Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie!

[ParkRNDL]

So who's gonna go see this when it comes out in May? I read all the books numerous times in high school and college... can't wait to see if they do it justice...

[Fhqwhgads]

I'll go, for sure. With any luck it won't pull a Phantom Menace and sputter into oblivion...

Actually I'm a little more optimistic than that. I'm even looking forward to this...

[Ryalyn]

Raises her hand and jumps up and down excitedly.

Me! I am!! Yea!!!

I'm also excited about this!

[Tanukitsune]

I have mixed feelings, I want to see it, but I'm not sure it will turn out OK...
Chris Barrie should have been Arthur Dent...

[ajax]

Well, I certainly enjoyed the British TV series of many years ago, so I'll be seeing the movie. I wonder how they'll end it -- it was a problem that Doug Adams never quite solved imho. It always seemed like he lost interest and wandered away.

Ajax

[Fhqwhgads]

I wonder how they'll end it -- it was a problem that Doug Adams never quite solved imho. It always seemed like he lost interest and wandered away.

Thank you for nailing that down. *That* is what has me worried, I just hadn't been able to pinpoint it yet. He could more or less get away with that in his books but a movie is not something you can can do that with, eh? And the tighter they wrap the ending, the less canonical it becomes. That's a tight strait to cross my friend. I wish them the best of luck.

[luchog]

I'm remaining cautiously optimistic. Everything I've seen so far looks good (except I don't really care for the Marvin design); and the scriptwriter appears to be someone who could do justices to DNA's humour and style.

However, most cinematic adaptations in the past 10 years or so have been distinctly disappointing; particularly recently, with the butchered film version of Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events"; and the complete travesty that was Earthsea (the Sci-Fi channel should not be allowed to make any more movies/tv series').

I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

[Nowhere Man]

I wonder how they'll end it -- it was a problem that Doug Adams never quite solved imho. It always seemed like he lost interest and wandered away.

Ajax

it's not that he lost interest.


HE DIED.

wasn't he working on a sixth one when he died?

[Nowhere Man]

and the complete travesty that was Earthsea (the Sci-Fi channel should not be allowed to make any more movies/tv series').

You take that back!

*Fondly remembers Farscape, and the Stargate Serieses.*

That Farscape miniseries didn't really do it for me. I mean, I liked it and all, but they killed D'argo, and the whole thing just left me wanting more Farscape.

Earthsea sucked, compared to the book, same with the Riverworld movie/mini-series that Sci-Fi made.

Though, isn't that always the case? The movies always suck compared to the books. If there had been no Earthsea or Riverworld books, and just the movies, they would have been god-like.

$.2

[azalea2]

I read that Ursula Le Guin was extremely unhappy with what happened to Earthsea...

[Kestralyn]

I read that Ursula Le Guin was extremely unhappy with what happened to Earthsea...

Here's the article she wrote for Locus (industry magazine) about it. And her page about it.

Given the overall track record for sci/fi books to film, I'm worried about HHGG.

Oh, and yes, Adams did die before completing book 6, but if you look at any one of the first three books, you'll notice that none of them actually conclude. They just end, sort of dribbling off into space and time. That's a problem he admitted to (and just listen to his editors!) with everything he ever wrote. He loved starting things, and just wasn't very good at finishing them. Very physicist of him (as opposed to an engineer)!

[Ryalyn]

It is hard to end a story well, though. You have to find a way to wrap up the significant story lines in a way that's going to appease the readers and not drift away from the characters too much. I find that I'll love most of a book, until I get to the ending and then the ending will just stink to high heaven.

I wish there was a better trailer for the HHGG movie . . . .

[daringarlyn353x]

that's great douglas adams rock!

[luchog]

You take that back!

*Fondly remembers Farscape, and the Stargate Serieses.*

That just illustrates my point. Farscape, probably the best thing they've ever produced, got killed because they'd rather spend the money on lower-budget crap. And I was never impressed with Stargate.

Though, isn't that always the case? The movies always suck compared to the books. If there had been no Earthsea or Riverworld books, and just the movies, they would have been god-like.

No, not really. I haven't manages to sit through Earthsea, but from what i've seen of it, it looks like just another pile of fantasy cliches. Nothing terribly interesting about it. If it wasn't for the name, I wouldn't have given it a second glance. Same with Battlestar Galactica.

[Guairdean]

I'm looking forward to The Hitchhiker's Guide with some reservations. I was looking forward to I Robot, but I blew it off when I found out it was nothing more that another vehicle for some two bit actor to blow things up. I'm not sure why they used I Robot as the title.

[Elliot]

oo oo pick me!

[NR Pax]

That just illustrates my point. Farscape, probably the best thing they've ever produced, got killed because they'd rather spend the money on lower-budget crap.

Well, Farscape did cost a lot of money and Sci Fi doesn't quite have the money to compete with major networks.

If it wasn't for the name, I wouldn't have given it a second glance. Same with Battlestar Galactica.

My running joke about Battlestar Galactica was this: It has a wonderful script, powerful storyline and an excellent cast. In other words, it will be cancelled by the second season so Sci Fi can make way for the next reality show.

As for Hitchhikers Guide...I am skeptical. As for Fhqwhgads's statement, I agree. Having some kind of closure on the story will steer it away from the way it was written in the books. Therefore, I expect to hear the shrieks and wails of disappointed fans from miles away.

[Montanto]

I'm looking forward to The Hitchhiker's Guide with some reservations. I was looking forward to I Robot, but I blew it off when I found out it was nothing more that another vehicle for some two bit actor to blow things up. I'm not sure why they used I Robot as the title.

Good point but I Robot blew it for the me the minute I saw the title on the preview in conjunction with shots of robots attacking people. (It is a great turn off when creators show no indication of reading the source material) Hitchhikers however has me very up beat so far. Stephen Fry was born to play the guide and Alan Rickman makes a better Marvin then the original. Also most of the design work I've seen so far looks very sweet. Yes I am aware that the creation of a preview is an art unto itself with little to do with the actual movie but this is one of the first ones I've seen in a while that did not assume the viewers were idiots.

[kinako mochi]

My running joke about Battlestar Galactica was this: It has a wonderful script, powerful storyline and an excellent cast. In other words, it will be cancelled by the second season so Sci Fi can make way for the next reality show.

Pax, I like you am floored by the quality of the writing and of the unbelievable realistic qualities of the little things like dipping a wing, on Galactica (if no ex-military are involved in consulting on this show, I'll do twenty on the deck). They've definitely upgraded what was a cheesy Buck Rogers doorstop and made it into a bona-fide seat-of-the-pants thriller-drama. More than the space FX, though, the human drama's given center stage, as it should be, always.

Back on topic, HGTG should be a neat show. With so many opportunities to animate a cult classic and its effect on pop culture, surely a proper homage should be howling funny to watch.

[Fhqwhgads]

Uh oh. Thunderclouds on the horizon...

Long review (SPOILER WARNING)

Short review (no spoilers)

[Kestralyn]

I just finished reading the long review, the short review, and the list of things not in the movie.

It sounds as though this is exactly what we were all dreading. sigh. I may just go home and throw my old radio show tapes in tonight.

And I have this awful pain in all the diodes down my left side.

[luchog]

Uh oh. Thunderclouds on the horizon...

Long review (SPOILER WARNING)

Short review (no spoilers)

I've heard that there's a rebuttal that makes the film sound much better than this does; but i haven't been able to find it.

Regardless, my cautious optimism just became a lot more cautious, and a lot less optimistic.

[Sionide]

I can't wait for this movie, but it *better* do the original series honour and not crap it up like the TV series did.

[reinder]

No matter what else one might think of his reviews, the writer, MJ Simpson, is very good about linking to other reviewers who disagree with him. He's one of those serious, responsible journalist types.

[Sionide]

oh yeah, the fact that martin freeman is playing arthur hints towards good things!