The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Rating:
Summary: Do You Know where YOUR Towel Is?
Review: Well, most people seem to think this is an inferior production of some kind--or at least, those who have read the books first. I happened to watch this miniseries (and it was the chopped-up version, too!) FIRST, and _then_ read the books afterwards. The wrong order, but it's the way I was introduced to Hitchhiker's Guide and you know what...? I'm glad! I personally think there is nothing wrong with this series--except for the way it leaps wildly about instead of following the books' plot more closely. Still, that's the only quibble. The low budget and bad special effects really didn't bother me; they are part of its charm. As for the characters--well, that was my FIRST impression of them, ever, so I couldn't compare them to their book descriptions! Trillian may have been a blonde, true, but she was likeable and funny, and _that's_ what counts. Others have praised Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, at this site, with good reason--he has the personality, twitches, gestures, etc. of the character, as described in the books, down _perfectly_. But I'd also like to take a moment to praise David Dixon's performance as Ford Prefect. I had never even HEARD of any of these characters before seeing this miniseries--but by the time I had gotten through the scene (in Episode 1) where Ford just flat-out CONS Prosser into lying in the mud, I ADORED the character! And it was the _acting_, not the book description, that was my first impression of him. I went into the book series after that _already_ knowing who I was cheering for. And the lines were delivered very funnily by all involved, too. After seeing this, my entire family had great fun, going about the house and yelling out random quotes in the characters' different British accents! All in all, I thought it was VERY funny and a very respectable effort, despite its low budget. If you are already a Hitchhiker's fan, you like British sci-fi in general or just want a good laugh that's a bit on the _different_ side, get this video. You'll be glad you did.

Rating:
Summary: INCREADABLE VIDEO AMAZING DVD?
Review: I HAVE OWNED THIS SET FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE TRULY ENJOIED IT WHEN EVER I HAVE SEEN IT. i REMEMBER CHECKNG THE TV GUIDE TO FIND IT LISTED(AH THE RAPTURE OF HAVING A WEBTV NOW THAT CAN HUNT DOWN THE SHOWS I WANT TO WATCH WITH EASE) ONLY TO FIND IT AT AN INOPPERTUNED TIME WHEN MY DADS SHOWS WERE ON AO I HAD TO WATCH IT(OR TRY TO)ON THE BAD TVE WITH NO CABLE. NOW I CAN POP I THE TAPE ANY TIME THE MOMENT SEISES ME. THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST ADAPTATIONS OF A BOOK TO TV. YOU CAN ALMOST READ ALONG WHILE WATCHING AND THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH IT IS THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH. THE STORY FOLLOWS MST OF THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE POPULAR TRIL...QUAD...QUINTILOGY WITH LOTS OF EXCELLANT COMPUTER ANIMATIONS WHICH STILL HOLD UP WELL IN CONPAIRASON TO THE WORK DONE TODAY IN THE FEILD. WHAT GOES ON MY WISH LIST IS A DVD VERSION THAT I MAY STOP AND LOOK AT IN GREAT DETAIL AND WITH LOTS OF EXTRAS DONE IN THE SAME STYLE. THAT WOULD GET 5 STARS!

Rating:
Summary: Points of Fact
Review: Contrary to comments in other reviews and the description on the front of the video this is neither a movie nor taken from the 'Hitchhiker' books. Before the books came a radio play (you can probably still find it as an audio cassette) which was aired on BBC Radio 4 (I think? ) - the books came later. This video is a BBC TV series which was based on the original radio play. Non the less - it is an excellent video so buy it. As for a movie - In an interview last year Douglas Adams said that he was still planning to make a movie, he just kept getting distracted by other projects...

Rating:
Summary: If you loved the books GET THIS VIDEO!
Review: if you loved the books this movie is for you, I read all the books and loved them, bought this movie and loved it too! GO BUY IT! :)

Rating:
Summary: GREAT!
Review: If you like the book you'll love this movie!

Rating:
Summary: 194 minutes of Douglas Adams
Review: 194 minutes still isn't enough to do the story justice, as many chapters are still left out. Sure, it's a "B-flick", but that's tradition with the BBC. Much of the original dialogue is straight from the book, although the characters don't look like book descriptions. I loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Great book, Great movie - bad transfer
Review: I loved the books by Adams and was looking forward to the video. I have seen the TV version of this series and found it very good. When I saw that this was offered on video, I had to have it! The thing that I wanted to know first and foremost about the video was the running time. There are several versions out there and I didn't want the stripped down, edited, much shorter one. The info said it was 194 minutes so I ordered it right away. When the video arrived, I was astounded to find it was on one VHS tape, how could this be? The tape speed is EP, or slow speed. Very bad guys. I would pay more to have it on 2 VHS tapes without a flinch but putting it on one tape to save money is bad. Sometimes, movies have to be seen as the director or producer intended it. This is why I NEVER watch movies that are "edited for TV". They cut whatever they can just for the sake of putting in 10 more commercials. Bad, Bad, Bad! I enjoyed the movie and put up with the tearing from the bad transfer. Worth a look but could have been mastered better.

Rating:
Summary: I'm at amazon to buy my fourth copy for yet another friend.
Review: This is second only to 2001. It first appears to be a disjointed series of unrelated, marginally humorous sci-fi type events. But by the end it folds together into an astounding, integrated, poignant, profound masterpiece. It's also at LEAST as hilarious as anything by Monty Python. And that's only on the literal level! "Hitchhiker" is also a metaphor about the ultimate randomness and unpredictability of waking up as a creature alive in the universe in which we find ourselves. Subtle plot point never made explicit and almost always missed: the ultimate computer which deep-thought creates and whose brain is the size of a planet (in fact, it's earth) is none other than MARVIN THE ROBOT. Note what Adams says about the emotions and attitudes that would be expressed by an entity who had the ultimate understanding of "life, the universe, and everything". Required reading for every thinking person!

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, not bad
Review: I finally saw this after years of hearsay, and found it was worth the wait. My only major difficulties: Trillian was nothing at all like my concept of her (I was thinking more along the lines of Red Dwarf's Kochanski in terms of physical type), and of course Zaphod's head, which I really, really think could have been done better even considering the budget and technical capabilities of the time. The graphic montages that accompany the Guide's narration are really funny, though they're probably better seen on a bigger TV. But really, a good time had by all, except perhaps the sperm whale and the bowl of petunias.

Rating:
Summary: And the bug-eyed monster?
Review: Well, the effects are pants, and the acting isn't always oscar-worthy (with the notable exception of Simon Jones, who is just brilliant as Arthur), but personally, the most obtrusive thing about this interpretation of the first two books in the series is the degree to which it differs from my own interpretation. Firstly, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian (and most of the characters, now I think about it) are nothing like I had imagined them; and secondly, most of the parts which I found hillarious when I read the books are delivered in ways which totally kill the joke. Nevertheless, the series can be quite enjoyable if taken with a pinch of salt. And if nothing else, it's worth buying this tape just to see Simon Jones' fantastic Arthur Dent, and the way the last episode finishes.