I finally got around to seeing the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in its film incarnation. I *think* I liked it. I *think* I liked it a lot. Not really sure yet. I need to really have a good think on it - and then see it again and think some more. I've read so many love and hate-flame reviews and pre-reviews... it's hard to know what I think of it myself without others' words popping into my head.

So I might as well ask you for some more "others' words" to further muddy the waters. Opinions?

My three friends and I had a great time going to see that movie. I was skeptical...because the tv previews were very lame, making it look like an action-adventure or something. I guess it technically was, but it was far too funny and entertaining to be merely that.

I never read the book, but I had seen a good little series from the early 80's about it, so I felt it had a great premise and writing to start with, and the cast pulled it off.

But it's certainly an 'odd' movie. Very surreal. That's a good thing in my eyes.

Just saw it on saturday, I've been a fan of the books for a long time, so i very much enjoyed it. They are pretty true to a lot of the original material and there is some cool new stuff tossed in as well to keep it fresh. Marvin was awesome by the way.

So its worth seeing? I am a huge fan of the books and wasnt sure if I would enjoy seeing the movie considering how badly some book to movies have gone.

I thought it was mediocre -- and my wife thought it sucked. I've read the book, she has not.

I do not recommend it. Save it for video.

I remember playing the Infocom text adventure of HHGTTG. That was a great game! Had AWESOME text graphics!! Needed 64k ram to play it [img]smile.gif[/img]

Shadowhound, if you are a fan of douglas adams work, i'd suggest checking it out. There is some new material in it.

Me thinks it's rather odd not to be able to tell if you liked a movie or not..

Haven't seen it meself, so no idea. But, anyways...

This one, mayhaps? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Awesome find on the text time. I just saw the movie for a second time last night, still loving it [img]smile.gif[/img]

You can play the infocom game on line at the BBC, complete with GRAPHICS!! Well, stills, but they are superb, and in line with the style of the award-winning visuals by Rod Lord from the early 80's tv series.

check it out: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml

/*edit: I forgot to say... if you register on the bbc site, you can save your progress in the game */

And about the movie... I am still undecided. Hitchhiker's aside, the filmmaking itself is very unconventional. Sort of Terry Gilliam-ish, but not so dark. And that’s my big disappointment actually, that Hammer & Tongs (the brilliant-in-their-own-right production duo who made the movie) didn't go far enough into el-darko weirdness. In that respect, it does capture the tone of the original radio series: weird and brilliant, but essentially fluffy. Adams' books became deeper and more thoughtful, but less laugh-out-loud funny, as they went on. I think that's why most people liked the first two or three instalments better than the last two. They were more plot and gag driven that the latter ones.

[ 05-05-2005, 10:34 PM: Message edited by: jsalsb ]

Well I saw it last night and I admit that I am a tad dissapointed with it. I suppose that it was an alright film but I probably had rather too high expectations for it.

I feel the same way - I haven't decided whether I liked it or not.

On the plus side:
- it captures the 'feel' of the books
- the opening sequence where the dolphins leave Earth is great
- the guy from The Office who plays Arthur is perfect in the role
- Zaphod Beebelbrox's second head looks awesome

On the negative side:

- it's not funny! I chuckled a few times, but its hardly laugh-out-loud material
- the plot is pretty sloppy, it just wanders along. Heaven knows what a non-Douglas Adams fan would make of it
- no-one explains why a towel is the most incredibly useful item in the galaxy
- my wife fell asleep in the middle of it!

Hitchikers fans will probably enjoy it, but newbies will be left cold.

I didnt find the film version of Zaphod to be as good as the novel version of Zaphod for some reason, also I was dissapointed (but not shocked) that they left out Wowbagger the Infinate.

[ 05-11-2005, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: shadowhound ]

Just saw it today, I hadn't read the books allthough I have been meaning to for a long time... but the film was not as good as I hoped, there was something missing the whole time, the characters seemed just shallow... Marvin was wondeful though. And the plot was just a series of skits really... some very fuuny I admit, specially the "Ideaslappers"... or whatever they were [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'd give it 29 out of 42 [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 05-11-2005, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: Jorath Calar ]

There's not a whole lot of character developement in the books either, they're hilarious (up to the last one, that one stinks) without really developing the characters at all. Just don't expect an exact translation, by design all of the incarnations of HHGttG are different from each other.

Nice new sig Morgeruat!!

I will vote Beeblebrox. He's the 2 faced man for the job.

as the music video says, "He's smarter than you, and he's better looking too"

http://media-file.net/hhgg/zaphod.mov

[ 05-13-2005, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]