The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Thread-News, etc.

[Jon Lyrik]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Release Date: June 3rd, 2005 (Friday)
Production Status: Filming (since April 15th, 2004)

Director: Garth Jennings
Writers: Douglas Adams (first screenplay and novel), Garth Jennings, Karey Kirkpatrick

Cast: Martin Freeman (Love Actually) as Arthur Dent, Mos Def (Brown Sugar) as Ford Prefect, Sam Rockwell (Matchstick Men) as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Zooey Deschanel (Elf) as Tricia "Trillian" McMillian, Warwick Davis (Willow) as Marvin the Paranoid Android, Bill Nighy (Love Actually) as Slartibartfast, John Malkovich (Shadow of the Vampire) as Humma Kavula.

Man, I LOVE the books, and the cast is great. I can't wait to see this movie.

[Jon Lyrik]

The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981 Miniseries)

Directed By: Unknown
Written By: Douglas Adams (also novels) and John Lloyd

Cast: Peter Jones (Chariots of Fire) as The Book, Simon Jones ("One Life to Live") as Arthur Dent, David Dixon ("Lillie" miniseries) as Ford Prefect, Sandra Dickson (Balto) as Trillian, Mark Wind-Davey ("The Glittering Prizes" miniseries) as Zaphod Beeblebrox

Ratings: 8.2/10 on IMDb (975 votes), 4/5 on Amazon (94 reviews), 4.1/5 on Amazon CA (46 reviews), 4.8/10 on Amazon UK (17 reviews), 3.7/10 on Amazon De (30 reviews).

Reviews:

"The world consists of two types of people. Those who think the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything is something religious and then those who think it's simply Forty-Two." Read the full review here (http://www.dvdanswers.com/index.php?r=0&s=2&c=402).

"The movies are highly creative and encourage new ways of thinking for all that dare to see them." Read the full review here (http://www.movieprop.com/tvandmovie/reviews/hitchhikersguide.htm).

"*** out of ****." Read the full review here (http://us.imdb.com/Reviews/133/13314).

Read the IMDb comments. (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0081874/usercomments)

Read the Amazon USA comments. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005YUNJ/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-4123427-1571932?v=glance&s=dvd&vi=customer-reviews)

Read the Amazon CA comments. (http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/dvd/B00005YUNJ/customer-reviews/imdbca-20/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/701-9556053-7457105)

Read the Amazon UK comments. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/dvd/B00005OCTS/customer-reviews/qid=1082683364/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/026-6750177-8605238)

[Jon Lyrik]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (book)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0345391802.01._PE_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Written by: Douglas Adams

Plot: Before the world is destructed, an book editor alien named Ford Prefect from the vicinity of Betelgeuse rescues a human named Arthur Dent. They meet another human named Trillian and the two-headed leader of the universe named Zaphod Beeblebrox. Many strange things happen.

Buy the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345391802/ref=pd_ser_asin_1/104-4123427-1571932?v=glance&s=books

[Jon Lyrik]

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0345391810.01._PE_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Written by: Douglas Adams

Plot: The folk on the spaceship The Heart of Gold plan to arrive at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, a restaurant that requires time travel to the galaxy's apocalypse to get to. Before they get there, they stumble into tons of oddities.

Buy the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345391810/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/104-4123427-1571932?v=glance&s=books&st=*

[Jon Lyrik]

Life, the Universe, and Everything

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0345391829.01._PE_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Written by: Douglas Adams

Plot: Those on the planet Krikkit plot the destruction of the entire universe. Dent, Prefect, Trillian, Beeblebrox, and Marvin the Paranoid Android must stop them.

Buy the book here. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345391829/ref=pd_ser_asin_3/104-4123427-1571932?v=glance&s=books)

[Jon Lyrik]

Mostly Harmless

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0345418778.01._PE_PIdp-schmooS,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Written By: Douglas Adams

Plot: The daughter of Arthur Dent sets out to find her ancestors. Meanwhile, Ford Prefect must keep the latest version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy out of the hands of the Vogons.

Buy the book here. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345418778/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/104-4123427-1571932?v=glance&s=books&st=*)

[Jon Lyrik]

Current box office prediction:

This is rather difficult, as it could either be too odd for the general moviegoing public, or hit the right balance of odd and acessible. Can go from 18/57 or 41/160.

[Weapon X]

You couldn't possibly have put all that in one single post?

Anyway, I'm a HUGE fan of the books ("Look, would it save you a lot of trouble if I just gave up and went mad now?"), so I've high hopes for the movie. It also helps that the filmmakers are big fans of the books too.

The cast is looking pretty good too. Sam Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox is absolute genius. :cool: I'm still not sure about Mos Def as Ford Prefect, but as the Guide itself so capably suggests, "DON'T PANIC." :)

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by Weapon X
You couldn't passibly have put all that in one single post?

It would look rather untidy and large.

[Jon Lyrik]

Two links:

The official website (rather vague): http://www.douglasadams.com/movie/

The BBC website (even more vague): http://h2g2.com/

And a recent scoop with a director interview: http://aint-it-cool.com/display.cgi?id=17397

[MickeyKnox]

I like the cast, very intresting to say the least, i mean Malkovich, Freeman, and Rockwell, sounds like a cool combination.

[chasingbanky]

Originally posted by MickeyKnox
I like the cast, very intresting to say the least, i mean Malkovich, Freeman, and Rockwell, sounds like a cool combination.

Agreed plus General Cornrow Wallace is the shit.

[gspawn]

Except...
Mos Def?
...
Mos Def?
Wha?

[Tuukka]

Mos Def is in fact an appreciated stage actor, so who knows how good he will be. I never imagined Ford as black, but Mos Def does seem slightly alien, as he should. And the book never said that Ford is a white person.

[Moosem216]

Originally posted by Tuukka
Mos Def is in fact an appreciated stage actor, so who knows how good he will be. I never imagined Ford as black, but Mos Def does seem slightly alien, as he should. And the book never said that Ford is a white person.

Oh God, Mos Def is going to be Ford Prefect? I think I'm going to cry. It's not the race thing, I could handle a black Ford Prefect. But he does not fit my image of Ford Prefect in any way, at all.

Which unfortunately doesn't change the fact that I'll see this movie the day it comes out in honor of the books.

[chillipalmer]

I can't wait for this movie.....it feels like its just too far away....

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by Moosem216
Oh God, Mos Def is going to be Ford Prefect? I think I'm going to cry. It's not the race thing, I could handle a black Ford Prefect. But he does not fit my image of Ford Prefect in any way, at all.

Which unfortunately doesn't change the fact that I'll see this movie the day it comes out in honor of the books.

Don't worry, he's not gonna rap or anything (even the directors said that would be a travesty).

I think casting Mos Def is a strange choice, but he's really good actor and a great rapper. I think he could handle it. We'll see.

[erinachan]

oh cool news! official site is now up and running! not too much on there yet but push the button it's fun :)

http://hitchhikers.movies.com/main.html

[MarkItZero]

I pushed the button. I couldnt resist.

I'm actually rereading these books right now. Great stuff. I had forgotten how funny they are. Cant wait for the movies.

It is kind of hard to see how they are going to adapt this material. Especially since the book's brilliance is in the writing and not the story (though the story is fun also).

The cast sounds good.

[Sigur509]

Sam Rockwell.......Im there.

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by Sigur509
Sam Rockwell.......Im there.

Not to mention the greatest book of the 70s...

[Sigur509]

Originally posted by Jon Lyrik
Not to mention the greatest book of the 70s...

Ive heard a shit load aout these books, and Ive never read them, maby now is the time to start.

[arto_j]

Screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick has posted a "self-interview" on the official site, which is not only pretty amusing, but clears up a number of things about the flick. For a "die-hard" like me...It's also somewhat reassuring that the film might just be in good hands.

You can read it here :

http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/hitchblog/interview.htm

[Jesse's Trix]

*is still veeeeeeeery unsure of the whole thing and wishes that after someone had said 'Let's make a Hitchhiker movie' and whoever they were with agreed with them, that they had not gone home and instead had a few more bottles of vodka, then perhaps they wouldn't have forgotten about the whole thing and we wouldn't be in this mess*

[Jon Lyrik]

The release date is June 3rd, 2005. In The Netherlands it is June 30th, 2005.

The taglines:

Don't Panic.

The greatest adventure in the universe begins when the world ends.

[Jon Lyrik]

Two production photos from the official website:

http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/hitchblog/images/newimage.jpg
http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/hitchblog/images/squarebike.jpg

[bankholdup]

Ok ok ok...

I've heard so much about the books, but have never read them. Is the movie based on all of the books, or just the original? And are they good, cause maybe I'll hit up Borders next week.

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by bankholdup
Ok ok ok...

I've heard so much about the books, but have never read them. Is the movie based on all of the books, or just the original? And are they good, cause maybe I'll hit up Borders next week.

1) It's based on the first book, and if I remember correctly, part of the second. Appearantly, the adaptation won't be a lot like the book, as Douglas Adams made his adaptations of the radio series (where everything Hitchhiker's Guide stemmed from) rather loosely connected.

2) Yes, they good. Hulk like them. I suggest getting the omnibus hardcover The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide off Amazon instead, though, as it has all five books (plus a short story) for only $14. Bought it a year ago. Good deal.

[gspawn]

Originally posted by Tuukka
Mos Def is in fact an appreciated stage actor, so who knows how good he will be. I never imagined Ford as black, but Mos Def does seem slightly alien, as he should. And the book never said that Ford is a white person.
First up: I love Mos Def as an actor, don't get me wrong. I'm not just on a rant because he's a rapper. He's a great, great stage actor. That said.

MOS DEF IS FORD PREFECT!?!?!?!
WTF!?!?!?
I was puzzled when I had heard he might be in as Zaphod.
Cool, mysterious dude... he'd be a decent (although not-quite-right) Zaphod. "Hey, yeah?"

FORD?!?!?!
Mos Def does not make a good Ford Prefect.
The character has to be able to do that insane, vampire-inspired smile... if all that's not in the movie I'm asking for my money back automatically (it makes so many moments... it'd be like Lord of the Rings if the hobbits were of normal size...). And I thought that Ford was supposed to be a not-quite-attractive, rather middle-of-the-road generic British guy.

Gah.
This movie has a great cast, great people, and they all look like they know what they're doing-
Except this has got me puzzled.
What on Earth are the directors thinking here?

[Tuukka]

Originally posted by gspawn
The character has to be able to do that insane, vampire-inspired smile... if all that's not in the movie I'm asking for my money back automatically (it makes so many moments... it'd be like Lord of the Rings if the hobbits were of normal size...). And I thought that Ford was supposed to be a not-quite-attractive, rather middle-of-the-road generic British guy.

RE:

Are you sure Def can't do that smile? I haven't seen him act, but in many photos he has a slightly devilish angle to him.

The rest of your description fits Arthur, not Ford. The first book actually makes a point that Ford doesn't quite look like a typical british guy. He looks a bit strange and alien. Def fits that bill, IMHO.

The book never takes any stand on whether Ford is attractive or not.

[Weapon X]

EDIT: Damn, they took the teaser trailer link down. Evil Disney must have caught them.