H2G2 - Oh Dear!

[Loosehead]

I've just seen the new H2G2 film. I am very dissapointed. Most of the things that made the Radio/TV/Books funny have been removed or changed. I wasn't expecting a direct copy of any of the preceeding media but I though it would at least follow the chronology and style, I won't "spoil" it if you have'nt seen it by going into detail. What where the makers thinking? Anyone else seen it what did you think?

[Morrisonker]

Are you talking about Hitch-hikers Guide?  I'm totally baffled how you managed to get it down to 'H2G2'.  But if you are then I agree, for me Arthur, Ford and Zaphod will always be the voices from the radio or the faces from the BBC show.  It was a pretty poor remake in my opinion, maybe due to the fact that it was made a PG rather than aiming it at a slightly older audience and being able to make it more like the books.

[Artful]

B4 looking at any posts re this ? I sat for ages pondering what H2G2 could be - all I had to do was open up the ? to find a possible answer from you Morrisonker. Is he right, Loosehead? I know there havebeen many negative reviews.

[secretsquiz]

just to clarify... it's called H2G2 because of HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy (should really be H squared G squared).

there were bound to be loads of differences between the book and the film - that's what they do with book -> movie adaptations! and besides, it wouldn't have been possible to make the film follow the book exactly.

fair enough it has been 'hollywood-ised', but it should be noted that the screenplay was co-written by douglas adams himself before he died. and anyway - it's got all the important elements - what more do you want?

[Loosehead]

I said I wasn't looking for a replica.

No it doesn't have the essential elements:

Golgafrinchams, Disaster area, Improb drive reasoning, Milliways, Belcerabons etc

Too much emphasis on Vogons without keeping Jeltz' best lines.

Only a passing reference to the RATEOTU.

I could go on...

[QmunkE]

Having not read the books, or seen the TV series, or heard the radio series, I found it to be a very enjoyable film. Perhaps it has been simplified to provide for a wider audience - after all it's got to make it's money back, these things are expensive to produce!

[Loosehead]

Yep Good point Qmunke, I suppose in this case, no prior knowledge is an advantage. I did read a review though that said "If you are new to H2G2 then it'll be like going to a party where you don't know anyone" did it seem like that to you?

[Philtaz]

Same as QmunkE(no prior experience of it) and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially Marvin.

But what was Douglas Adams taking when he wrote it??!!

[rooftrouser]

Somewhat biased as my niece was involved in the making of the film but I liked it despite my enjoyment of all its previous encarnations - radio, TV, books, game. Arguably the radio version (which I have just downloaded from the web to enjoy yet again) is the definitive version and the original "book" - Peter Jones irreplaceable, not to mention Marvin, but given the constraints of filmaking and the need to appeal to a large audience not just a cult following, it made surprisingly few concessions, keeping a lot of its English eccentricity. The love story was the biggest change for me but I presume it was necessary to get the film made.

[rooftrouser]

Reading again Loosehead's list of missing ingredients I have to admit there is some wonderful stuff which hasn't made it in. I wonder if there is any possibility of a sequel. There is certainly enough material. Were all those in the first series/book though? Incidentally, I noticed that the TV Marvin appears briefly as did the original Arthur Dent - Simon Jones
Those of you unfamiliar with the abreviation H2G2 are presumably also unaware of the Hitchhikers Guide on the web: www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/. Worth a visit.

[Loosehead]

Yeah I saw the old Marvin. They missed a golden opportunity for a wonderful double take with arthur, another dissappointment, sigh!