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

Fine I just thought I forgotten something after all last weekend was St. Patrick's Blur.

Oh yes, a mandatory "how much did you drink?" question.

And compare it to how much you drank on New Year's.

Damn. Wish I was Irish *^_^*

Well if it hadn't of been for Ireland beating France at the rugby it would have been close. But St. Patricks Day won.

I heard Rik Mayall doing a voice in a cartoon this morning. He has possibilities, but I'm not sure he'd be able to play Penfold in the way we all know and love.

Which cartoon was this? I know he did Kehaar on the Watership Down series...he'd have been the ideal person, just a shame that they'd torn the stroyline apart for the cartoon

I don't know the name. It was on BBC yesterday (Sunday) morning about 9-ish

Which BBC? 1 or 2?

2 I think. They tend to put boring stuff (politicians and the like) on BBC1.

Quite right.

Ok, I'll check the TV guide and get back to you on this, ok?

Found it!

It was 'Oscar's Orchestra' and it was on at 8:30am on Beeb 2

Oh that! Lorks, I hated that! Which bit did Rik Mayall do on it then?

I don't know. One of my children was watching it in the other room on Sunday and I thought 'That's Rik Mayall'. He was doing a silly voice which struck me as having possibilities. I have no idea what his character was.

Sorry

That's cool.

Unless somebody names someone who's better, out of the two actors we've named so far Rik is my favourite for being Penfold. Paul M may sound a bit more like the original, but Rik inpsires all sorts of happy thoughts that would make watching the cartoon even nicer.

There is onw problem, which I have found when watching a few animated films. If you know the actor's voice too well, then it kind of destroys the atmosphere of what you're watching. Instead of thinking "that's Penfold speaking" you'll think "that's the actor playing Penfold speaking".
Last time I saw Basil The Great Mouse Detective was when I was wearing headphones. The sound was directed right into my ears, so it didn't sound like it was coming from the chracters mouths.
Last time I saw The Secret Of NIMH, I was thinking "that's not Mrs Brisby's voice, that's Elizabeth Hartman's voice". And it kinda wrecked the film for me.

So, as you figure, we have to be careful here.

I don't know if Rik would make a good Penfold or not. And since he's the only one out of the bunch that I know who they are, that's about all the opinion I can give. I actually don't think he's right, although I do agree on the 'good feelings' bit.

Back to the "voice auditions"
I'd like to most respectfully suggest that Paul Merton doing a queeky voice and Penfold's delightful exclamations may just sound a bit camp.

My suggestions is Martin Clunes. Actually - he could well be DM (he has the ears and muscles for it!) and then David Jason could be Penfold. I know it's radical, but it might just work!