The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...

[YellowRubberDuckie]

What a great movie! It was funny watching people leave half way out of the movie because they didn't get it. We were the only ones laughing about a 20 minutes in when they thumbed a ride, and the camera started panning all the way out. With the music, we thought it was hilarious. You could tell that half the people there had never read the book or understood British Humor. I highly recommend that you go see it. Has anyone else actually seen it too?
Duckie

[Az]

1. Saw it and loved it

Not a perfect movie. But it was a hilarious romp with and old friend.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

2. I saw it last night...

The "animated" segments were great. Everything was much higher budget than I expected too. Very cool to look at and a lot of very funny moments. I "Mos Def" recommend it.

[Ekirh]

3. Agreed...

Not a perfect movie. at times hit or miss.. but I enjoyed it. In the theater I was in.. people were looking at me cause I instantly lost control with the opening song hehehe.

No one walked out at the one I went, it was also a small crowd, but you could tell from the directions of laughter and the directions of sighs what the opinions were throughout the room.

[bowens43]

4. I'm a big fan of the books but didn't care for the movie.

The best thing about the books is the writing. IMO it didn't translate well to film.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

6. I thought it was cool that the Author did the screen play...

and was a producer. It stayed true to the original idea, I thought. I'm only a little ways into the book, but I thought it was great. It only takes him 300 minutes to read the book (on the CD), so I guess they had to add some stuff to make it longer. :shrug:
Duckie

[Taxloss]

15. He wasn't really.

Much of it was based on his ideas for a possible film, but he died four years ago. The screenplay was not by him.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

26. Oh. I had no idea.

[EstimatedProphet]

45. He is listed as one of the screenwriters

He may have been there only in advisory capacity at the outset, but they did list him there.

[Taxloss]

46. Yes, I know he's listed.

A film has been talked abut for years. Things like the Point of View Gun are Adams' idea, intended for the film but he was in no way a real part of this project. Not even advisory.

[China_cat]

8. Thank goodness...someone else who saw the

same movie I did. It struck me more as 'Douglas Adams meets the 3 Stooges' than the books.

[Jara sang]

5. I loved it as well.

The theatre I was in was cracking up all over it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. That pan was hilarious! You're talking about the Vogon ships

above earth?

I was one of the few people in the theater laughing at that joke. Like you said, with the music, it was hilarious.

Though I went opening night, and I think most everyone in the theater had read the books before and were either true fans or at least had really enjoyed the books - lots of laughter and good vibes from everyone.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

9. You shouldn't have to know the book to get the movie.

That's the problem with the Hitchhiker's Guide movie; it assumes you're already familiar with the story, so it doesn't bother explaining anything. If I hadn't read the book and listened to the radio play, I'd have been completely lost.

[AmyDeLune]

10. I wouldn't have been lost...

but they did trim just a wee bit too much out. I enjoyed the movie, but afterwards I kept thinking of all the things that they had left out that would have made things clearer. I'm fairly certain that the Arthur/Trillian love story was tacked on by the new script writer.

I'm glad that Douglas Adams completed the screenplay before he died and that the co-script writer appointed posthumasly to "polish" it did his best to keep true to the spirit of the books. I was afraid that it was going to be a horrible, cutesy movie with Disney producing it.

Overall though, I'd recommend it. :D

[Az]

12. I dunno

Sometimes a movie should be an homage to the book. Maybe sometimes the audience should be expected to bring something to the theater. Perhaps we will get a more intelligent movie if there are some expectations of the audience.

[Kerrytravelers]

11. I had not read the books before- now I WILL read them!

I loved, loved, loved this film. Me and Mr. kt cracked up the whole time. It was fun for us ebcause we didn't know what to expect next. And, we love, love, love British humor, so it was perfect for us.

In Pasadena, the theater was full. Some even brought towels! Everyone seemed to be really enjoying it.

Anyway, we stopped by a bookstore in Old Town after the film and saw that there is a book that actually has all 5 (it is 5 stories, right?) books in one. Next paycheck, we're so there buying it.

Anyway, just had to chime in.

So long, and thanks for all the fish! (we have been humming that song since Firday night!)

[supernova]

13. You're in for a treat

the books are truly some of the best comic writing ever. :D

IF you can get your hands on them, definitely listent to the origianl BBC radio plays. :D No I am not telling you they are out on P2P to d/l illegally, so stop saying that. ;-)

[Zhade]

24. The fifth book always pisses me off - and I've read it like 25 times.

I love the series, but I HATE HATE HATE the fifth book for two reasons.

Anyone who has read Mostly Harmless can probably guess what those reasons are.

[Taxloss]

16. See if you can get the original radio programmes. They're wonderful.

The film ... an enormous disappointment to me.

[Kerrytravelers]

21. I did not realize all the different HGtG materials out there, until I

looks up the info on

<http://imdb.com/name/nm0010930/bio>

"Author of the hysterically funny series of books, summarized as "Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy", which also include a radio series, a TV series, stage play, record albums, computer game, graphic novels and a bath towel."


And a towel... :rofl:

[Taxloss]

23. The radio series came first.

Then the books. The books are great - well, the first three anyway - but the radio series is sublime.

There was also a British television adaptation - low on special effects and production values, but extremely high on quality. The main attraction was that it used the radio scripts and actors, and was VERY faithful.

[giant_robot]

14. I haven't seen it yet...

...but I already know I'm going to nitpick it. In the trailers it doesn't look like Arthur is wearing his bathrobe throughout the whole movie. PLE-E-A-A-S-E tell me he wears his bathrobe the whole time! That would be an unforgivable mistake!

[Taxloss]

17. Just one of the many jokes that are cut.

Sorry.

[giant_robot]

18. AAARGH!

Well, thanks for breaking the news to me. I guess I'll go and try to enjoy it. Failing that I'll go to pick it apart.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

19. He's not wearing his bathrobe the whole time?

Could have fooled me. He's at least got it on 90% of the time. I really enjoyed it both visually and in regard to dialog. I have read the first 2 in the series though I'm not a devotee.

[JHB]

27. When did he take it off?

I can't really think of a scene where he wasn't wearing it.

[Taxloss]

33. I'm convinced he doesn't wear it all the way through.

But I'm also perfectly prepared to concede that my visual memory is so bad, I could be inventing this.

At any rate, leaving out the dressing gown is a minr sin compared to some of the cuts.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

36. He wore it the whole time, I swear.

[Taxloss]

38. Ach, I must be wrong then. Really?

Crikey. Fair enough. Maybe I just imagined it since I thought the film was so bad generally.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

39. I was very entertained...

I've found that many DUers have impossible standards when it comes to movies. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. I loved it.
Duckie

[Taxloss]

42. It's not a movie thing.

I was raised on the radio series, and the books, and the TV adaptation. The movie is, I'm sure, fine to someone without that background, but I've been quoting H2G2 with my Dad for 20 years. The movie was unnecessary, and a crashing disappointment.

Ironic, since the new Dr Who is great.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

28. His bathrobe is on the whole time.

[bridgit]

20. we really enjoyed it...

a fine family, large 'buttered' popcorn movie of ever there was one :thumbsup:

[EstimatedProphet]

22. Loved it

Did you bring a towel? No one here got why I brought a towel to the theater.
Philistines...

[LynneSin]

25. I just saw it and I have a small rant about the Towels

It's been ages since I've read the book but I remember there was a big deal about why they carry towels AND that Arthur Dent forgot his towl and that was even a bigger deal.

So what I don't understand is why they have the towels in the movie when they never explained why towels were so important. For folks who never read the book (or hadn't read the book in over a decade), it seems really odd that Ford & Arther are carrying around these damn towels everywhere.

The movie was great but Sam Rockwell stole that movie

[yorgatron]

29. i've read the books,went to see it yesterday.

ho hum.
if you haven't read the books,do so.
i chuckled once or twice at the movie,but always laugh out loud for the books.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

30. Ford throws Arthur a towel and says it'll come in handy...

Ford uses his towel a lot in the movie and makes sure that he has it with him. Oh god, and didn't you love Bill Nighy as the guy who shows Arthur around the planet factory? God, I've loved him since Love Actually. And yes, Sam Rockwell was fantastic. And he plays insane SOOO well. Remember him in Green Mile? That guy is fantastic. Oh my god, and I forgot about Marvin. How much do I love that robot!? Alan Rickman did a fabulous job as his voice.
Duckie

[LynneSin]

35. I Ford toss him the towel

there was just never any explanation in the movie as to why to have a towel. You'd think with how they were showing the book that maybe there would have been a 20-second blurb as to why hitchhikers always carry towels with them.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

37. You're right, they never xplain why...

But he does say they're always useful.
Duckie

[LynneSin]

40. But answer me this...

in the book, doesn't something happen where Arthur loses his towel and he's yelled at for not having one.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

41. I don't know.

I am only half way through the book.
Duckie

[Az]

32. There is so much detail in the series

They really had to cram a lot in. It was originally a continuing radio play, then it got made into a made for tv series. They did a lot with the time they had.

I think it really was more for the fans than new people coming to it. They had to leave certain references in or we would have had their collective heads. But they had to create enough plot to tie things together for those who didn't have a clue.

[EstimatedProphet]

43. I think it may be coming up in the next movie

[JHB]

31. BBC '81 "Hitchhiker's" nods in the new movie....

1) The Book's theme music: the fanfare when the Hitchhiker's Guide itself (the galactic e-book) is introduced was the main theme music for the BBc production;

2) the robot in the Vogon form submission queue room was the Marvin the Manic-Depressive Robot used in the '81 production;

Any more?

[Radical Activist]

34. I've never read the book and I thought it was hilarious.

I did see most of the british TV mini series though. Great movie.

[hyphenate]

44. Saw it yesterday with best friend

She probably got an earful from some of the things in it, as she's become a fundie, but she used to enjoy good SF, and remembers seeing the PBS/BBC version and listening to the NPR version.

Personally, it's been at least twenty-five years since I read the books and listened to parts of the NPR version. I did, however, enjoy it to the extreme. Mostly the special effects, which were so completely outstanding. The characters were a little off to me, but overall, it was great.

Zaphod looked so much like my artist friend, Bob Eggleton, that I wondered if Bob had worked on some of the mattes for it. If anyone is interested in seeing the resemblance, Bob's got his own site at http://www.bobeggleton.com. It's the first thing I thought of when I saw him.

Alan Rickman always has a panache for odd characters, so I think we can safely add Marvin to his list of hilarious parts.

I remember that Trillian was very, er, somber from the first book. (It's likely among the few things I remember!) So while the part seemed a bit flat, the character was like that.

Sadly, I forgot to bring my towel. :(