DVD Review HTF Review: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... FAN Recommended (1 Viewer)

[Al.Anderson]

Kevin, the short short was interesting; but seemed more akin (and a prelude to) I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream ('67) than to the HHGTTG entry. The HHGTTG bit was a polar opposite.

As a fan I loved the film; but have to admit it didn't fire on all cylinders. Still, as I've said before, the movie and DVD would have been worth it just for the sing-a-long!

I think the part that bothers me the most is the early scenes involving Arthur and Ford getting onto the Vogon ship. In fact, after repeated viewings, I've come to the opinion that the Mos Def character is a weak link - didn't pull his share of the humor.

On the other hand I think Rockwell nailed it.

And David, thanks for explaining "FAN recommeded"; I didn't know what you meant and it was driving me nuts.

 

[TheLongshot]

From everything I've read about Adams, he often needed a good editor to get the best out of him. He was capable of great stuff, but also drek as well. So, it is in the realm of posibility that what he writes can suck, and the new scenes that were added to the movie really don't work all that well.

BTW, if you like Adams' brand of humor and satire, but want more plot to go along with the humor, I'd recommend picking up Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. Definitly has some influence from Adams...

Jason

 

[andrew markworthy]

Read them all and even corresponded with the man (on a professional matter; I'm not so sad as to write fan mail). I would recommend Pratchett overall above Adams - individual sections of Adams are sublime, but there isn't the fully realised world that there is in Pratchett's Discworld books.

 

[Scott Kimball]

I agree. "The Colour of Magic" (the first of the series) is one of my favorite books. For me, the Discworld series began to get stale after the fourth or fifth book, but the first few were excellent.

I got a chance to sit down and watch HHGTTG last night. I enjoyed it for what it was, but can definitely say that if you don't have a reasonable familiarity with the books or other incarnations of The Guide, it won't hold your interest.

-Scott

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

Amen. I never read the books, and gave up on the movie at the thirty minute mark. I found it an insult to my intelligence, unfunny, incredibly derivative, and a complete waste of Zooey -- and my time.

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

Well, I read the books back in the day when they came out, and loved them, and have read them many times since. I bought the records, vinyl, that is, as well as the radio series, when it came out. I later picked it up on CD as well. I also have he radio scripts book, and obviously the DVD of the TV series. I have the Dirk Gently novels, his other books, a few biographies, and of course, THE TOWEL.
Need I say this is a blind buy for me, although I fear that perhaps this would have fared better had it stayed in the UK. I never understood Adam's wish to have this become a Hollywood movie, but obviously it was strong enough to make him even move there.
My R4 DVD from down under is now on its way, with yet another towel, and I can't wait

 

[Terry Hickey]

I took my 11 year-old with me to see the movie in the theater and asked him what he thought of it. He said it was really weird, but he enjoyed it. I enjoyed it and it is just another variation of the HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE. I bought the dvd and again my son watched it with me. He thought it was funnier the first time around. Oh well, I still enjoyed it and will continue to view it many times later.

 

[Tino]

Sorry Scott, but I had NO familiarity with the books or other incarnations of The Guide and I LOVED THGTTG and it held my interest throughout!

So it's not that definite.

 

[Scott Kimball]

Merely "Improbable"...

-Scott

 

[Elizabeth_S]

you make an interesting point robert... this series seems like it is constantly evolving and adapting. i'm glad to hear you liked the dvd though.

 

[Shane Martin]

I'm also in the category that didn't have any familiarity and still loved it.

 

[Elizabeth_S]

i actually read a review the other day saying something similar - that you don't have to read the books to enjoy the movie...

 

[Tino]

 

[JohnTRU]

I always find it funny when there's a popular book turned into the movie and all the fanboys come out if there's the slightest deviation and decry the movie becuase it's either;

a) not what they had in mind for the movie (go make your own then) or;

b) not what the fans of the book deserved.

Well, for a movie that seemingly had Douglas Adams' fingerprints all over it in over 25 years of trying to get the film made, his screenwriting co-credit - it goes a part of a way to show that this is the film he wanted made.

And, now I know that those of you who bought the R1 copy (or those who turned off in half an hour) didn't watch the very good making-of doco that was a R2 exclusive (for now anyway), but in that you'll see that it was Adams' intention for the novel to be Hollywood-ised, he didn't want the movie to be anything but a Hollywood version of his novel.

Now, as someone who went into the cinema not have read the book, I didn't know what to expect - but I loved the movie. Sure it ain't [insert favourite classic move here], but I had a hell of a fun time in the hour and a half I sat in the cinema watching it.

I've since bought and read the books, and I love them too (and the BBC series), and I can appreciate each on their own.

 

[Elizabeth_S]

that's a really good point about adams' intentions... i think people are just really hardcore fans of this one, which is a good thing i guess... but they are more concerned about people's intentions for the movie than they would be otherwise.

 

[Yumbo]

hi,

picture was generally good, with slight compression on titles, and EE on the long shot of his house.

sound was good with some distortion on the center channel dialogue.

movie was funny, although it would be an acquired taste for most.

never read the book.

was wondering which/who was the supercomputer?
loved Alan Rickman's character! thought he might be.

 

[Craig Sherman]

I wasn't sure the best forum to post this question, so please forgive if this is the wrong board.

Has anyone done a full comparison of the various regions' releases of this film? I've been holding off on getting the R1 of the film, which I enjoyed in theaters, because I don't know what I'd be missing from the other regions' versions.

Just curious,

CS

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

There is a documentary exclusive to the region 2 release about the making of the film - I believe it is about an hour long, and supposed to be really excellent. So that is probably the best version.

 

[ThomasC]

Thomas Lennon

 

[Vincent-P]

I think he meant who voiced Deep Thought, the ultimate supercomputer...that was Helen Mirren. Thomas Lennon voiced Eddie, the overly happy ship's computer on the Heart of Gold.