BS: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?

Subject: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: The Shambles
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 07:33 PM

I have heard that there are now firm plans for a Hollywood big budget version of the Hitch-hiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

This does worry me a little, especially the casting?

Will Ford Prefect become Model T?

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 08:57 PM

No, but he may become the "Galaxie Falcon."

catspaw

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 09:09 PM

They are making a movie - I read about it at Douglas Adams' website. (Unfortunately, I didn't bookmark the site, but I'll look for it again and get back with the URL if I'm successful.)

As far as casting goes, there are just some movies I'd rather not see any big names in. I also don't think American accents would work for me.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 09:37 PM

Duh...the website is http://www.douglasadams.com/. There's a discussion forum there, and one thread talks about Will Smith as Arthur Dent. I'm frightened now, somebody please reassure me it can't happen...

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 10:02 PM

Infinite Improbability Drive in high gear. You have to be kidding Jeri.... but ol' Will is a hot commodity just now so who knows. So Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz is ...???...???...Nathan Lane?

catspaw

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From:
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 10:09 PM

There is a computer game (for anyone who hasn't already seen it) called Starship Titanic that's pretty fun. Douglas Adams wrote the screenplay, and it contains much the same sort of cheeky fun that Hitch-hiker's Guide did.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 10:28 PM

Please Hollywood, leave it alone!! The British production was bad enough. The books are to good to mess with. Leave us our imaginations.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: alison
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 12:23 AM

Sean connery as slarty bartfast, or any of the characters... don't really care as long as he's in it...

I agree with Rick.. leave it in our imaginations.....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Penny S.
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 03:17 AM

I'm feeling really depressed now.

Penny

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 04:45 AM

Leonardo Di Caprio as Marvin?

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 04:53 AM

Oh and thank you for the link Jeri.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 04:56 AM

I agree with all postings, the radio version is the one I remember most fondly tho' the tv adaptation was better than I expected it would be. I hope Douglas Adams is rich enough to resist big bucks or at least to insist on full control. Perhaps we could imagine our nightmare cast- Julia Roberts as Trillion, Dick van Dyke as Arthur Dent the chirpy cockney, Leo de Caprio as Ford Prefect, Robin Williams as Marvin the paranoid android, no, on second thoughts, mustn't give them any ideas...

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: SueH
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 05:50 AM

Oh no Roger, your casting seems all too possible - Robin Williams especially. Will the HHG really appeal to mainstream American humour, anyway?

I still haven't got over Disney's Winnie The Pooh.

Sue

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: MudGuard
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 06:02 AM

And who is going to play the mice who really run the show?
And how big is the budget? I hope it is 42 (million bucks)...

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Jeremiah McCaw
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 07:32 AM

I can see them changing the name "Ford Prefect" for "'murican" tastes. Somehow I can see, and not be too upset over "Edsel Ranger".

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 10:01 AM

'Spaw, I think the Will Smith was said tongue in cheek. Despite that, it could happen in Hollywood. Personally, I think Jack Nicholson would make a great Vogon. (I'm kidding - I'd still rather see unknown actors.)

Here's the thread in the discussion forum: Will/Arthur

There's info about the movie in the alt.fan.douglas-adams FAQ

Douglas Adams used to make appearances in the newsgroup alt.fan.douglas-adams until 1) people kept saying "you're an imposter - can you prove you're really Douglas Adams, and 2) he got his own discussion forum. He posted articles such as: Re: Stupid question...

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 01:13 PM

Sue H. It will if they get rid of all the jokes! Sorry, I'm not trying to be anti-American, it's just that the general senses of humour are so different.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Llanfair
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 02:07 PM

NO!!!! Hitch-hiker has to be in sound only. Hollywood could never equal the pictures in my head, the TV series didn't get even close. The books were too commercial for my taste. The Wireless is the only medium for something as precious as HHGG. Same as the Goons, and the Navy Lark, And Afternoon theatre. Bron, a Radio 4 fan.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Jack (who is called Jack)
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 04:45 PM

One of the things that made the radio version work so well was the cutaway narration. In the book it was OK, but hearing it in that particularly smarmy british accent (no offense meant to UK catters) was a howl. It will be very difficult to match that effect on the screen.

I think its going to be a rough go getting it to work though. So much if the humor is tied up in the personalities of the characters. There's almost no plot.

In everybodys' opinion, Who'd even be able to play the main characters?

DentArthur Dent? Ford Prefect Zaphod Beeblebrox Trillian Marvin the Paranoid Android

Allan Rickman could play Ford, he's rakish with a pretty good comic sense.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Fadac
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 05:42 PM

John Clease for Marvin.

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 06:54 PM

Hi all, I'm still getting over the Hollywood ****-up of The Borrowers (children's books by Mary Norton - well worth reading). Why can't they leave it alone.

Helen, in a very disillusioned state in Oz (partly a disillusioned state because New South Wales is spending mega-millions on the Olympics, but that's another story)

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Penny S
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 07:41 PM

I haven't been able to bring myself to see the Borrowers. And, although my classroom collection needs replacing, I won't buy a copy until the film scenes aren't on the covers again.

What is worrying with children's books is that these ghastly versions become the way the stories are for children, and their imaginations are debased.

Penny

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 11:20 PM

Penny,

*Don't* go and see the movie of The Borrowers if you have read the books. All of it has been corrupted by Hollywood-ese. It's just another special effects movie.

There should be a law against making Hollywood movies of classic books or radio programs, something which prevents mindless, shallow film makers with dollar signs in their eyes from even thinking about it unless they sign a contract which guarantees some sort of ethical faithfulness to the original. The exception should be where the director admits that the book merely *inspired* the movie, e.g. Bladerunner was inspired by Philip K. Dick's novel called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The book was thought-provoking, a good read, and the movie was also thought-provoking and a real experience, but in a completely different way, and based on a reworking of the original idea.

My boyfriend and I have been bemoaning the fact that someone somewhere decided to remake the first Red Dwarf series after the other 6(?) series were made. Why???

If you haven't seen Red Dwarf you are missing out on something. It's a British tv show, science fiction, funny, cynical, quirky, very clever.

Try to find a video copy if you can't find it on tv or cable.

Helen

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Jeri
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 09:51 AM

About the funniest scene in Red Dwarf was when they got miniaturized and flew up a rat's butt and the rat became airborne. Lister (lead character) said something about hoping the police weren't around, because they frown on driving "rat-arsed." (Sorry about the thread creep.)

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Llanfair
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 12:18 PM

There is no way Alan Rickman could play Arthur Dent, he's FAR too sexy. I like the idea of John Cleese playing Marvin. But it still wouldn't be radio. Bron

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: The Shambles
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 01:25 PM

Are there any two-headed Hollywood stars?

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Penny S
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 01:27 PM

Helen, have you seen the BBC TV version of the Borrowers with Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton? Small scale, but then it should be. And close to the books.

Penny

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Helen
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 12:37 AM

Yes, Penny, I like that version. Usually you can trust the Beeb to do movies and tv series well.

Helen

Subject: RE: Hitch-hikers guide : Hollywood movie?B/S
From: Penny S.
Date: 10 Jul 99 - 04:40 AM

Update on "The Borrowers" - the movie - Ugh! Some quango has advised that it is a good children's film to be used for educational purposes. Not the purpose of discussing what film makers can do to ruin books, either, as far as I could see from the report.

Penny