The new movie is amazing!  I say new because the BBC produced a television version in the early eighties.  The television version was made into a spectacular three and a half hour long videotape that is exactly as hard to find as it is fun to watch, and it is VERY fun to watch.  I've seen the three and a half hour long videotape, and so I can tell you quite honestly that this new film told the exact some story -- with slight enhancements -- in a far quicker manner.  People criticise the BBC version for looking very low budget; however, in my opinion, the low budget sets and effects ENHANCED the understated comedy stylings of Douglas Adams, and so I was pleased to see that SOME of the sets and effects were quite cheap in this newer version also.  But this newer version had a good mix of cheap stuff and expensive stuff.  The Starship Heart of Gold was cheap and corny, but strangely reminiscent of early Star Wars films; meanwhile, the Magrathean Planet Factory sequence, for example, was insanely high budget and well done, and that sequence is probably where the filmmakers spent most of their money.  The movie went seamlessly from one event to the next -- one danger to the next -- like Star Wars at its prime.  Also like Star Wars ... well ... the mean nasty aliens called Vogons were puppets from the Jim Henson Creature Shop, the same people who made Yoda for the original Star Wars Trilogy, and so -- like Yoda in the original trilogy -- the aliens looked good and more realistic than the computer animated Yoda of the newer Star Wars films.  And the comparison to Star Wars doesn't stop there, because dispite the fact that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (H2G2) is way more of a comedy than Star Wars will ever be, it featured a tightly knit group of main characters (Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, and Trillian) and their droid (Marvin) on an episodic space opera full of adventure and wonder.  

Umm ... bring "red-and-blue" 3D glasses.  There's a very short scene near the end when they'll be useful.  Now you know.

While not bad, I found "HGttG" to be not all that great either.  I should make it clear, though, that I am the 1 in 100 who has never read Douglas Adams' novel.  The main problem was that some scenes would be pitch-perfect while I found that others would fall either completely flat, or, despite the action present, still feel incredibly boring and unfunny.  

When things where being discussed on a philosophical level, I felt very compelled and intune with the film (my favorite part being the tour through the planet factory).  It was during these parts that the movie reached an "I Heart Huckabees" level of importance.  Unfortunately, when things just sort of... happen, I didn't know what to make of it (namely parts such as the falling whale or the whole double head thing).  Not to mention, characters just seem to pop in and out at random moments never to return (namely John Malkovich who plays an interesting cult leader).

But, getting back to the positive aspects, the cast is amazing.  Sam Rockwell steals every scene and Mos Def does a surpisingly great job as well.  Also, the direction from first-timer Garth Jennings is breath taking; I just wish he managed to make a more coherent film.  There isn't a single part in the entire movie where I felt I knew exactly what was going on at all times.

In the end, I will say this: this is the best film I've ever given a **1/2 rating to.  Also, as a bonus, this would be the perfect movie to see if you are completely and utterly stoned out of your mind.

**1/2 out of ****  

Question to you both, on a side note, how many people brought their towels?  ;) .......I was curious after Alan mentioned it before!!

Andy
x

I couldn't bring mine, because I was in too much of a hurry to get there on time, but a group of three or four kids (roughly age ten) were in their pyjamas, and they also had towels wrapped around their heads.  If I weren't in such a hurry to get there, I would have liked to have shown similar dedication somehow.    

Now, to comment on AMERICANSYCO's review:

Nothing just "sorta happens."  It only seems that way to you because you've never read the five books.  The movie only included the plot of the first book.  Everything in the movie is connected to something of importance to the plot of the books, even the whale and the bowl of plants.  The sequels will explain everything.  Or, if you can't wait for the sequels, read the books, or listen to the radio series, or even watch the old TV version.  

John Malkovich's character, and his request that they find that gun, was an episode of the story that was unique to the film version.  Douglas Adams specifically gave each version of his story some plotlines that are unique to their format, but everything's connected.  That cult was the Church of the Arkelseisure, and the concept of the Arkelseisure was explained in the movie -- and in the books, and in the DC comic version, and in the radio series, et cetera -- and the scene with that church was justified by the quest for the gun.  That particular gun was not in any other incarnation of this series, but its existance was a brilliant literary tactic which helped Douglas Adams to tie up things that would have otherwise taken up far too much dialogue for a motion picture of any genre other than television soap opera, if you know what I mean.

And of course you didn't know exactly what was going on at all times.  The entire point of the movie is that you shouldn't know.  You're on just as much a journey of discovery as the main character Arthur Dent.  Even he won't fully grasp the situation until near the end of part five, and that's when you will also, and then the story ends.  In the meanwhile, I hope you hitch along for the ride, because it's gonna be hella fun!

If they don't make films of parts 2, 3, 4, and 5, there's something wrong with their brains.

I can appreciate the fact that one is not supposed to know exactly what is going on at all times, but I just wish is was more... funny.  I checked my watch at least twenty times in a two hour time span.  As far as reading the books goes, I can't accept that as a defense for a film.  Just take a look at both "Big Trouble" and "The Road to Wellville."  Read those books, and the movies are actually quite funny.  Don't, and you may feel left in the dark.  I was watching a comedian that brought this point up whenever somebody says "the book was better."

"I'm not reading a book.  I'm watching a movie."

Again, I defiantly did not hate this movie.  There was defiantly a level of brilliance (as I stated already, the scene through the planet factory really makes you ponder one's own existence).  Unfortunately, it was the jokes that fell utterly flat that couldn't make this quite as funny as I hoped it would be.  Most of these occur in the flashback sequences which are never nearly as funny as I think the creators thought they were.  Also, Marvin the robot.  Everytime he said anything, the entire audience seemed to erupt with laughter; I just didn't think it was that funny.

Still, I would certainly check out a sequel were one to be made; I just hope they get a better script.

As for the towel question, no, I did not bring one, though I also saw a group of people in their pajamas.

I thought the script was great.  Every change from the other versions added foreward momentum to the story.  Each version is a new draft which tightens the story, a fact that's been obvious to me each time I'd encounter a different version.  This was the tightest version yet -- not the tightest version possible, but the tightest version we'll ever see.

Most of what makes the books so good are the author's tendancy to sidetrack himself from the plot, so the movie did a very good job of always moving that plot foreward, and never to the side.

My review falls somewhere in the middle of Alan and AmericanSyCo's.  Martin Freeman, Mos Def, and John Malkovich did excellent jobs, so did Douglas Adams as the talking head when they arrived at Magrathea (that was him).  They had a lot of fans expectations to live up to and I think they did a really good job.

I had the impression that they rushed through a few parts of the film.  At the end when they are on Earth 2, not enough back story was given to explain the mice.  However, scenes with the Vogons (on their ship and planet) and the planet factory tour was excellent and captured the book’s tone very well.

The whale was put in the movie (and in the book) as something completely unpredictable and funny to establish the Probability Drive storyline.

I found out that my Mom had the aforementioned BBC version, so I watched it before I went to the movie, and I think that the BBC version was better than the film.  They did have three and a half hours, and I guess for a book as good as this one, 104 minutes just isn’t enough.

I would be really cool if they did parts 2-5.  Maybe if HG2G was able to get the number 1 spot they might be more inclined to do it.  Everyone said that XXX Part 2 will be number 1, but the theater I was in was more than half full (70 people) and when we left there was a small line outside.

No one brought a towel or wore their pajamas, you guys must go to cooler theaters than I...

Edward

Just checking the box office receipts, I think I may be right.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/

Interesting news today from IMDb:

A Five Part Trilogy?

Could The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy become a "trilogy in five parts" like the books? The film, which topped last weekend's box office, is based on the late Douglas Adams's original radio series and subsequent novels, which he described first as a trilogy in four parts, and later as a trilogy in five parts. Although producer Robbie Stamp told today's (Tuesday) Financial Times that he expected that at least three Hitchhiker movies will be produced, Disney exec Robert Mitchell would only say, in an interview with BBC News, that sequels were "a possibility given the wealth of source material, although no decision had yet been made."

**

Well, I guess our wish may come true.

Oh, Andy, did you see the film?  Was #1 in the UK too!

Edward

Hey Edward,

Sadly haven't been to see it yet- was going to wait til the interest dies down and catch a matinee show or something... I get too distracted by others, which is why I haven't been since dec 03  :( - am glad it went to number one though, can't wait to see it!

Andy x

I went to see the Hitchhikers movie last night, and yeah, it was pretty enjoyable. Got home just in time to see the first episode of the BBC version which they are repeating on TV. I'm sorry but it blew the big budget Hollywood attempt out of the water.

I went to see this one for a second time today, and I have to say, yes, it does work a lot better upon a second viewing.  While I still have a few (albiet much more minor) gripes, my review is raised a 1/2 star (***).

I actually saw this a while ago, but never got around to review. First of all, I love Zooey Deschanel, she's so charming in this movie. But I liked the rest of the movie just as well. I didn't know what to expect going in, seeing as I haven't read the books. It was able to keep my interest and enjoyed the philosophical explorations, just as "I Heart Huckabees" did. I also used my instinct to figure out some of the jokes that weren't explained in depth, and they were still funny, like the bit about "ideas" on the Vogon planet. If this movie did anything, it convinced me that I need to go read the series or find a copy of the BBC TV version.

So this wasn't my absolute favorite, but I hope the sequel is better, assuming they go on to make it. 3/5.

They'd damn well better make the sequel.  A year before Douglas Adams died, I had a short e-mail conversation with him ( he WAS dna@h2g2.com ).  Anyhoo, I'm familar enough with the source material that I CAN adapt the sequel properly, as a script that won't piss off Douglas Adams' fans, but I'm poor as dirt, so I can't begin until someone assures me that the producer will read it.  I wish someone would trust me with something like that ... I'd show them that they were right to do so.  Now I'm sad.  G'night.

I wasn't very interested in it when it came out in theaters but it started playing on PayPerView last week and I finally watched it today and I was so mad at myself that I had waited this long. I had a copy of the book lying around but never got around to reading it, but watching this movie made me search through my closet looking for it, I was that impressed. Especially because Adams wrote the screenplay too, which is almost always good for adaptations. I was impressed with Zooey Deschanel, too, whom I had known before from "The New Guy." The casting was brilliant and the effects were great too. ***/**** (three out of four)

I think that my experience watching this movie was seriously dampened by the fact that I read all the books.  If I hadn't I'm sure I would have thought it was okay, but I thought it was really bad, probably because Im comparing it to the book.  I thought that marvin was especially dissaponiting.

That's actually interesting hig, because since I last saw this, I decided to go out and read all of the books.  Last night, we rented and watched it once again, and I have to say that my enjoyment of the film was greatly increased.  The whale and peteunias clicked as did the improbability drive which, when I had not read the books, made no sense to me whatsoever.  Also, I noticed that everything that needs to be known is shown on screen, it is just that the creators decided to keep certain things in the background and not fully presented to the non-Douglas Adams reader's view.  In retrospect, this was probably not a good thing to do.  Even still, I really liked this one once I had read the five novels, and I really hope that a sequel is to be made as I found "Restaurant at the End of the Universe" to be one of my favorites.

Yeah, I dunno, it's just you build the chracters in your mind a certain way, and then when you see the movie it's like a completelt different thing.  I think this falls into the "you can't please everyone" category.

I watched this film recently and thought I'd add to this thread. I'll note that my experience is based solely on watching the movie. I read the book a long, long time ago back in the 80's sometime, so I can't remember a thing.

This movie was just funny. It had a decent plot line and some great gags to fill it in. The jokes were just isolated, but completely ingrained into the storyline making them even funnier than they would be otherwise. It had some great costumes from Jim Henson's creature shop, and some clever and amusing twists to the plot as we traveled along.

My only complaints were that the main character, on two occasions, made some decisions that rested more with moving the plot than what his character would do. It would have better served the character for him to have been dragged away at the point where he just ran when the girl was captured. It just felt wrong.

The other was near the end when he chose to enter the final structure where I would have felt better had he been more hesitant and wanted to return to the others. I just felt his willingly going in was like abandoning everyone. Granted all this worked out, but again, it seemed odd.

The only other hiccup was an importance stressed on carrying a towel, but the reasoning behind this was never really explained. It is used a couple of times, but anything could have conceivably been used. The bad guys seemed afraid of a towel for some reason, but it seems a small thing to carry a towel to defend against one race.

Other than that, good show. Got a kick out of the Point of View Gun and the Improbability Drive.