<!--QuoteBegin-CForrester+Apr 29 2005, 05:29 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CForrester @ Apr 29 2005, 05:29 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Did anyone notice a cameo appearance by the Marvin from the TV show? He's in the Vogon building, waiting in line.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yea. Caught that right off the bat.
I have watched the movie two times today (in 5 hours, at different places), and going for a third.
I will have photos of my robe, towel, and now bed-type clothing up after the third viewing, which is the main one I was going for.
Compared to the book, I would rather read, but as a movie itself, I think it captures the essence of the Guide. I really hope they decide to do the rest of the series. (I wanna see some failing to miss the ground! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->)
<i>So long, so long so long so long, and thanks for the fi-i-ish!</i>
[MINI-NOTRELEVANT-EASTEREGG-SPOILER!]
Great way to end it, seeing Douglas Adam's face and the tribute. I think he would be proud.
<!--QuoteBegin-SkulkBait+Apr 29 2005, 07:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SkulkBait @ Apr 29 2005, 07:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 29 2005, 07:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 29 2005, 07:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I loved it, because I forced myself to enjoy it for what it is instead of trying to police the movie mentally and go insane when it didn't follow the book exactly. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> No two version of H2G2 are alike, so I doubt anybody was expecting them to be "exactly like the books" (if anything, I should expect them to be like the TV series). From what I've read the problem is that: A) Jokes are cut short for no aparent reason, often the punchline is cut B) There is some new emphasis on slapstick jokes C) New jokes aren't really funny D) New plot makes even less sense then its supposed to ect. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I just go for "The Complete Hitchhiker's Guide" as my 'final version'. I guess that's silly since there were versions before, but that was like the last one.
H2G2? I'm glad we're in this thread, otherwise I would not have recognized that acronym. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also, not NEARLY as much random slapstick humor as I feared. Don't worry skulkbait, I was terrified that they'd "Disneyfy" the movie with lame physical humor, but it wasn't <b>a fraction</b> as bad as I thought. So you should be fine, if you're even a tenth as movie paranoid as I am.
New jokes? I laughed. They were in the same style, so it fit.
New plot? Hah, the situation was the same come end-game. The plot changes were storyline adjustments that didn't change the direction of the story. Don't worry, come next movie, they're still headed to Milliways.
UZiEight inches of C4 between the legs.Join Date: 2003-02-20Member: 13767Members
OH dear god, the movie is going to make me do what me and my friend Mike promised never to do no matter what. We were going to learn how to reanimated dead tissue and bring back Douglas Adams. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> Zombie Douglas Adams will feast on the brains of Hollywood.
I just got back from seeing it, and it was pretty good. I think it jumped about a little too much, and if I hadn't read the books I'm pretty sure I would've been lost the entire time, but it was pretty good. A few of the jokes fell flat, though.
AllUrHiveRblong2usBy Your Powers Combined...Join Date: 2002-12-20Member: 11244Members
edited April 2005
That movie hurt my brain.
Is it just me or did that movie just hate the audience? There were about 40 million jokes that you wouldn't get unless you've read the books or listened to the radio stuff or whatever (Ix, Resistance Is Futile, and the whole towel thing since they NEVER EFFING EXPLAIN IT) and a great many of the jokes that one did not need to read the books to get were absolutely butchered, heck they never even mentioned Ford's last name. So if you're a fan of the series already, you'll be angry that your favorite lines have been messed with (and oh they have been) and if you're new to the series a lot of stuff will go straight over your head.
And there is a lot of stuff that happens, important stuff, that they never bother to explain or even mention until after it becomes important. Zaphod's third arm being cut off (the crappiness of the third arm absolutely amazed me, I thought it was worse than the way it was done in the series, which is hard to do), the Point Of View gun is never fully explained so when Trillian mentions it does not work on women it comes as a complete suprise to the audience (how does she know that?!), the whole "two heads" thing is never fully explained in more than a roundabout and passing manner, and the towels are never explained as I previously mentioned.
The lovey scenes seemed so out of place that it hurt, a lot of the slapstick was dreadfully easy to predict, Mos Def was annoying to the max, Malkovich's character was completely and utterly useless, and it contained one of the dumbest lines I've heard outside of an Ed Wood film "We're on a space ship.......in space!"
But that in mind, most of the Magrathea scenes were quite cool, and that was the only part of the film I found very funny. And the intro song ruled. It should have all been a musical. That would have pwned more than life.
I just saw it. It was good, but nowhere near as good as the books. I laughed a couple times and the audience didn't laugh much at all. I thought that it missed out on the more intelligent aspects of the humor, specifically the stuff about the absurdities of human existence. The only element of that, that I saw, was the bit about the "Coming of the Great Kleenex" cult. I thought that the bit about the babel fish proving God's existence and his ensuing annihilation would have been good to include, especially considering that I live in a super-conservative, super-religous, super-Republican, American suburb. It felt like they were trying so hard to depict the Adams' world, that they forgot to include the jokes and the specifics that make it so compelling. Alan Rickman was underused, Sam Rockwell was misused, and Mos Def didn't get the chance to flesh out his character (although I doubt he would have done a much better job). The connection between Zaphod, the Vogons, and the real government was hinted at, but left too unexplained. The whole last half of the movie, with the mice, Deep Thought, Slartibartfast, and John Malkovich, was too arbitrary. The protagonists were getting pushed towards what they were supposed to be doing without trying very hard. I haven't read the books recently enough to remember if the movie strayed from what the books did, but I don't remember it being such a cludge.
I don't know how someone could enjoy it, if they hadn't read the books, and they didn't add in any of the nuances that would make someone who has read the books, enjoy the movie.
I do think the special effects department did a good job. The Vogons looked excellent.
Also, something that I forgot to add. If some of you didn't notice, Sam Rockwell was doing GWB during some of the scenes.
Just got back from the cinema. I wanted to like it, but it just doesnt feel like the hitchhikers guide the galaxy.
The characters are there, some of the places are there, and even some of the dialouge is there, but it just doesnt feel right.
The jokes have been hacked or replaced so that they no longer have a punchline, or just arent funny anymore.
The scenes with the new characters dont make any sense, and along with all the footage of jewel crabs and spades, they could have spent more time on actually fitting more source material into the film.
The TV series was better than this, not because it was truer to the radio series, but because it kept the things that made the radio series <b>funny.</b>. And they did it with hardly any budget at all.
It wasnt a horrible flop of a movie, and its funny at times. I did enjoy it, because I forced myself to enjoy it. It just could have been better.
If you havent read or heard a single word on the hitchhikers guide the galaxy before seeing the film, you might like it. If you havent, you'll only be dissapointed. Why?<i> you know it can be better than this</i>. And it is.
InsaneAnomalyJoin Date: 2002-05-13Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
<!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There IS romance between Arthur and Trillian. It was hinted at in "Mostly Harmless" around the time Arthur meets Random. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> No there isn't. That was the whole point.
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh everyone's making me rethink the movie! Damnit I didn't want to overanalyze but now I can't help it because all those things I didn't want to notice are being shoved in front of me now.
I thought it was ok. I haven't read the books, but I have read some excerpts from them, or someone has told me about it. So I did know somethings before going into the movie. Some parts were pretty funny, but then some were just a little overdone. I still enjoyed it, but it isn't something I'd go to see again.
<!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There IS romance between Arthur and Trillian. It was hinted at in "Mostly Harmless" around the time Arthur meets Random. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Yes there is. Read the book.
<!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 12:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 12:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There IS romance between Arthur and Trillian. It was hinted at in "Mostly Harmless" around the time Arthur meets Random. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> What about that other woman Arthur loves, the one he flys with.
Does he just forget her or something? I don't remember that part.
<!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 30 2005, 12:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 30 2005, 12:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 12:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 12:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There IS romance between Arthur and Trillian. It was hinted at in "Mostly Harmless" around the time Arthur meets Random. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> What about that other woman Arthur loves, the one he flys with.
Does he just forget her or something? I don't remember that part. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> She disappeared or something, while they were traveling between planets. Apparently interstellar travel is dangerous for humans.
<!--QuoteBegin-Sky+Apr 30 2005, 12:52 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sky @ Apr 30 2005, 12:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 30 2005, 12:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 30 2005, 12:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 12:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 12:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There IS romance between Arthur and Trillian. It was hinted at in "Mostly Harmless" around the time Arthur meets Random. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> What about that other woman Arthur loves, the one he flys with.
Does he just forget her or something? I don't remember that part. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> She disappeared or something, while they were traveling between planets. Apparently interstellar travel is dangerous for humans. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Not quite. Hyperspace travel is dangerous in the plural zed sectors, earth happens to be located in one.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><stuff about romance between arthur and trillian><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I remember no such hinting.
SPOILERS <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'> Random certainly isn't the hint. Arthur sold his DNA to afford to travel around the galaxy. When trillian wanted to have a child she bought some of this DNA to impregnate herself. </span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Besides which, there simply isn't time for a romance with all the things going on in the first book, so it definatly didn't happen then.
InsaneAnomalyJoin Date: 2002-05-13Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
edited April 2005
<!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 05:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 05:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Insane+Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Apr 30 2005, 07:49 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 29 2005, 10:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There IS romance between Arthur and Trillian. It was hinted at in "Mostly Harmless" around the time Arthur meets Random. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I just did, about three days ago.
Basically, what SkulkBait said. The fact that there's no romance ever is why Ford is so surprised that Trillian is the mother.
Edit: Come to think about it, it's also why Arthur is so surprised.
<!--QuoteBegin-SkulkBait+Apr 30 2005, 10:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SkulkBait @ Apr 30 2005, 10:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><stuff about romance between arthur and trillian><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I remember no such hinting.
SPOILERS <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'> Random certainly isn't the hint. Arthur sold his DNA to afford to travel around the galaxy. When trillian wanted to have a child she bought some of this DNA to impregnate herself. </span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Besides which, there simply isn't time for a romance with all the things going on in the first book, so it definatly didn't happen then. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Fine I'll explain it a bit more. It's hard though; just go back and read the book.
SPOILERS <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'> When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually. </span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 02:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 02:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> SPOILERS <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'> When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually. </span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Or that may have just been a joke. You know, him having to think about it.
<!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 30 2005, 11:39 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 30 2005, 11:39 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh everyone's making me rethink the movie! Damnit I didn't want to overanalyze but now I can't help it because all those things I didn't want to notice are being shoved in front of me now.
Goddamnit... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Couldn't have put it better myself.
I liked it. The only thing really WRONG with the movie was the bad choice of actors; Arthur Dent needed to be older, Ford needed to be english (although I guess they could have pulled off using a black actor), Zaphod was fine but he needed to have his heads in the right place.
The guy they used for Arthur just wasn't..... Arthur. He was too young for a start.
I actually had no problem with the casting at all after seeing the movie, apart from trillian and slartibartfast. Everyone else seemed to fit quite nicely. The placement of Zaphod's extra extremities didnt really work though.
<!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 30 2005, 11:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 30 2005, 11:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 02:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 02:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> SPOILERS <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'> When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually. </span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Or that may have just been a joke. You know, him having to think about it. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Well, read the book. It's not like, thinking about it. I dunno, it's hard to explain.
<!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 05:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 05:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 30 2005, 11:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 30 2005, 11:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Apr 30 2005, 02:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Apr 30 2005, 02:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> SPOILERS <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'> When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually. </span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Or that may have just been a joke. You know, him having to think about it. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Well, read the book. It's not like, thinking about it. I dunno, it's hard to explain. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> That alone doesn't mean that there was ever a romance between them, especially since THERE WASN'T ANY TIME FOR ONE. In the first (or even second) book, IIRC, there was no time when trillian and arthur were alone in a room together, they certainly never had time to cultivate a romance. That was sort of the point, Arthur is the las man in the universe and it still isn't enough for trillian.
Frankly, it wasn't all that great. I guess one could say it was....MOSTLY HARMLESS.
LOLLERS.
Anyhow, my friends and I rather liked it, but that's probably because we're rebellious teenagers hopped up on that newfangled soda pop.
Some of the parts got a good laugh from me, and others got chuckles. To my dismay, the lines that came directly from the book were not nearly as funny as they were in my head.
In conclusion, look at it as a movie in its own right, not necessarily a direct copying of the book from ink to screen.
<!--QuoteBegin-docchimpy+Apr 30 2005, 09:35 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (docchimpy @ Apr 30 2005, 09:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Some of the parts got a good laugh from me, and others got chuckles. To my dismay, the lines that came directly from the book were not nearly as funny as they were in my head. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I KNOW. It bothered the hell out of me when the lines that made me laugh for hours on end in that book weren't NEARLY as funny in the movie. And I can't begin to understand why. It just kills me though.
Oh and Tycho, yeah I know what you mean, there was tension there between Trillian and Arthur but I think we may have just been reading between the lines. Lines that were written in invisible ink and locked in a safe deposit box. Either way, the movie brought out romance in the books that was MINIMAL AT BEST. Trillian in the shower and Arthur confessing? Uhh what? No. Arthur obsessing over one night talking to one woman ages ago? No in the book he was obsessing over one jackass with two heads (his "costume") and one spaceship.
They took <span style='font-size:5pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span> and made it into <span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span>.
<!--QuoteBegin-Cold NiTe+Apr 30 2005, 09:53 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold NiTe @ Apr 30 2005, 09:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-docchimpy+Apr 30 2005, 09:35 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (docchimpy @ Apr 30 2005, 09:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Some of the parts got a good laugh from me, and others got chuckles. To my dismay, the lines that came directly from the book were not nearly as funny as they were in my head. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I KNOW. It bothered the hell out of me when the lines that made me laugh for hours on end in that book weren't NEARLY as funny in the movie. And I can't begin to understand why. It just kills me though.
Oh and Tycho, yeah I know what you mean, there was tension there between Trillian and Arthur but I think we may have just been reading between the lines. Lines that were written in invisible ink and locked in a safe deposit box. Either way, the movie brought out romance in the books that was MINIMAL AT BEST. Trillian in the shower and Arthur confessing? Uhh what? No. Arthur obsessing over one night talking to one woman ages ago? No in the book he was obsessing over one jackass with two heads (his "costume") and one spaceship.
They took <span style='font-size:5pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span> and made it into <span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span>. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Qute honestly, I thoguht it was a good change.
While watching the movie, I sorta thought "wow, where is the plot?"
Then i thought back to the books.. and thought "wow, where was the plot?"
A book and movie are very different. In the book, each individual moment was weird and funny enough to kinda make you forget where you came from. In a movie, it's a lot shorter. It's hard to jump around without any unifying factors.
For an audience that has never read the book, they need a little something to grasp onto, thus (SPOILERS!!!!!!)
the "mission" to get the gun from the computer and the romance between Authur and Trillian. Also, a lot of things that seemed relavent in the scope of the book series, such as Ford being a reporter for the Guide, could be omitted as it would just add more fluff to any basic plotline. They can, of course, be easily added in in any sequels, which, if this movie does well, could easily happen.
I just saw the film (with my mother and one of her friends from work no less, and yes I did bring a towel) and enjoyed it. I felt it was pretty true to the book, not exact of course but a heck of a lot more than most book --> movie conversions. The essence of the book was captured I felt correctly, a quirkey deconstruction of the universe, sarcastic commedy. As for the love story I thought it was not detremental to the overall plot. (as if the book even had a plot for crying out loud)
Yes I have read the book one before a good number of years ago (as well as <i>So Long, and thanks for All The Fish</i> and <i>The Restaurant at the End of the Universe</i>), now I have seen the movie. Personally I liked the movie better than the book. The book seemed rather pessimistic to me and the movie was not a dark and bitterly sarcastic.
One of my favorites about the film was the dolphins. (well the mice too but the dolphin mini musical was quite amusing, even though that dang song was stuck in my head after the film) One of the critical parts of the book (where the two thermonuclear missiles are turned into a whale and a bowl of petunias) was done correctly and humorously.
Details like the sighing doors on the improbability drive spaceship were good to have seen in there. Other correctly done details like the worshiper's of the Great Green Arkleseizure having a religious ceremonmy as a spoof off a Roman Catholic mass (with amen's being replaced with achooo's for example) were especially ironic to me, as I went to a Catholic gradeschool and highschool. The planet manufactuing facility was an impressive bit of CG animation.
<span style='font-size:11pt;line-height:100%'>Personally I think <a href='http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0002143.cfm' target='_blank'>this review</a> is one of the best ones I've read about the film.</span>
Again it is important to remember the Hitchhicker's Guide to the galaxy <i>is supposed to be</i> nonsensical and comedic. Much like what makes Monty Python so amusing. And just like Monthy Python it is very quote-able. (ie: "so long and thanks for all the fish", "42", "I think I'll call it ground. Maybe it'll be my friend.", etc.) The real point of the film/book it too get the viewer/reader to lighten up a bit. I think it's a great relief to have this comeout with some much angst and bitter seriousness in our society right now. People need to be reminded to just be happy and enjoy life once in awhile. My two word reaction to the film would have to be: refreshing nonsense.
Comments
Yea. Caught that right off the bat.
I have watched the movie two times today (in 5 hours, at different places), and going for a third.
I will have photos of my robe, towel, and now bed-type clothing up after the third viewing, which is the main one I was going for.
Compared to the book, I would rather read, but as a movie itself, I think it captures the essence of the Guide. I really hope they decide to do the rest of the series. (I wanna see some failing to miss the ground! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->)
<i>So long, so long so long so long, and thanks for the fi-i-ish!</i>
[MINI-NOTRELEVANT-EASTEREGG-SPOILER!]
Great way to end it, seeing Douglas Adam's face and the tribute. I think he would be proud.
[/MINI-NOTRELEVANT-EASTEREGG-SPOILER!]
No two version of H2G2 are alike, so I doubt anybody was expecting them to be "exactly like the books" (if anything, I should expect them to be like the TV series). From what I've read the problem is that:
A) Jokes are cut short for no aparent reason, often the punchline is cut
B) There is some new emphasis on slapstick jokes
C) New jokes aren't really funny
D) New plot makes even less sense then its supposed to
ect. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I just go for "The Complete Hitchhiker's Guide" as my 'final version'. I guess that's silly since there were versions before, but that was like the last one.
H2G2? I'm glad we're in this thread, otherwise I would not have recognized that acronym. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also, not NEARLY as much random slapstick humor as I feared. Don't worry skulkbait, I was terrified that they'd "Disneyfy" the movie with lame physical humor, but it wasn't <b>a fraction</b> as bad as I thought. So you should be fine, if you're even a tenth as movie paranoid as I am.
New jokes? I laughed. They were in the same style, so it fit.
New plot? Hah, the situation was the same come end-game. The plot changes were storyline adjustments that didn't change the direction of the story. Don't worry, come next movie, they're still headed to Milliways.
*** OMG SPOILERS HIDE THE CHILDRUN ***
<span style='color:#000000'>On the Vogon planet, when they were getting smacked in the face every time they had an idea.</span>
*** END SPOILERS ***
Is it just me or did that movie just hate the audience? There were about 40 million jokes that you wouldn't get unless you've read the books or listened to the radio stuff or whatever (Ix, Resistance Is Futile, and the whole towel thing since they NEVER EFFING EXPLAIN IT) and a great many of the jokes that one did not need to read the books to get were absolutely butchered, heck they never even mentioned Ford's last name. So if you're a fan of the series already, you'll be angry that your favorite lines have been messed with (and oh they have been) and if you're new to the series a lot of stuff will go straight over your head.
And there is a lot of stuff that happens, important stuff, that they never bother to explain or even mention until after it becomes important. Zaphod's third arm being cut off (the crappiness of the third arm absolutely amazed me, I thought it was worse than the way it was done in the series, which is hard to do), the Point Of View gun is never fully explained so when Trillian mentions it does not work on women it comes as a complete suprise to the audience (how does she know that?!), the whole "two heads" thing is never fully explained in more than a roundabout and passing manner, and the towels are never explained as I previously mentioned.
The lovey scenes seemed so out of place that it hurt, a lot of the slapstick was dreadfully easy to predict, Mos Def was annoying to the max, Malkovich's character was completely and utterly useless, and it contained one of the dumbest lines I've heard outside of an Ed Wood film "We're on a space ship.......in space!"
But that in mind, most of the Magrathea scenes were quite cool, and that was the only part of the film I found very funny. And the intro song ruled. It should have all been a musical. That would have pwned more than life.
I don't know how someone could enjoy it, if they hadn't read the books, and they didn't add in any of the nuances that would make someone who has read the books, enjoy the movie.
I do think the special effects department did a good job. The Vogons looked excellent.
Also, something that I forgot to add. If some of you didn't notice, Sam Rockwell was doing GWB during some of the scenes.
it had its moments, but for the most part (and i'm talking 90%) it was uninspiring, dull, and utterly disappointing in its failure to captivate.
<!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
in all honesty i really wanted to love it.. i still don't quite understand what went wrong..
The characters are there, some of the places are there, and even some of the dialouge is there, but it just doesnt feel right.
The jokes have been hacked or replaced so that they no longer have a punchline, or just arent funny anymore.
The scenes with the new characters dont make any sense, and along with all the footage of jewel crabs and spades, they could have spent more time on actually fitting more source material into the film.
The TV series was better than this, not because it was truer to the radio series, but because it kept the things that made the radio series <b>funny.</b>. And they did it with hardly any budget at all.
It wasnt a horrible flop of a movie, and its funny at times. I did enjoy it, because I forced myself to enjoy it. It just could have been better.
If you havent read or heard a single word on the hitchhikers guide the galaxy before seeing the film, you might like it. If you havent, you'll only be dissapointed. Why?<i> you know it can be better than this</i>. And it is.
No there isn't. That was the whole point.
Goddamnit...
No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes there is. Read the book.
No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
What about that other woman Arthur loves, the one he flys with.
Does he just forget her or something? I don't remember that part.
No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What about that other woman Arthur loves, the one he flys with.
Does he just forget her or something? I don't remember that part. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
She disappeared or something, while they were traveling between planets. Apparently interstellar travel is dangerous for humans.
No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What about that other woman Arthur loves, the one he flys with.
Does he just forget her or something? I don't remember that part. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
She disappeared or something, while they were traveling between planets. Apparently interstellar travel is dangerous for humans. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not quite. Hyperspace travel is dangerous in the plural zed sectors, earth happens to be located in one.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><stuff about romance between arthur and trillian><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I remember no such hinting.
SPOILERS
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'>
Random certainly isn't the hint. Arthur sold his DNA to afford to travel around the galaxy. When trillian wanted to have a child she bought some of this DNA to impregnate herself.
</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Besides which, there simply isn't time for a romance with all the things going on in the first book, so it definatly didn't happen then.
No there isn't. That was the whole point. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes there is. Read the book. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I just did, about three days ago.
Basically, what SkulkBait said. The fact that there's no romance ever is why Ford is so surprised that Trillian is the mother.
Edit: Come to think about it, it's also why Arthur is so surprised.
I remember no such hinting.
SPOILERS
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'>
Random certainly isn't the hint. Arthur sold his DNA to afford to travel around the galaxy. When trillian wanted to have a child she bought some of this DNA to impregnate herself.
</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Besides which, there simply isn't time for a romance with all the things going on in the first book, so it definatly didn't happen then. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fine I'll explain it a bit more. It's hard though; just go back and read the book.
SPOILERS
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'>
When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually.
</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'>
When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually.
</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or that may have just been a joke. You know, him having to think about it.
Goddamnit... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Couldn't have put it better myself.
I liked it. The only thing really WRONG with the movie was the bad choice of actors; Arthur Dent needed to be older, Ford needed to be english (although I guess they could have pulled off using a black actor), Zaphod was fine but he needed to have his heads in the right place.
The guy they used for Arthur just wasn't..... Arthur. He was too young for a start.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'>
When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually.
</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or that may have just been a joke. You know, him having to think about it. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, read the book. It's not like, thinking about it. I dunno, it's hard to explain.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='color:#031d1f'>
When Arthur meets Random, there's a moment where he thinks back and tries to remember if he and Trillian ever "did it." Obviously if he had to think about it then <i>something</i> happened. And we also know that Trillian wasn't exactly enamored of Zaphod around that time, since she got pretty fed up with him eventually.
</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or that may have just been a joke. You know, him having to think about it. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, read the book. It's not like, thinking about it. I dunno, it's hard to explain. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That alone doesn't mean that there was ever a romance between them, especially since THERE WASN'T ANY TIME FOR ONE. In the first (or even second) book, IIRC, there was no time when trillian and arthur were alone in a room together, they certainly never had time to cultivate a romance. That was sort of the point, Arthur is the las man in the universe and it still isn't enough for trillian.
Frankly, it wasn't all that great. I guess one could say it was....MOSTLY HARMLESS.
LOLLERS.
Anyhow, my friends and I rather liked it, but that's probably because we're rebellious teenagers hopped up on that newfangled soda pop.
Some of the parts got a good laugh from me, and others got chuckles. To my dismay, the lines that came directly from the book were not nearly as funny as they were in my head.
In conclusion, look at it as a movie in its own right, not necessarily a direct copying of the book from ink to screen.
I KNOW. It bothered the hell out of me when the lines that made me laugh for hours on end in that book weren't NEARLY as funny in the movie. And I can't begin to understand why. It just kills me though.
Oh and Tycho, yeah I know what you mean, there was tension there between Trillian and Arthur but I think we may have just been reading between the lines. Lines that were written in invisible ink and locked in a safe deposit box. Either way, the movie brought out romance in the books that was MINIMAL AT BEST. Trillian in the shower and Arthur confessing? Uhh what? No. Arthur obsessing over one night talking to one woman ages ago? No in the book he was obsessing over one jackass with two heads (his "costume") and one spaceship.
They took <span style='font-size:5pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span> and made it into <span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span>.
I KNOW. It bothered the hell out of me when the lines that made me laugh for hours on end in that book weren't NEARLY as funny in the movie. And I can't begin to understand why. It just kills me though.
Oh and Tycho, yeah I know what you mean, there was tension there between Trillian and Arthur but I think we may have just been reading between the lines. Lines that were written in invisible ink and locked in a safe deposit box. Either way, the movie brought out romance in the books that was MINIMAL AT BEST. Trillian in the shower and Arthur confessing? Uhh what? No. Arthur obsessing over one night talking to one woman ages ago? No in the book he was obsessing over one jackass with two heads (his "costume") and one spaceship.
They took <span style='font-size:5pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span> and made it into <span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>romance</span>. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Qute honestly, I thoguht it was a good change.
While watching the movie, I sorta thought "wow, where is the plot?"
Then i thought back to the books.. and thought "wow, where was the plot?"
A book and movie are very different. In the book, each individual moment was weird and funny enough to kinda make you forget where you came from. In a movie, it's a lot shorter. It's hard to jump around without any unifying factors.
For an audience that has never read the book, they need a little something to grasp onto, thus (SPOILERS!!!!!!)
the "mission" to get the gun from the computer and the romance between Authur and Trillian. Also, a lot of things that seemed relavent in the scope of the book series, such as Ford being a reporter for the Guide, could be omitted as it would just add more fluff to any basic plotline. They can, of course, be easily added in in any sequels, which, if this movie does well, could easily happen.
Yes I have read the book one before a good number of years ago (as well as <i>So Long, and thanks for All The Fish</i> and <i>The Restaurant at the End of the Universe</i>), now I have seen the movie. Personally I liked the movie better than the book. The book seemed rather pessimistic to me and the movie was not a dark and bitterly sarcastic.
One of my favorites about the film was the dolphins. (well the mice too but the dolphin mini musical was quite amusing, even though that dang song was stuck in my head after the film) One of the critical parts of the book (where the two thermonuclear missiles are turned into a whale and a bowl of petunias) was done correctly and humorously.
Details like the sighing doors on the improbability drive spaceship were good to have seen in there. Other correctly done details like the worshiper's of the Great Green Arkleseizure having a religious ceremonmy as a spoof off a Roman Catholic mass (with amen's being replaced with achooo's for example) were especially ironic to me, as I went to a Catholic gradeschool and highschool. The planet manufactuing facility was an impressive bit of CG animation.
<span style='font-size:11pt;line-height:100%'>Personally I think <a href='http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0002143.cfm' target='_blank'>this review</a> is one of the best ones I've read about the film.</span>
Again it is important to remember the Hitchhicker's Guide to the galaxy <i>is supposed to be</i> nonsensical and comedic. Much like what makes Monty Python so amusing. And just like Monthy Python it is very quote-able. (ie: "so long and thanks for all the fish", "42", "I think I'll call it ground. Maybe it'll be my friend.", etc.) The real point of the film/book it too get the viewer/reader to lighten up a bit. I think it's a great relief to have this comeout with some much angst and bitter seriousness in our society right now. People need to be reminded to just be happy and enjoy life once in awhile. My two word reaction to the film would have to be: refreshing nonsense.