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

I want OUR HitchHikers Movie. where we get to decide who directs it, who acts in it, who does the music for it, etc.
I want MY HitchHikers movie My Way.
I vote for Rowan Atkinson / Hugh Laurie as Arthur Dent.
More of my votes coming soon. Please feel free to agree / disagree.

Yes we should have our own Hitchhiker movie. But the only people who can play the parts
ar the origional cast themselves. Douglas said on many occasions, that the character of Arthur
was specificly written with Simon Jones in mind, and that his personality was molded around the
Arthur Dent character

I think Arthur is the most important one as far as this argument goes. I could put up with a different Zaphod, Ford etc. - hey, I even got used to Sandra Dickinson's Trillian on the TV series, even though she was completely different from the original character. But Arthur *is* Simon Jones, I can't see anyone else in the role - though I must point out that the stage production was quite successful, and I don't know who the cast was, as unforunately I never went to see it. Anyone know who played Arthur 'on the boards?'

In answer to the other post... OK, Hugh Laurie could do it, maybe. But NOT Rowan Atkinson. He's very funny but he's far too unusual-looking. Arthur needs to be the bloke next door.

well allright,
I agree (now after giving it some consideration) that Rowan is not exactly the guy next door.
And unfortunately, I dont know this simon bloke. could someone point me somewhere?
But the music score must be good, decent, clean brit-pop. No spishe girls, no Rob-bee Williams, no nonsense boy bands, and pls, no heavy metal.
Catch the fellas who compiled the Full Monty soundtrack, and channel their energies towards a more guitar sound.
Whaddaya think?

Simon Jones is the original Arthur Dent, having played him in the radio and TV versions.

What planet are you one. Every Hitchhiker fan knows who Simon
Jones is.

He's a nice bloke too! I wrote to him in 1981, when I was 11, as part of a school project. He replied - get this: in copperplate handwriting - complete with signed 'photo of him and Marvin on the surface of Magrathea and news of the (then) forthcoming HHGTTG 2nd series (later shelved, much like the ill-fated movie, it seems ). He seemed genuinely flattered.

Perhaps I should get it scanned in and onto my personal space(?) (Note: I'm new here and haven't sorted my space out yet! )

Anyway - back to the main topic. I'm with DNA in that Simon Jones is too old to play Arthur Dent (sorry Simon!), but I think Hugh Laurie would be an excellent choice as "flustered Englishman". Stephen Moore could still do the voice of Marvin, of course. What about Rowan Atkinson playing Ford? I can just see him saying "That's not the point - the point is I'm a perfectly safe penguin, and my colleague here is rapidly running out of limbs!"

Rowan as Ford? Hmmm.. I was tempted by this idea at first, but then I thought, hang on: "They don't have sarcasm on Betelgeuse". Rowan Atkinson has made his fortune being sarcastic I still don't think it's right. But I'm sure there's a part he can play somewhere, as he *is* a very good comic actor. Any suggestions? What about the Frogstar Prisoner Relations Officer? Or maybe that wouldn't be in the movie...?

The film was only going to go as far as the first book, so I read that as the first 4 episodes - so not even Milliways would be in the film! Perhaps Rowan could play the Vogon captain? Hmmm... not sure.

I would also like to find a part for Stephen Fry somewhere in the film. Not sure if he'd fit in though (maybe Slarti?)

There is a link on my personal space which will take you to a DNA interview about all his latest projects, including the film. Enjoy!

Who would play Zaphod then, because there's nobody
else I can think of except Mark Wing-Davey

I think Neil Pearson (Drop the Dead Donkey, Bridget Jones' Diary) would make an excellent Zaphod.

What about Patrick Stewart as the voice of Deep Thought? Or maybe James Earl Jones, in a bizarre Star-Wars reference sort of way?

Hmmm.... maybe not.