more jokes in that section that never made it to the screen...

danny_galaga · « **Reply #50 on:** May 22, 2005, 04:54:16 am »

Quote from: Grasshopper on May 21, 2005, 06:29:20 am

Yeah, I can't understand why they added the Malkovitch section. It doesn't really add anything to the plot, and is actually slightly confusing. For instance there was no explanation of how Malkovitch had obtained the coordinates to Magrathea.

One thing I really did like about the movie was their updated version of the theme tune. It brought all my fond memories of the original series flooding back. I just wish they'd played it at the beginning of the movie instead of the lame dolphin tune.

ah yes. the theme. i forgot about that. it was great they used it AND i think it worked well that they put it where they did. im pretty sure in the tv series it started about the same time, although obvioulsy without that silly dolphin song at the beginning...

RayB · « **Reply #51 on:** May 22, 2005, 01:31:49 pm »

Is anyone else upset they didn't keep the "green thing with the tongue" logo?

danny_galaga · « **Reply #52 on:** May 22, 2005, 08:32:06 pm »

Quote from: RayB on May 22, 2005, 01:31:49 pm

Is anyone else upset they didn't keep the "green thing with the tongue" logo?

i dont remember that. refresh my memory. ill have to pull out my old videos and have a look. oh, wait. they are 3000km away

jbox · « **Reply #53 on:** May 22, 2005, 11:04:42 pm »

Quote from: danny_galaga on May 22, 2005, 08:32:06 pm

Quote from: RayB on May 22, 2005, 01:31:49 pm
Is anyone else upset they didn't keep the "green thing with the tongue" logo?

i dont remember that. refresh my memory. ill have to pull out my old videos and have a look. oh, wait. they are 3000km away

I think it was more linked to the computer game at first. It may also be a geographic thing, since different publishers also used different book covers.

danny_galaga · « **Reply #54 on:** May 24, 2005, 12:17:24 am »

i see. looks vaguely familar. this is the cover im most familar with:

Grasshopper · « **Reply #55 on:** June 09, 2005, 05:51:30 pm »

Just stumbled across a pretty cool site.

http://www.thebigcdomain.com/media/marvin.html

Brain the size of a planet and all they can do is make pop songs about me.....


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