Aja on 21/9/2008 at 07:24
When I saw the announcement in the paper the other day I mistakenly thought it was for a new film, and got a little bit excited for a second there :(
Scots Taffer on 21/9/2008 at 23:48
This thread prompted me to revisit HHGTTG last night (the movie) and I was somewhat surprised to find that I did not like it as much as I fondly remembered. The sections with the Guide are fantastic as are the first 20 or 30 minutes worth of jokes and introductions, but after that the movie shortly tails off and as a primary character Zaphod provides a source of irritation more than amusement after a while (and the diversion to Humma Kavula was entirely unnecessary but it saved us from the horrible implementation of his two heads for the entire movie) but mostly I feel that a great many years from reading the source material made it a bit of a headscratch just to follow the horribly-jigsawed plot. Or perhaps that was Adams fault when he originally wrote it. In any case, having rewatched it and finding it quite amusing to start though not all the way through but always pretty charming, I'm still sad there won't be a Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
BlackCapedManX on 22/9/2008 at 03:57
Well I for one am glad I finally picked up a copy of the Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide before this "addition" hits shelves.
Quote Posted by demagogue
We don't need a new book.
What we need is a new movie!
Totally agreed.
Aja on 22/9/2008 at 04:10
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
This thread prompted me to revisit HHGTTG last night (the movie) and I was somewhat surprised to find that I did not like it as much as I fondly remembered. The sections with the Guide are fantastic as are the first 20 or 30 minutes worth of jokes and introductions, but after that the movie shortly tails off and as a primary character Zaphod provides a source of irritation more than amusement after a while (and the diversion to Humma Kavula was entirely unnecessary but it saved us from the horrible implementation of his two heads for the entire movie) but mostly I feel that a great many years from reading the source material made it a bit of a headscratch just to follow the horribly-jigsawed plot. Or perhaps that was Adams fault when he originally wrote it. In any case, having rewatched it and finding it quite amusing to start though not all the way through but always pretty charming, I'm
still sad there won't be a Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
I'm just really disappointed that, right at the end of the sequence where the world is about to explode, the tension's building, and that sting keeps playing over and OVER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER AND OHMYGOD that they didnt (but
really should have) cut back to the bartender, who, as Adams describes, is suddenly overcome with a disarming sense of what is actually about to happen, and pathetically, finally addresses his customers with a feeble "last call" before the world explodes.
That's the difference between a flawed-but-treasured film, and one that merely did an above-average job (actually I still think it's a pretty great film).
Scots Taffer on 22/9/2008 at 05:21
Both the reverse-zoom-with-strings scene and improbable-wool-drive scene still made me crack up.
thefonz on 22/9/2008 at 06:10
I hope Frodo returns in this one.
...WHAT??
Thirith on 22/9/2008 at 09:18
Question to those still reading the thread: how would you feel if they were to publish a book of short stories by noted authors (e.g. Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett) based on and/or set in the HHGTTG universe? Is this something that you'd find interesting or would you be more likely to consider it a cash cow?
Muzman on 22/9/2008 at 10:46
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
This thread prompted me to revisit HHGTTG last night (the movie) and I was somewhat surprised to find that I did not like it as much as I fondly remembered. The sections with the Guide are fantastic as are the first 20 or 30 minutes worth of jokes and introductions, but after that the movie shortly tails off and as a primary character Zaphod provides a source of irritation more than amusement after a while (and the diversion to Humma Kavula was entirely unnecessary but it saved us from the horrible implementation of his two heads for the entire movie) but mostly I feel that a great many years from reading the source material made it a bit of a headscratch just to follow the horribly-jigsawed plot. Or perhaps that was Adams fault when he originally wrote it. In any case, having rewatched it and finding it quite amusing to start though not all the way through but always pretty charming, I'm
still sad there won't be a Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
The movie managed to suck out all the ramshackle, harried, dare I say it, "Englishness" from the story. I think it's the pace more than anything ; it turns the black existential "Oh god, now what?!" of the whole thing into briskly paced whacky adventures. However there are other things which might bespeak 'pond crossing' efforts. Ford's not cool enough. Zaphod's not detached enough. Arthur seems like a nice guy who actually has a chance with Trillian. They seem to be trying to enforce some sort of strong narrative structure on it which makes all the excursions into Guide history just seem like sloppy writing half the time. Just...nuh, sorry.
The TV series, despite having production values that made Dr Who from about the same time look like Spielberg, didn't have the same problem.
About the book of tributes or 'songs in the style of': it's funny, I don't really think of it as it's own 'world' to be expanded on like that. It's humour is too grounded in satire. I would feel the same about add ons to Gulliver's Travels or something.
Thirith on 22/9/2008 at 10:52
Quote Posted by Muzman
About the book of tributes or 'songs in the style of': it's funny, I don't really think of it as it's own 'world' to be expanded on like that. It's humour is too grounded in satire. I would feel the same about add ons to Gulliver's Travels or something.
I think you're absolutely right about that one, but whether by design or by sheer accumulation I do feel that Adams has created a fictional universe that provides space (no pun intended) for satire *and* storytelling. I like the idea of other people's take on that universe, but I don't feel strongly about it either way.
Has anyone here played or read the
Starship Titanic game? If I remember correctly, that one was outlined by Adams but written by Terry Jones.
Muzman on 22/9/2008 at 11:34
Yeah, I don't really mind either. But I probably wouldn't care to read it myself.
I felt the same about Discworld when that started to take on a 'life of its own' (written and maintained by the creator, even) rather than being a sort of social satire and big parody of serious fantasy, as I took it initially. Don't like mixing me drinks like that. This may be some terrible personal limitation.
