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

I have read the cautions preceding the posting box and hope I do not transgress.
Here is a little something to fill the time before the film goes on general release:
http://www.douglasadams.com/news/

I'm not fussed about who does it, but my only wish is that the project is treated with the respect and importance it deserves, and the filmmakers don't Americanise it. It's about time people in the US get to see things as they're originally supposed to be, but I better not start ranting - I'll stop there

Danny DeVito as Agrajag?

Don't get me started...!



If anyone, just one person, comes on here and says 'Jim Carrey for Zaphod!' I will personally go through them like a ton of bricks. Jim Carrey is a good actor, but he is NOT to play Zaphod, or Arthur, or Ford or even one of the mice. The idea is not big and it's not clever.



Sorry about that - oh, how much do I want a drink tonight?!

In keeping with the essential "Britishness" of the movie, I still think Shooty and Bang-Bang (the cops on Magrathea) should be played by Mel and Sue. Especially if it involves Sue Perkins in a tight-fitting leather cat-suit.

Since they don't actually use their names in the dialogue and are putting on sily accents and wearing helmets, I'm still wondering which of the 2 in the 80s TV version was Alan from Thunderbirds (Matt Zimmerman).

Do you have a preference for which cop should be which of Mel and Sue, Peet? Eg who has a girlfriend and who is writing a novel (in crayon). Though in another slight twist I suppose the other cop could be referred to as the girlfriend, ie "I agonise about it afterwards to my girlfriend here".

There's no need for the extra "here" in that line; you should leave it to the viewer's imagination...

I agree, anything to see those two in tight fitting leather catsuits...

better wander off and calm down.

Men!

But thinking about it, Mel and Sue as Shooty and Bang Bang would actually be quite funny, those two make an excellent double act!

The chap who plays Johnathon Creek,Alan Cummings(?)would be + as the lead, kevin kline would be a + Ford Prefect.

That's Alan Davies, I think you'll find.

My preferred choice for Arthur is Jack Davenport off of Coupling.

Allan Davies

Is there a part for Jimmy Carr?

I think Rhys Ifans would make a good Ford - he's got a great accent and a strange face, which is a compliment of course!

Nah, Ifans wouldn't be right. He's _too_ odd. But I agree with Jim that Jack Davenport would be the perfect Arthur.

Too odd to play Ford?!

I thought I'd better find out who you were talking about. Jack Davenport does seem to bear a passing resemblance to Simon Jones (in both appearance and gormlessness)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/coupling/cast/images/jack2_116.jpg

I'm not convinced by Rhys Ifans though.

Fords_prefect's objections have been
duly noted. Yes, it would make sense
to cast the British characters with
British actors.

But let's get real. The whole *Galaxy* is not
British. Neither is it American, or Russian,
or German, or Polynesian. A mix of actors
for the extraterrestrial characters would
be good for variety, as well as for bringing
in audiences.

You *do* want this to be a financial as well
as artistic success, don't you?


(And, no, I wasn't serious about Danny DeVito
being offered any parts in the movie. Nor am I
pushing Jim Carrey for anything, though he might
be nice as the pink insect in Zarniwoop's
waiting room. Kevin Kline is a great actor, but
isn't he a little old to be Ford Prefect?)

Sir Roger Moore as Slartibartfast or the voice of the book?

I'm not against non-British actors, far from it, I'm in total agreement that the aliens could be played by anyone, but think about it - Rhys Ifans' Welsh accent is very odd to the rest of the world (especially the Americans), and I think that he does bear more than a passing resemblance to Ford, as described by Douglas. Just imagine him saying 'the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' a few times, and you'll see!

As for the financial success point - of course I want it to be a success, but it doesn't have to be stuffed with US stars for that to happen. Now, I know it's far more popular and well-known round the world, but the new Thunderbirds film doesn't have an A-list actor in sight - instead, the makers want to keep the money for special effects and models. A great idea, in my opinion