h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I decided to keep the dvd player I've got, its a strange thing the only reason for reigioning is to stop people getting hold of films before they shoud in this day and age of the internet and such there isn't much point, it only a matter of time before they all standard, what they shoud of done which would of been more effective is they way they did videos, aren't the american videos slightly bigger than uk ones which means you can't play them on a uk video player?

they chose anthony ainley because of his resemblance to roger dalago, ? why?, the whole point of regeneration is to change appearance, and that's not even they way the master changed he took over someone elses body. roger was a gentleman, he wasn't so much evil as that he just didn't care, antony was an evil child like type of thing wasn't even a villian you liked shame,

yeah the tins the last two were just ordernary videos in a tin, which were a different design on the outside , the fisrt were different they made an effort with them. the crusade and space museem and ice warriors were good, and the e-space trillogy and five dcotors were just videos in a box,

I liked the x-files to begin with but as you say they were so good after a while it was just the same old stuff, and every week mulder proved aliens existed and scully didn't belive him and all the conspiracy and such got confussing after a while.

You're right that American videos are a different size to ours, but I've still seen players on sale that can play both. It just shows that people don't really want the differences.

I never really knew why they had the approach they had with The Master. It's true that Roger Dalago died, which no-one was expecting, and that their plans (such as rumours of having the Master die to save the Doctor) never had a chance to develop, but they could have had anyone play the Master after that. I always thought that the Master shouldn't have been too evil - that with Ainley he should have been a bit more likeable, yet still selfish. It's hard to describe - someone who is selfish and wants to rule, yes, but not someone who goes over the top. It's hard to say. How would you have the Master?

<BB<

the master I'd have would be someone similar to the doctor the master has never struck me as evil at least not rogers, anthony's was a fool, mind you we haven't mentioned the master from paul macgan's film not quite right either thoyuh for me but an improvement on anthony's

I've started to play douglas adams's beaurocracy text game, haven't got that far though, managed to get three points and I'm stuck, and I'm enjoying guards, guards

I agree that the Master should be more Doctor-like. I think that more of a friendly rivallry should develop between them - for friends at the Acadamy, they don't seem to get on. I'd be happier if the Doctor was more willing to trust the Master, hoping to appeal to his good side, rather than see him as an enemy each time. Afterall, the Doctor still hoped that Davros would change and make the daleks a force for good. It would be better if he was more mysterious - that you were never sure if was going to help or hinder - rather than being an out-and-out enemy. But, to be honest, I prefered Anthony's Master to the one in the Paul McGan film.

I haven't played "Beauracracy" - if I ever do, I'll see if I can help, but then, I'm stuck on the hitch-hiker's text adventure game.

<BB<

yeah there were times when the master and doctor worked together to get out of things, in the claws of axos the master repairs the doctor's TARDIS when he see all the loose wires he commecnts "whats is he doing here" that was far better.

the daleks disspointed me a little as with the cybermen I keep wanting them to be more powerfull, they never seem to do that much, or maybe it me

the Beauracracy game isn't going well, I got a little further then got into a mans house who is now asking questions, but the answers are in a magazine that came with the game, but didn't because its not the original game its a collection of 30 text adventures games, and the only places on the internet I've found say look at the magazine that came with it,

so there

In "The Five Doctors", their treatment of the Master, I felt, was completely out of character - I believed that they should at least have given him a chance. I can understand Tegan's treatment of him, ("Logopolis") but although the Doctor was right to be suspicious, he should at least have given the Master a chance.
But you're right that the Cyberman and the Daleks threatened much, but did little. A slightly more Borg-like approach to the Cybermen would improve them a little. Make them able to assimulate humans faster and therefore grow stronger quicker. "Revenge Of The Cybermen" had a few of them doing little, and although it improved by "Earthshock" and "Attack Of The Cybermen", they never really threaten that much, although what I've seen in the "Cybermen - Early Years" tape suggests that earlier they posed more of a threat. But then, having not seen "Invasion", it's hard to judge.

one thing I liked about the cybermen is that in the five doctor I think, they walked in a precise way all evenly spaced out in lines, but were dissapointing that they never really did that much I was always wanting them to do something, to fight attack and such, even in the big finish audio sword of orion they didn't do much, as with the daleks considering what they are , the most evil deavastaing force in the universe, they didn't have that cold blooded ruthless evil about them, a bit more action.

I've had this week off from work and have been decoratiing, I'll be glad to get to work for some rest

It's strange that in many ways, Doctor Who villains attempted the least out of most science-fiction I know, the Daleks especially. It is true that they are evil, yet they never seemed to swarm endlessly across the Universe. Perhaps that was because there was very rarely no more than 3 Dalek "suits" available.
I guess that at the time a lot of it was budget constraints and lack of technology to do anything more impressive, but now, were more Who to be made, they would perhaps be able to make them more menacing. Part of it, I guess, is also the idea that Doctor Who was made for children, and that in the 70s there were so many complaints that it was too violent.

<BB<

the last dalek and cybermen stories weren't bad, its funney how show like doctro who and blakes seven and crossraods and such get remembered for wobbly sets and bad acting, I was watching only fools and horses the other day and del boy hung his coat up on the wall and the whole wall moved back, nobody ever mentioned that though,

I stared to watch the silurans, I wanted to watch it for a while bit wanted the colour video, but I could wait any longer and so started to watch it, to my surprise the version I have is in colour, funny that.

It's true that both "Remembrance of the Daleks" and "Silver Nemesis" are quite good - "Remembrance" is probably my favourite Who story. The only thing I dislike about it is including the young girl - it's true that she is useful in convincing people that Davros is in the tale earlier than before, but on multiple views she just got in the way. And besides, when I watched "Remembrance" as a child I didn't know who Davros was, and thought it was the girl in the chair anyway...
But Who is definately unjustly remembered for dodgy sets - it's true that the special effects aren't up to todays "Phantom Menace" standard, but the acting is better, and besides which both Blake's 7 and Who has more convincing effects than the original series of Star Trek.
"The Silurians" is one of the Pertwee stories I haven't seen, but I've read the Target book. How does the Dinosaur look after the "Walking With Dinosaurs" series?

<BB<

the trouble with special effects is that they date quickly, and thats what people forget, in a few years they'll be saying the same about the phamtom menace, I hope, I found it a little disapointing, and they can only do so much, star treck the next gen had something a like a million dollars spent on each episode, the BBc can't compete with that as they don't have any advertising, its very sad the there is no real british sci-fi, at least none i watch, did you watch crime traveler a few years ago that wasn't bad,

the silurains - I read the book which was good I remember a bit at the begining when the silurians haddn't yet gone into hibernation which I liked.

I never really watch the waling with the dinosaurs, but it looks terrible

It's true that special effects date quickly, although strangely enough I find older special effects more effective. Most modern effects go out of their way to make things look convincing and realistic, and as they look realistic, the effect does not seem as effective as if it was meant to look fantastical. To me, the effects in "Tron" were far more impressive precisely because they look far from realistic than in "The Matrix", for example, which for most of the time the effects weren't overly noticable.

I didn't watch much of the "Walking With Dinosaurs" - I got a free highlights video from HMV last year when I spent £10 or more at HMV, and I watched that. I think it was when I bought "Dune".. It didn't look too bad - I'm looking forward to watching a BBC programme called "Dinosaur Island" or something similar on Sunday as it's about dinosaurs discovered not far from my house.

But it's true that the BBC can't compete financially with American budgets, but hopefully as CGI improves it will mean that good effects will be available for less. Afterall, theoretically you could do a whole series of science-fiction with nothing more than a PC and a design team. I'd've thought around now would be a good time to try, and special effects are nothing compared to a good story, anyway. But yes, I enjoyed watching "Crime Traveller". I missed the first two, but got into the rest.

<BB<

yeah the older effects, look a lot more real, well some of them, I've been thinking that for a while, some of the stuff in film, sinbad, clash of the titans, were good and goi9ng back to the silurains that lloked quite real, except for the dinosaur, a nd in the mind robber the meudsa looked very good, I've said this many times that computer effects may look good but they don't look real.

its a pitty the didn't do any more crime traveler, I think jonathan creek started at the same time that I like as well

I'm trying to think of that other sci-fi thing the BBC did, invasion earth, don't think I liked that so much

I've never watched dune,

a friend came over last night and brought his dvd's not that he's watched them as he hasn't got a dvd player, they are the exorcist, the texas chainsaw massacre, wishmaster 2, i think, so you can tell what he likes.

A lot of the old stop-motion animations done by Harr... Harri - okay, I'm not sure how to spell his name, but you know who I mean, are definately a lot more impressive than CGI. I'm not saying that I dislike CGI - I felt that when used properly, it can be effective. But perhaps it should be concentrated more in order to help animation as it did in Toy Story than attempt to replace live action and stunts. In films where there has been a CGI character in a real film it has never worked out.

I think we discussed Invasion Earth before - that was never convincing, and the plot was not particularly unique. I never got into "Bugs", but I felt that "Crime Traveller", at the time, was one of the best programmes shown - but, alas...
What was that fantasy thing on a few years ago about an Underworld? I'm not sure if that was BBC or ITV, but they had planned a second series, which never turned out...

<BB<

no I never watched bugs, underworld I'm not sure I heard of it, I've just watched highlander endgame the fourth film quite good untill the end where it got very confussing,

I have now finnished guards, guards, and very god it was too, next, after I listn to the latest, big finnish doctor who is dirk gently's holistic detective agency, its been a while since I last read it.

I bought the caves of androzani in the end even though I said I wouldn't due to having the video, but reading the rewiew of it in the doctor who magizine, and reading about the extra's I just had to

Sorry about the delay in replying - I've been away for a week, and catching up with all the conversations has taken a while...

So, what extras has Caves of Androzani got on? I haven't had a chance to see it yet, although hopefully I'll pass by HMV later today. I can't really afford it as yet, alas.

As for Highlander, I saw the first 3 films, but didn't watch the either of the TV series, so how does it compare? Is it more film or TV orientated?

<BB<

the caves of andronzani- they re did the opening piece to make the somke effect better which looks cleaner, you can also watch the original version, an on screen production notes, commentary, and isolated music score are options, some new footage, a bit abot the regeneration and a creating sharaz jek bit, photo gallery, which are nice,

I never watched the tv series of highlander, but the last film has both coner and duncan from the tv series, and is more tv based, there a couple of things that were in the tv series they brought in, and its quite good in some respects, actually pretty darn good in some ways but fails in others particually the end, I'm waiting for the dvd to come out as the american version has the rough cut of the film on it, which is susposed to be quite different from the finnished one, but seems as it never got an uk cimema release the dvd (if there is one) may not have much on it.

I honestly can't remember the original opening since it was on TV, but the DVD does seem full of extras - I looked at a copy in HMV, and I'm certainly tempted! I've just got to sort out my debt and then I'm moving house next week, so non-stop fun!
Who does the commentary? And is Colin Baker mentioned in the extras much?

I'll probably wait for the new Highlander film to be shown on the Sci-Fi Channel or something - I am interested in seeing it, but I'm in no real hurry.

<BB<

there isn't a ,lot of difference in the opening scene, peter davison, nicola bryaint, and the director I think do the commentary, some of the extra is about the regeneration and show a little of colin, I'm planning to watch it again with the on screen production notes and commentary alone, I've never bothered before,

the highlander film is great if your a fan but holds less for mass apeal which is probably why there was no uk cimema releasse,

moving house eh, a lot of fun, and a lot of trouble, I moved house about three time in three years.