# Hitchhiker's fans, DON'T PANIC!



## Zepp (Apr 27, 2005)

I'm a huge Douglas Adams fan, and I've been very worried for a while that the _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ movie will suck big, giant goat-(insert choice of anatomy here)- on wheels.  But this article has given me some hope: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm.../ap/20050426/ap_en_mo/film_hitchhiker_s_guide 

Apparently, there were some semi-major changes to the story, but they were written by Adams himself when he was still alive.  For better or worse, I'll be seeing it this weekend when it opens in theaters.  Howabout you?


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## Simon Curran (Apr 27, 2005)

I just hope that it won't be the usual terrible Americanisation of an international classic (Can anyone say The Ring...)


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## michaeledward (Apr 27, 2005)

I've never been a fan of the book. I've tried reading it a half a dozen times or so, and can never seem to get past page 4.

However, the wife is a big fan. We will be seeing the movie first thing Friday morning.


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## Elizium (Apr 27, 2005)

The changes made by Adams were there originally in the 1970's.  When the BBC did the series, they just went ahead and did things their way.  The original radio script that is Hitchhikers is a far cry from the book and the 6 TV episodes that was brought out in 1979 and 1980.  Even the audio books followed the TV series.


Marvin is no longer angular, but white and more round.  Slartibartfast is younger and with less beard.  I just hope the drinks machine still makes horrible tea as always.

But I did buy the book/film tie in.  If you get the 2005 film tie in, you get interviews with the cast, director ETC.  Also if you watch the movie, you will see doorhandles in the shape of Adams nose as well as a mural of him in the film on the heart of gold ship.


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## arnisador (Apr 27, 2005)

I enjoyed the book and am anxious to see this!


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## SwedishChef (Apr 28, 2005)

The thing I don't like about the trailers is that Zaphod's heads aren't side by side. I'm glad to know that Adams wrote the script though.



And hey, don't profane The Ring.  It had a few blind spots but was overall I think better than the Japanese version...the Ring 2 on the other hand...well let's pretend that never happened.


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## arnisador (Apr 28, 2005)

SwedishChef said:
			
		

> The thing I don't like about the trailers is that Zaphod's heads aren't side by side.


 I agree, but it seems a fairly reasonable compromise.


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## MA-Caver (Apr 29, 2005)

There has been some movies that ... well, lets just say that I (personally) could've lived the rest of my life and died a happy man... had I'd never seen that movie. 
I think we've been spoiled (or soured is a better word) on those really-rilly *bad* translations to movies of great books. 
Yet consider that a whole generation went by after seeing the movie and then going out and (finally) reading the book (...and vice-versa) stopped going Hey! What gives? And a new generation of film-makers decided to be as faithful to the original source material as possible. 
The advent of the computer-aided motion-picture has greatly enhanced the LOOK of a film if not the story. Yet, they (hollywood and others) are getting better at it. Peter Jackson plans yet (another) remake of the classic James Whale film King Kong before he moves on to the Hobbit (can't wait)... seeing Jackson's treatment of LOTR does allow better (err,) grace from waiting audiences that he'll do a good job. 
Advanced notices/reviews on Hitchhiker's is good. After all it can't be any worse than The 9th Gate now could it...??


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## Marginal (Apr 29, 2005)

MACaver said:
			
		

> There has been some movies that ... well, lets just say that I (personally) could've lived the rest of my life and died a happy man... had I'd never seen that movie.
> I think we've been spoiled (or soured is a better word) on those really-rilly *bad* translations to movies of great books.
> Yet consider that a whole generation went by after seeing the movie and then going out and (finally) reading the book (...and vice-versa) stopped going Hey! What gives? And a new generation of film-makers decided to be as faithful to the original source material as possible.



The nerdy purist in me says: That trend must've started up shortly after the Return of the King was filmed. 

Some of Jackson's decisions still deeply puzzle me. (Like that stupid montage featuring Faramir and Denethor.) It just can't be that hard to not dumb thngs down.


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## TimoS (Apr 29, 2005)

I can hardly wait for the movie to come to Finland. Definetely I'm going to go see it when it comes in late July. Hmm, I'll most likely start my summer vacation on the same date that it comes here, so another thing to look forward to


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## kid (Apr 29, 2005)

MACaver said:
			
		

> After all it can't be any worse than The 9th Gate now could it...??


the ninth gate is also a book?  I seen the movie and thaought it was great, if its in book then i want to know.

kid


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## michaeledward (Apr 29, 2005)

My God ... that was horrible ... Now I know why I have never made past page 4 in the book. My wife thinks it was clever, not great.


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## TimoS (Apr 30, 2005)

michaeledward said:
			
		

> I've never been a fan of the book. I've tried reading it a half a dozen times or so, and can never seem to get past page 4.



Heh, I've read the whole trilogy (in five parts) about half a dozen times


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## Ronin Moose (Apr 30, 2005)

Saw it last night and loved it, but I've been a big fan of the book for more years than I can remember.  I'm afraid it, like many movies, will be lost on those who don't know the story.  It's always nice to put a picture on a face you've read about so many times.  Just my two cents.....

-Garry


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## TimoS (Apr 30, 2005)

Here's a question for those (lucky ones) who've seen the movie already: does it do justice to the original radio show or the trilogy (in five parts) ? Everybody who is a fan knows that those two are quite separate from each other already


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## TonyM. (May 1, 2005)

The ring wasn't americanized, it was New Zealandized. Just as bad.


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## BrandiJo (May 1, 2005)

i saw the movie yesterday night, it was good, kinda had some stupid humor but i liked it and i would see it again. I dont know how close it follows the book tho cus i never read it but yeah it was worth the money to see


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## Zepp (May 1, 2005)

I saw it last night.  Despite the differences, I think it does justice to the books.  They even included the thoughts of the whale.  I recommend.


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## arnisador (May 1, 2005)

Zepp said:
			
		

> They even included the thoughts of the whale.


 Heh, that's great!


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## Rich Parsons (May 1, 2005)

Yes, I saw it and thought it was good.

One of the Executive Producers was Adams as well as the co-author of the screen play. I liked it, pajamas, and whale and flower pot, and all the rest.


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## stephen (May 2, 2005)

I saw it last night. It was horrible. 

I'm a huge fan of the books (and I though the BBC series was interesting - enjoyed playing the infocom game), and I expected things to be changed. After all, it wouldn't be hitchhikers if it was all the same. However, the main problem with the movie was that it just plain wasn't funny. It was 'neat', and the effects were 'neat', and all that, but when it comes down to it the only expectation I had was that it would be funny. 

There were a few forced laughs from the obvious fans in the audence but it just wasn't there. 

I can understand why, the books weren't so much funny because of what the story was so much as how it was told and that would be very difficult to transfer to another medium.

/steve


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## Zepp (May 2, 2005)

stephen said:
			
		

> I can understand why, the books weren't so much funny because of what the story was so much as how it was told and that would be very difficult to transfer to another medium.



I thought it transferred rather well personally.  I liked how they used a lot of the narrative from the book.


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## stephen (May 2, 2005)

Zepp said:
			
		

> I thought it transferred rather well personally.  I liked how they used a lot of the narrative from the book.




Exactly, the best parts were where the movie was reading the book out loud. 

/steve


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