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May 20, 2005

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy

This is a movie I never expected to see. I've been reading the books since 1979. I joined the HHGTTG appreciation Society in 1983. I went to see Douglas Adams reading from "So Long and Thanks For All The Fish" and got him to sign not only my copy of that book, but the previous volumes too. Over the years I've reread the books, watched the TV series, listened to the radio series, and swapped Guide quotes with friends and family on a daily basis.

So when it comes to the wacky concepts, and the one liners, I seldom laugh out loud any more. I still appreciate them, but it's more a wry smile than a belly laugh.

This makes the job of impressing me with a film very difficult indeed. When a small piece of dialog is subtly altered or left out - I notice. When favourite scenes are completely forgotten (the desperate conversation with the Vogon guard to try and persuade him to not throw Ford and Arthur out of the airlock for example) - I notice. When a brand new subplot about Trillian being Arthur's soulmate and him rescuing her from certain death is inserted - I notice.

And yet I did find that an awful lot of the things I like were included. Mr Prosser was there to demolish the house; Arthur and Ford made good use of their towels, 'frood' was used as a word in context , and not explained; Marvin's voice was right, as was the one for Eddie, the shipboard computer; and the sperm whale got to give his whole monologue before smashing to smithereens on the planet of Magrathea.

There were even some new touches that embellished the humour and actually did make me laugh. The landlord and customers in the pub, just before the Earth is demolished, actually do lie on the floor with paper bags over their heads. The Vogons become even more administrative needing a form filled in to allow them to chase Zaphod Beeblebrox across the galaxy. And Deep Thought is depicted as a huge bronze statue not unlike Rodin's 'Thinker'.

I'm not going to say I liked everything. Zaphod was altogether too stupid and his head flipping routine tiresome. Ford was a bit on the homosexual side, something never hinted at in the books and probably just a politically correct attempt by the directors. The Arthur and Trillian love interest was also unnecessary - but I'm guessing Hollywood didn't want to bankroll a big movie without it, even the Star Wars franchise seem to think this is something a science fiction film needs.

Overall, it's a very good film - the special effects are stunning in places, and very good everywhere else. The Englisness of it is diluted a little, but mostly present. The 'Guide' is adequately read by Stephn Fry, though it will always be Peter Jones for me. I almost wish I was a Hitch-Hiker virgin so that I could watch it without all my previous baggage, as people in that position are the ones who will enjoy it the most.

Posted by se71 at May 20, 2005 12:43 PM

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