The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Review

[@HibiscusStitch]

I was in High School when this came out and I LOVED it. My friends and I would quote it at each other, sing So Long and Thanks for all the Fish and for character day during school pride week, my best friend and I donned our robes and trusty towels. It's depressing it didn't do well because it's a really fun flick. This movie is really nostalgic for me.

[@eartianwerewolf]

+Glacidea Yeh I remember liking it too and it got me to read the book which was awesomely funny.

[@jasongradyphstiger6179]

Glacidea nice mass effect pic I love the mass effect games and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is my favorite movie too.

[@ikarikid]

The problem for me lay in how some of the jokes had to be cut. For instance: at the beginning, there’s a conversation about how Prosser says the plans for Arthur’s house were “on display” (in the local hangout known as “a planning office”). Originally, they were found to be “on display” in a neglected cellar, in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in the back of a disused lavatory (restroom) with a sign on the door saying “Beware of the Leopard” (Arthur then quips that Prosser could have a career in advertising). So they could go to Viltvodle VI and Vogsphere, but they had to cut out a joke that better underlines what is wrong with bureaucracy than the insane things the Vogons do? Also, another thing that was cut was an entire sequence that happens when the Heart of Gold picks Arthur and Ford up: they get transported to what appears to be South End...except the sea is still as a rock and the buildings wash up and down. Then Ford becomes a penguin, Arthur loses his limbs and monkeys write “Hamlet”. Admittedly, this is impossible to visualise, so it kind of makes sense that they went for the sofa joke.

[@lolafinch]

The real thing is there waiting for you.

[@Kaidus4ce]

How many Vogons does it take to change a lightbulb? 42 I'll leave why that's the answer up to you to figure out

[@tyokabina2829]

The ending is a little wonky probably because they had no intention to make a sequel, not without Addams at any rate.

[@PhantomShadow224]

It wasn’t too bad, it had it’s few funny moments, the special effects are pretty good, Marvin is the best, although a couple loose ends could have been tied up. I guess reading the book could offer more context, I remind myself to find it at the local library. I asked my dad if he watched this movie and he said the book was better.

[@devanhinskey9001]

One time, I read that Don Bluth (yes, THAT Don Bluth) was interested in making “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” an animated feature during his time at the short-lived Fox Animation Studios when 20th Century Fox briefly owned the film rights. Of course, this never came to pass and instead, he would direct another sci-fi animated movie which also has the Earth blown up in the opening: “Titan A.E.” Still, an animated “Hitchhiker’s Guide” movie does sound promising, especially with one of the great animation directors at the helm!

[@Bobsheaux]

I can TOTALLY see him doing it. :D

[@Bobsheaux]

@Caitlyn Carvalho He's not a cult leader. He's a priest belonging to the most dominant religion that's practiced on his planet.

[@amatueraceva1319]

Zaphod is a literal two faced politician.

[@RedShirtRemyStarship]

Where else are you gonna get Alan Rickman playing a depressed robot?

[@IceBearfor]

A sci fi Harry Potter

[@death-king1834]

As someone who had very little knowleadge of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy novels, radio series, TV series and first going into the film blind I found it to very enjoyable and hilarious.

[@TOK150]

What is the meaning of life? 42. The question to that? Who cares? I just wanna be happy. Its a funny joke and yet wise at the same time. I love it.

[@yaitz3313]

Having read the book at age 8 and having NO F**KING CLUE WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON AND LOVING IT ANYWAY, I don't think anything can beat the book for me, just for nostalgia. And yes, I am replying to a four year old video. Sue me.

[@vjpearce]

I felt sorry for Douglas Adams. Every script he did and redid was rejected by Disney as they couldn't understand British humour and that's why Karey Kirkpatrick had to help out with it. I admit Martin Freeman wouldn't have been my first choice for Arthur Dent. Personally I would have had Stephen Tompkinson, but that's just me. And I don't think you'd get Catherine Zeta Jones doing a comedy movie. Her breakout role was in the comedy drama TV series The Darling Buds of May, but she never mentions it nowadays. 20:28 I always thought they ended up in the same place because the Magrathea coordinates they got from Humma Kavula was still in place? They'd end up in same place every time they used the improbability drive, right?

[@sian2337]

vjpearce - Stephen Tompkinson... YES!

[@taranhuston]

i thought he did pretty good but i haven't read the book yet lol.

[@jonathansoko1085]

Noone other than brits, find brit humor funny. Its good they changed it.

[@Teag_Brohman15]

my Grade 9 English teacher just called him "Marvin the Chronically Depressed Robot"

[@kaijukid1443]

Fun fact:The Vogon puppets were done by the Jim Henson Company

[@firelight8565]

KaijuKid 14 THAT EXPLAINS LITERALLY EVERYTHING!!!

[@eartianwerewolf]

It is kind of aggravating that if the programming is only 5 minutes away from giving the answer..that the movie still doesn't tell you. It's kind of genius though...Major troll move.

[@Bobsheaux]

+eartianwerewolf Too bad it didn't give rise to any sequels that would give a reason as to why you CAN'T know the Ultimate Question. :/

[@Shadowkey392]

Bobsheaux it wouldn’t have even if they had done sequels, since the books didn’t do it either.

[@bobalinx8762]

2:07-2:15 "And they named the new world 'LittleBig Planet'."

[@Lishadra]

If I were in Arthur's place, I'd ask for the Earth to be started with the exclusion of mosquitoes and fleas.

[@Bobsheaux]

+Lishadra (C B) Surely there must be SOME way to fulfill the roles that they and other pests fill without the pests themselves, right? lol

[@FrankLightheart]

Yeah, there is SO much I appreciate about this movie. Not the least of which is how they tried to use practical effects whenever they could.

[@breadcrumbmovies]

I really enjoyed the Hichhiker's Guide =D it made me laugh i did like the TV series (1981) better.

[@christopherrichardson2945]

I’m sure this isn’t new info, but Adams himself has stated that all adaptations are intentionally different

[@Dim4323]

Yeah Douglas adams said he keep reinvented the novel himself.

[@sirilluminarthevaliant2895]

Douglas Adams said he will never make 2 adaptions the same every one will be different

[@corneliusmargony4200]

I find that your review of it clears it up for people who have not seen the book.

[@MattStMarie-bm5sq]

you mean read the six books.

[@jeffdoe5505]

When i saw this movie in the theater, i was so bored I legitimately Fell asleep, and so did my father who was an AVID fan of Hitchhikers guide.

[@dpfabie]

For me, the film overall was a disappointment, but there were some wonderful "moments" in it. I think the problem was Disney never understood the material, They were thinking "Ah! Here is our "Men in Black!" (Adams himself, once ruefully commented that there were things in MIB, that ... shall we say, looked very familiar to HHG2TG ) But the result was the studio kept trying to MIB-ize the movie Def's Ford was too laid back fo my tastes and lacked the character's Cheekiness. Rockwell's Zaphod was clearly meant to be George W. Bush, which while mildly funny, isn't the character. Zooey Deschanel was pretty much furniture and John Malkovich.... don't even get me started on that disaster... But Martin Freeman did justice to the role of Dent, Alan Rickman and Stephen Fry were inspired choices as Marvin and as the Book, and Helen Mirren as Deep Thought and Bill Nighy as Slartibartfast were both wonderful. But at the end of the day, It all just didn't work. I think it was also due to frankly Disney not getting the sheer Britishness of it. The whole HH's saga at it's core is Arthur Dent facing the sheer absurdity of the Universe in an oh-so British way. And while we get brief moments of that in Freeman's performance, it largely got lost in the noise of it all.

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

Not my favorite adaptation, but my only real gripe with it is the shoehorned in Arthur/Trillian romance subplot. And even that only makes me cringe because poor Random would probably turn out even more messed up if those two ended up together deliberately. ... Undeniably best thing about it was Allan Rickman, though. Best Marvin EVAH!!!

[@ZaccoOfficial]

I love the movie so much I'm not sure how many people didn't like it.

[@SevenEllen]

It was Douglas Addams' genius that made the vogons like bureaucrats - That was why he made the Vogons the way they were.

[@SharpDesign]

Seeing this movie is how I learned where the babelfish translator website name came from...and yes, since then, have been watching the tv series and read books.

[@obiwankenobi9141]

And listened to the radio show, the very first version of hitchhiker’s there ever was.

[@talknplusradio]

I loved this flick. Looking at it from a perspective of not reading the books first it was an adventure that took me away for a brief moment to a place filled with imagination, wild times, and chill vibes. It inspired me to read the books, which unlocked an even greater part of my imagination. I love this movie whole heartedly. And great review man!

[@metro8335]

26:14 I was expecting arthurs question to be, "can I have a cup of tea"

[@johnheater6697]

This was overall a REALLY average movie, but the Vogons were pretty much perfect, given what they were in the books, and i enjoyed it myself. Good review.

[@FRADAVE02]

"I guess the Heart of Gold somehow knew that Huma could lead them to Magrethia? " Why, how utterly IMPROBABLE!! 😅

[@GojiKaichou]

In addition to Simon Jones making a classic Hitchhiker cameo, the actress who originally played Trillian can be seen in the pub, listening in on Ford & Arthur's convo. Douglas Adams' mum is also seen briefly, as the woman sitting at the outdoor cafe'.

[@sian2337]

That would’ve been a brilliant ride

[@meta527II]

Wow, I can't believe I've known about you for 6 years and never knew that you reviewed this movie!

[@alonthekiller]

Your intro my fried,is amazing.

[@MsDjessa]

I totally adore Zooey Deschanel but wow what a miscasting. But the practical effects were awesome. I haven't seen the whole movie but what little I saw I liked, I probably did view it in a Monty Python way.

[@ToxicMonster5]

Honestly, i did like this film, sure there were some things that were off, but meh, adaptions of things aren't always made for just the fans but the wide spread audiences. the one big thing that did bother me was at the end of the film with the throw away line "it's at the other end of the universe" implying that it's like futurama where they can go to the edge of the known universe to see into other realities rather than it being at the physical end of the universe with things being blown up and such.

[@Keshihead]

Six nines are 54, Six SEVENS on the other hand...

[@RabbiB0Y]

I don't know where I should say this but here is good you would actually die quicker in space if you held your breath because if you did you would pretty much explode because I forgot the reason but if you didn't hold your breath its likely after a couple of seconds your head will explode your body will freeze and die but if you did hold your breath well in stead of a couple of seconds you would die right after you hit the vacuum

[@mathewkelly9968]

Hopper Games not true at all , you got about 60 seconds

[@ChaseMC215]

Well it wouldn't matter anyway because you needed to breathe regardless, but since you're in the vacuum of space, you're would likely be already dead from the absolute zero temperature, let alone suffocation. And unfortunately unlike in the original Total Recall, there isn't a confirmed case of explosive decompression on a human being, let alone if there is even a case on the subject for anything.

[@jasonginsburg7929]

OK, so I just saw this review and I 100% agree. And I know that I'm just some faceless guy posting with the rest you trolls out in cyberspace.But in my humble opinion it goes radio play, books, mini series then movie. Not just release order, but quality. I have noticed that each subsequent medium that followed the original radio play borrowed from it's previous adaptation, yet uniquely defined in it of itself. All worth experiencing in every medium.

[@mikeyunovapix7181]

I actually loved the movie. though I was unaware of the original episodes and other material. Still love it though.

[@Seanatonin]

Americanized versions of British things fail. See: Red Dwarf USA and Coupling.

[@joe95883]

This is a movie I have on my PSP.

[@KingdomHeartsBrawler]

I've heard a lot of different things about the writing process. IMDB says that Adams came up with everything while Kirkpatrick made it coherent, but I've also heard that Adams wrote multiple scripts but Disney rejected them because they couldn't quite get British humor. Kirkpatrick basically rewrote everything and "Americanized" the movie. Regardless, while I like the movie fine, I think the books and BBC show are better.

[@ChaseMC215]

Funny considering the books aren't true translations of the original radio play either.

[@Galatea_Ganymede]

I wish the movie had stuck more to the books.

[@samuelbarber4154]

I'm just kinda thankful for Marvin's death (if he did die) because he's so utterly depressed.

[@Bobsheaux]

Unfortunately, he has several more books to slog through. Life... Don't talk to me about life...

[@rentheadangelcollins]

I COULD be wrong because it's been a while since I've seen the movie, but didn't Humma Kavula run against Zaphod? I thought he wanted that gun to sway voters for the next election.

[@Evilizabeth]

That was my thought the whole time. That he was so gobsmacked by the fact that the voters of the universe were so bamboozled by the charisma of Zaphod that they chose flash and personality and ignored all the stupid things he said and did. Humma just wanted everyone to see things from the side of someone who could see 'the naked emperor' as it were.

[@bb1111116]

Agreed. He wanted to win the next election.

[@GojiKaichou]

The biggest reason for the film's failure was due to how audiences here in the US tend to pan films that aren't exactly 100% accurate to the original source material. Douglas Adams started not with the books, but the radio plays. He penned the first book after the success of the first radio series, but the book was different from what listeners heard. This was intentional on Adams' part, not out of malicious intent, but because he wasn't too happy with the story he had scripted for radio. In 1979, the BBC ordered a TV series based on the first and second books to be made. Yet again, story elements were changed. Not a single iteration of the Guide follows the same thread exactly. This is why fans in the US still get confused. But Douglas never intended it to follow the exact same narrative. When Adams sadly passed away, the film screenplay was left sitting on his Mac's hard drive until it was found and with the Adams family's blessings, was allowed to be fleshed out as the movie. And true to form, it was different from everything that had gone before. One last prank from Adams.

[@LaDracul]

I think the book and film acknowledges how religious disagreements can be controversial, like the "God's Greatest Mistakes" series.

[@shawnwax9576]

Where god went wrong , and who is this god person anyway?

[@ellnats]

19:06 that has to be most fans reaction to this movie

[@jonathansoko1085]

If i loved it, did it really fail?

[@ChaseMC215]

I guess it was a case of wrong place at the wrong time.

[@ellnats]

I had a hard time with this movie, it confused the hell out of me and people told me that the book would be better, knowing the confusion here the book would leave my brain a wibbly wobbly mess, I hated the heart of golds design as I'm more for the traditional ship design with wings and a slim design, but seeing it again, its not that bad, I like the joke about the vokahns looking like paperwork first action never type people, and marvin was enjoyable

[@aynsleyhoelscher988]

No the mice are opening his head INSTEAD of using the earth because they don't want to use the earth because they don't wanna pay the magratheans for the new earth. They didn't realize there were any survivors until they had already commissioned a new earth.

[@Lishadra]

Zaphod expected the drive to pop them out at Magrathea at some point. If you just smash a randomize button eventually you'll get something good.

[@joegrimes9232]

Hitchikers guide was a bit of understated mundane contrasted with the outlandish otherworld, but ultimately it's all mundane in the end. This version was a movie, so spectacle was a thing, Douglas Adams involvement aside? It still stinks. Recasting? Well Richard Ayoade as Ford for starters. Before his passing, Sean Hughes perhaps. Paul Kaye at the time especially after his performance in " Blackball" just IS Zaphod. Trust me watch it. You'll see what I mean. Go more subtle gags. Dry, wry caustic .

[@sapphirewingthefurrycritic985]

This was one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen. I loved it.

[@alexb3617]

sperm whale was a best character, perfectly illustrates our need for meaning. on a related note, why do we have an animal with a name that has word sperm in it?

[@GojiKaichou]

The reason they couldn't get the actors that played Ford and Zaphod to do cameos was because David Dixon (Ford) and Mark Wing-Davie (Zaphod) are no longer with us.

[@sirilluminarthevaliant2895]

Arthur used the drive without reaching normalcy first.

[@helium73]

How could they take the second head? It's the first head's neck.

[@zakcweber]

For the same reason a person cant have a second head stacked on top of another one.

[@davidherron9151]

The guy that played ford literally broke the movie , I completely disengaged when ever he was saying lines lol

[@jacklong1844]

i think you should call your jacket 'the beeplebrox jacket'

[@RedShirtRemyStarship]

You didn't like Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy?

[@LEWOOF]

There is a 7th book in the works.

[@klimmr]

Dolphins as the smartest creatures? That sounds like a joke from a SpongeBob movie...Oh, wait.

[@ellnats]

I tried that number, it didn't do anything

[@AmandaFusilier]

DO DO DOO DO DOO.DOOOO dear god its beautiful

[@BlackoutsBox]

I think the issue was that for hardcore HHGTTG fans, the movie didn't live up enough.. there's just not enough space in a movie, and the medium is so different, that the things that work in a book and audio drama don't work in a narrative film format. For those who didn't know anything about HHGTTG, the movie has too many in jokes that you kind of need to know about HHGTTG to get. I personally loved it despite its flaws. I think it's the best visual version, far superior to the awful TV series. Then the books, then radio show.

[@sian2337]

I don’t see a problem with the Babel fish/god bit. The word ‘god’ can be a name or a description. So because the fish is a translator, zarquon would translate to ‘god’ for English speakers.

[@WillieManga]

I quite like this movie more than certain people would. Sure the books undeniably provided stronger worldbuilding, and even universebuilding, but I don't mind that much when the logic is just as absurd as you'd come to the series for. I don't even mind the political commentary; Zaphod is a two-faced politician whose charisma wins over his uncanny rival who wants people to see things from his perspective. Normally I'd feel uncomfortable with these messages, and in context you'd expect something pretentious, but it's portrayed in an entertainingly literal way and I couldn't help but laugh along with Zaphod! Sad that Doug passed away before he really could give much input on the movie, but I'm sure his legacy will continued to be honored. So this one goes out to him; So long, and thanks for all the laughs.

[@wcsxwcsx]

Bob is so confused by the inconsistencies and plot holes. The problem is that this movie tried to make this the sum total of the story, when you really have to read the next two books to get a sense of completion out of it.

[@auggiecunningham]

There is a typo in the thumbnail

[@ezydenias8505]

You know it is weird that they didn't just fitted the song to their needs, instead of "the stars Sprinkled banner" they could have said whatever they want, hell in the German translation of the book it is written that the dolphins sang "heil dir im Siegerkranz".

[@Twinklethefox9022]

I didn't even know this was a movie or a book. I didn't even know it existed

[@LittleJoeTheMoonlightCat]

So Monty Python Where the Breaking of the 4th Wall is Done by the Narrator.

[@Valkyrie_Thorn]

I remember this film being awful. My memory has gone completely.

[@mogensschmidt2498]

and thats warwick inside that marvin suit

[@ChaseMC215]

Warwick Davis did well as the on-screen portrayal of the depressed personality prototype.

[@Roserae16]

Lovely review. Miss seeing you on the site, though I understand why. Stupid copyright laws are so confusing :\

[@Bobsheaux]

+Rae Prite I'm learning. Now I just need to figure out how to MONETIZE my videos...

[@Karagianis]

I'd say the movie version is about the worst version of the guide ever made. Oh and the Vogons are not great. There's only ONE detail that's given about Vogons, they're GREEN. This movie makes them Grey...

[@SwiftNimblefoot]

I have read the book, and seen the movie, but frankly, have never been a fan of this sort of humour. I'd rather choose Terry Pratchett over Douglas Adams. The movie at least does try to be faithful to the original, but it kinda falls apart at the end because of how nonsensical the books get by then. Let's not forget, the whole thing started out as a radio broadcast piece.

[@Bobsheaux]

+Swift Nimblefoot Yes, the adaptation between the various media IS a rough road, isn't it? lol

[@robinw.8083]

Thor? I need to reread the books

[@RedShirtRemyStarship]

Or Sam Rockwell as a two faced President?

[@andrewkamoha4666]

Yeah, this guy just convinced me ... I'm gonna watch the movie just to see Katy Perry!

[@scopius2]

I thought the casting was perfect from top to bottom. Martin Freeman can play the best put upon Brit ever, Alan Rickman as a depressed robot, Trillian should be quirky, and no one is more quirky than Zoe, Mos Def was an inspired choice, Sam Rockwell was totally believable as an out of control narcissist, and then throw in Malkovich for good measure. Arthur should be pudgy? Who cares?

[@ChaseMC215]

I actually liked the film

[@RedShirtRemyStarship]

Or beurocratic aliens who need forms to get anything done.

[@2chaskell]

I love this movie

[@braxxian]

The 81 miniseries is far superior.

[@danielvidelov9101]

This needed edgar Wright and simon pegg

[@ChaseMC215]

Quite fitting you said that, considering Martin Freeman wasn't a household name yet except for fans of this film and Love, Actually.

[@whiterabbit75]

I see you're a real hoopy frood.

[@samuelbarber4154]

4:29 what if I told you I wasn't from Guildford? I was from America. What? I thought an American could come from a town in the South of England, you numbty!

[@heighbeut99]

England.

[@mogensschmidt2498]

warwick davis i mean

[@liamd1712]

My ears , that into was loud.

[@leafyfeathers]

42

[@wastelandlegocheem]

I didnt see all of the movie. A bit odd for me. Little too wierd

[@deanweir3388]

I don't dislike the changes but the way it was put in it I disliked.

[@MrZedblade]

I loved this movie. I have no criticism for it other than I wish there was a sequel. The cast was amazing.

[@ZaccoOfficial]

i fuckink love this mive