The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable film. It is the most remarkable, certainly the most successful (albeit the only) film ever to come out of the great production company that was DNA. It has been in "development hell" for more than two decades and was finally green lit shortly after Douglas Adams' untimely death.
Of course, all the lines I had hoped for wasn't in there. That would be impossible and probably not that much fun to watch anyway. There is some new material too, but after all, each incarnation is expected to blatantly contradict it's predecessor. The main thing is that it is still Douglas Adams' script, and it shows.
This is definitely a film for fans and it's not extremely newbie friendly, but since I am a huge fan this did not bother me one bit and even gave me a little bit of smug satisfaction at 'getting' it.
Martin Freeman is an inspired choice as the face of a slightly bewildered Arthur Dent, but that was obvious from the start. I was a bit concerned when I heard Mos Def was playing Ford, but now I'm convinced. He was great! And Alan Rickman providing his nasal drones to Marvin the Paranoid Android worked to near perfection.
I loved the jumpy earth to space pullback which unveils the immensity of the planet-trashing Vogon fleet hanging there exactly like bricks don't. And then the earth disappeared with a 'Whomp'
There is an Apple logo on the side of Deep Thought.
The Heart of Gold looks like a webcam.
Douglas Adams' nose is used as decoration in Humma Kavula's office.
Those poor jeweled crabs!
I know there is a lot of bad or luke warm reviews of this movie, but I loved it. Yes it has a slow pace and some of it is highly indulgent - but it's almost impossible not to get caught up in the infectious madness that shimmies across the screen.
And 'Don't Panic' will undoubtedly be written in large friendly letters on the cover of my DVD set when I get it.
Of course, all the lines I had hoped for wasn't in there. That would be impossible and probably not that much fun to watch anyway. There is some new material too, but after all, each incarnation is expected to blatantly contradict it's predecessor. The main thing is that it is still Douglas Adams' script, and it shows.
This is definitely a film for fans and it's not extremely newbie friendly, but since I am a huge fan this did not bother me one bit and even gave me a little bit of smug satisfaction at 'getting' it.
Martin Freeman is an inspired choice as the face of a slightly bewildered Arthur Dent, but that was obvious from the start. I was a bit concerned when I heard Mos Def was playing Ford, but now I'm convinced. He was great! And Alan Rickman providing his nasal drones to Marvin the Paranoid Android worked to near perfection.
I loved the jumpy earth to space pullback which unveils the immensity of the planet-trashing Vogon fleet hanging there exactly like bricks don't. And then the earth disappeared with a 'Whomp'
There is an Apple logo on the side of Deep Thought.
The Heart of Gold looks like a webcam.
Douglas Adams' nose is used as decoration in Humma Kavula's office.
Those poor jeweled crabs!
I know there is a lot of bad or luke warm reviews of this movie, but I loved it. Yes it has a slow pace and some of it is highly indulgent - but it's almost impossible not to get caught up in the infectious madness that shimmies across the screen.
And 'Don't Panic' will undoubtedly be written in large friendly letters on the cover of my DVD set when I get it.
posted by Onanymous at 12:14 am
4 Comments:
Maybe I’ve missed something – or the fact that I didn’t read the books could be the reason that I found this movie to be tedious and lacking a real storyline. Half way through people actually walked out of the cinema – I would have done the same, but it’s not like I had better things to do on a Sunday.
You need to read the books. Now.
he he - really? umm okay ... no :)
Tripeak, as I walked out, I thought "Geeez, that's the sort of movie that you HAVE to be a fan to appreciate". Funny enough, a few people also walked out of the show I went to see :-)
I haven't read the books, but I actually thought it was a pretty good movie. Very abstract, but really funny. That being said, I think you have to at least be a geek to appreciate it, and I wouldn't recommend it to "normal" people. Oh, wait, I'm dissing everyone who loves it then :-P
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