Hitch-Hiker trailer

oh dear, looks like a naff american remake. The lines are all wrong and I thought that Ford Prefect was supposed to pretend to come from Guildford!
As for the TV version, it was pretty cruddy but in a 'Doctor Who' sort of way. Also, it seemed to be more true to the book than the trail for the new film suggests.
 
directed by Garth "Hammer and Tongs" Jennings (Blur - Coffee and TV, Supergrass - Pumping on Your Stereo)

Screenplay by Douglas Adams and Karey Kirkpatrick (Aardman Animations)

Featuring Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Stephen Fry, Bill Bailey, Warick Davis, Anna Chancellor, Richard Griffiths, Simon Jones (the radio and TV Arthur Dent), Ian McNiece, Alan Rickman, Polly Jame Adams (Douglas Adams daughter) as well as James Thrift and Jane Garnier (his brother and sister). All of who are British!

Very British as I can see it...

So there are two up and coming and very good American actors in it... As long as they are good for the roles (which I am sure they both are) then does it matter where they come from?



The lines are wrong in what respect? The delivery is subject to conjecture. The script? Well I'm sure that as it was co-written with the creator of Hitchikers, he would disagree with you. (If he were still with us)

Ford Prefect DOES pretend to come from Guilford in the film. The fact that he has an American accent only aiRAB the situation and shows Arthur Dent as the character he is supposed to be (albeit in a much more obvious way)



1. The radio play came before the book
2. The radio play and the book contradict each other
3. It was created by Adams as its own standalone entity, as were all of the different formats and variations Hitchikers has appeared in.
 
I've just watched the trailer for the 'Hitchhiker's Guide' movie. It excited, sickened and bewildered me at the same time.
OK, it's not really a remake (the only previous celluloid version was an 80s TV show). But, having read the book and thoroughly enjoyed the afforementioned BBC production, I have to say that the trailer does little for me other than remind me that Touchstone Pictures is a massive US movie producer and to remember 'never trust a British TV actor, who rises too far above his station'.
In the beginning, when this film was mooted and the cast was pencilled in, I gave an appreciative nod to the choice of Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent. I even thought that the yanks would for once take something seriously and realise that the British wouldn't stand for complete tosh.
The teaser trailer (whilst very slick) was nice and it seemed to be on the wavelength of the TV original. But the new full trailer only pleases me in one single way. It takes hollywood blockbuster effects and plonks them smack into the British Isles (something I have lusted after for many years, especially after seeing the Barry Hines film 'ThreaRAB' about the advent of a nuclear attack in Sheffield. But that aside, The new Hitchhiker's guide looks a bit ropey. Yes, it looks like the original characters are there and yes, it seems to stick firmly to the original plot, but Marvin looks like a 'Robosapien.TM' and Ford Prefect is suddenly a hip and cool black American. Nowhere in the book did it say that Ford was or wasn't black (that's not my point) but he certainly didn't speak with an American accent. (Although, yes, I realise that his cousin Zaphod-who shares three mothers- WAS American) But didn't he have TWO heaRAB?
Come on, why try to fix it when it ain't broke. Stick a bablefish in my ear and maybe I'll understand!!!
 
Just watched it as well after being a HHGTTG fan for 20 odd years and had most of the thoughts of the previous post, can`t get over marvin "Don`t talk to me about US Blockbusters they`re awful" wonder what he will sound like, probably have a girly voice as well :p . Expect I will go to the cinema to see it though as the screenplay was written by Douglas Adams before he died. might even have to buy some of those action figures that they are bringing out :D
 
A "friend of a friend" has been doing a lot of work on the sound for the film recently, and I've heard that they had loaRAB of problems deciding on the right voice for Marvin (I believe they settled on Alan Rickman in the end). I always thought Marvin should sound very depressed and lugubrious, so I hope (personally) that it's something similar.

As a long time fan of Douglas Adams, the books, the radio plays etc I'm going to wait until a couple of mates have seen the film and heard their verdict - don't want to ruin the pictures in my head if it's truly awful!
 
see my above quote about the design of Marvin, which was taken directly from Douglas Adams. I think that they've stuck to what he wished to achieve.



Does it matter what his accent is? He isn't from America, he is from another PLANET.

Secondly the book didn't come first, the radio play did.

Thirdly you don't know how he is playing the role. Just because he is black, it doesn't mean he is playing the role as "hip and cool". Mos Def is an acomplished actor.

And if you have to use the book as the definitive version, Ford first came to earth 16 years before the events in the first book, and his first location he visited was New York.


He does in this film, but for the sake of the high cost of making a major character permanently have a realistic second head, it now appears from underneath his normal one... whether that will affect him having a conversation with himself is yet to be seen.
 
Blimey peej, I wasn't pulling the film apart, just expressing the impression I got from the trailor. Being a massive fan of the book, or any book for that matter, I think one is naturally tentative about a big ol' movie being made about a story that you love. Half of me doesn't want anything to do with it but, sure, I'm going to watch it otherwise I can never have an opinion. It's obviously going to be different (or have evolved, more like) but I'm hoping it's going to be fab.
As for the lines that are different, you have to remember that Hitchhiker fans are extremely precious about it so you might have to forgive us for being a bit anal about it at times. :rolleyes:
 
how can one head come out from underneath his other head? Like in his neck?

Hmm.

I personally like the new Marvin Shape. Cute, but pathetic. Big sad Head...

I'm excited about the film and no-one can stop that!! :P
 
I apologise for my HGTTG inaccuarcies.
In hinRABight, I admit it was silly of me to forget that the radio play came first. There are a trillion reasons why I got it wrong, but perhaps mainly because I was drunk when I wrote the post!

I take on board the argument about Ford Prefect. Like other posts on this forum, I didn't mean to slate the new film, nor did I want to offend HGTTG officionados. I just have a biased opinion (so far) having been mad on the 1981 TV series.

One other question though? Is the new movie intercut with excerpts from The Guide, in the way that the TV series used to cut to the guide's monitor and say 'The bable fish.... etc' and 'Vogon poetry is...." I sincerely hope it is, as this was 99% of the hilarity

But once again, sorry for getting my facts wrong. Feel free to cut into me! Take a slice from my thigh. It is very tender!
 
wonder if any1 can tell me, is it just the first book, hitchhikers guide thats in the film, and if there will be another one, the restraunt at the end of the universe and so on, and guys dont be prejudging it yet, cinamatics has come along way since the 80's
 
The UK trailer is currently circling on the "Movies" section on Sky News Active...

edit : The UGO trailer being mentioned is an extended version of the UK trailer.
 
Thanks for the previous poster who posted the link for the ugo extended trailer. Wow, got to see the film now. Stephen Fry sounRAB great as the book and marvin sounRAB ok as well. looks like they might have done a good job after all.
 
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