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There is a Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy film being made.

I just heard about it on the radio this morning. Evidentally it has John Malkovich in it, so it should be pretty good.

I have to confess that I have already heard the radio series (the best way media in my opinion) read the books, seen the TV show, seen the play, so a film will be very welcome.

It would be nice if they had Peter Jones doing the voice of the guide though...

This has been an ongoing project for many years and, even though Peter Jones is no longer with us, there was talk of using his voice from the TV and radio series in the film. I guess that may no longer be the case but as a totally insane HHGTTG fan, I can't wait for the film to be released. Now if Tom could be involved as well it would be doubly and trebly worth seeing!

I'm also a hardened babel fish addict, which is good considering the content of some of the posts lately!

I think we'll all be downing a pan galactic gargleblaster to celebrate this.

I am doubly excited, because I am an Apple Mac fan too, and Douglas Adams was possibly the biggest Apple Mac fan on the planet. (well, an exaggeration). He even coined a slogan for Apple at the time of the whole PC/Millennium Bug propoganda which read "Sure, we are not perfect, but at least we knew that the century was going to end"

Genius!

He was penning the film at the point of his untimely demise. It's come a long long way, and I just hope it remains faithful to the radioplay/book/series.

And interesting fact is that in this instance, the radioplay came BEFORE the novel. I was merely a nipper at the time (late 70's I believe) although the whole thing is still faithfully recorded on my dad's 'Reel to reel' tape machine somewhere. I was weened on it as a young lad... and loved it!

I have hopes and fears for the film. I watched the new Starsky and Hutch movie recently, and it suffered from evolutionary problems to bring it into the new millennium. I really hope the HHGTTG is not molested by modern technology, and becomes another 'special effects showcase'.

So, in the meantime, DON'T PANIC... I am sure there's a restaurant at the end of the universe. (any more)...

Oh, yeah, so long... and thanks for all the Bananafish

It will include Bill Nighy as someone whose name is not important....as well as Martin Freeman (Tim from The Office) as Arthur Dent, or so I have read anyway.

Personally I'm really hoping to see an Arcturan Megadonkey, the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal and Eccentrica Gallumbits (the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon VI).

Grab a bottle of Old Janx Spirit and check you know where your towel is.

(Oh, freddled gruntbuggly, thy micturations are to me...)

Oh, and it's always worth being very nice to whales and not swatting flies. You never know.

Now I know why I feel at home here! There's a nice screen saver available from the BBC Website - can't run it on my machine but it looks good!

Bill Nighy as someone whose name is not important

how can you say slartibartfast isn't important. good grief....

bananafish wrote:

Bill Nighy as someone whose name is not important

how can you say slartibartfast isn't important. good grief....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

lol

Just remember to pack your peanuts next time you go on holiday

When Slartibartfast first introduces himself to Arthur Dent he says - and I quote - 'My name is not important'. Good grief man, get with the programme!!

I swear that there is a vending machine in my office that produces a drink that is almost, but not quite, exactly unlike tea. It's my favourite.

Share and enjoy.

(I know I'm sad, but I really can't help it)

When Slartibartfast first introduces himself to Arthur Dent he says - and I quote - 'My name is not important'

what we realy need is a brownion motion generater ie a cup of tea

from memory guys so not too accurate.
my brother used to listen to the audio tape book version day in and day out and quote stuff.

now were did i put my improbability drive??.

The best Brownian Motion is the one Derren does to make folks 'forget' their destinations etc.

Fantastic, I've always wanted to see an infinite number of monkeys but I never expected to!

Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. If you can bear it, have a look at http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/main.html .

Which idiot let Hollywood get hold of it? Having thoroughly screwed up things like The Avengers, Thunderbirds and other classic British concepts, you'd think by now we'd realise that Americanising such things doesn't work. Nice to see some of the scenery and costumes are similar but an American Ford Prefect? A (real) American Zaphod? No way. Now I'm panicking.

OK, I take most of it back! I saw the film tonight and it's not too bad at all.

(Mandrake seats himself comfortably facing camera, puts fingertips together, and assumes his Barry Norman persona - and why not?) The opening dolphin scenes are excellent and, for the most part the film follows and uses the well-known script so saddos like me can recite the words as we go along. Trillian takes a stronger and more relevant part, Zaphod is, er, like, he's just this guy, you know? Simon Jones, the original radio and TV Arthur, makes a cameo appearance as the recorded warning to stay away from Magrathea and the TV Marvin is seen in a queue on the Vogon planet – Martin Freeman gives him a sideways puzzled look of recognition as he passes so the links with the 1980’s version are well rooted. There are some additions to the pub scene at the start after Ford agrees that the customers can lie down with paper bags on their heads if they want to but it won't help, we see them all doing it.

Douglas Adams was known for adding extra bits to each version of HHGTTG and the film follows suit by adding scenes with John Malkovich as the leader of the cult awaiting the coming of the great handkerchief. No idea why as it didn't do much for the plot except get in the way. Instead of the deep rumbling voice, Deep Thought is now a chirpy Helen Mirren and although the philosophers aren’t funny as in the TV version, the twist linking them to the mice is good. The factory floor on Magrathea is excellent and leads to a rather sugary ‘happy ever after’ ending but there’s promise of further action, possibly in the hinted at second film, The Restaurant at The End of The Universe. Sadly, we don’t get to see the actual Guide very much but make sure you sit through to almost the end of the credits or you’ll miss one of the classic Guide tales.

All in all, I enjoyed the film for what it was – yet another variation on the successful theme but not intended to be a copy of what’s already been done. Douglas Adams gets mentioned several times as Associate Producer, co-scriptwriter etc and I think he’d be relatively chuffed with this big screen version. Word on the grapevine is that the Beeb are planning on repeating the TV series – and why not?