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

Given the length of time ago that THHTTGG was written, wouldn't the irony of Ford's Earth name be lost on some of the younger viewers?

Yeah, possibly, but that would happen anyway to anyone who reads the book after it's reached a certain age... Unless, of course, they read the introduction to the omnibus edition, where DNA explains it...

I heard the radio version only a year or two after its first broadcast, and I was not familiar with the model of automobile that Ford chose for his moniker.

The Book implied the resultant dilemma well enough though that I just recently looked over someone's shoulder to see what one actually looked like.

I think that the name isn't as important an idea or joke as Ford himself. The casting better be DARN good. He's my favorite charactor.

Absolutely, Major.

Casting is ever so a most important hurdle in getting any version of HGTTG produced. Nothing would kill its chances faster than a weak, ill-chosen cast, or one with no combined artistic 'chemistry'.

I so enjoyed the radio play, then the books, the vinyl record, cassette tapes, and cd-rom, that the video held great hope for me. I was not terribly surprised at the cheap-looking sets and cheesy special effects, and accepted them as part of the cachet of the series. ' It gave a lovely sort of baroque quality to them.' I was distressed to find out that DNA was not the least bit happy with it.

Although I wish he'd gone further into exactly what he had expected, it doesn't take away from my overall enjoyment of them, or my appreciation for what I felt was excellent casting (with the possible exception of Trillian, who didn't seem to come even close to the descriptions previously given, although she too did good work).

I'm 18 and the irony of his name was never lost to me. I caught on the first time I read the book 2 years ago and didn't have the intro until the second time I read them. I don't think that's the most important part that will get lost from the book. Not necessarily to the "younger audience" but to the audience who hasn't read the books or has no idea what they are, but are just going because it's an "alien sci-fi" movie". I think way too much will get lost in translation from book to film that it will portray an entirely different meaning to those who only watch the movie.

Well, I read that DNA had a lot of creative control in pre-production before his untimely demise . Plus, between the special effects, and the fact that I think anyone involved knows the incredible cult following of the books, so they are aware of the need to be true to the intent.

HHGTTG has gone through so many transformations since it's inception... I think if the movie completely contradicted the radio show, books, and tv program, it would only be fitting.



ps. I didn't picture Trillian as a ditzy space cadet, either

I never said Ford's name was in any way a major thing, just would the irony be lost. Perhaps for the movie, they should just take the TV series and stick all six episodes into one long thing, as they really did follow on from one another, plus it just felt 'right' somehow. I also agree that if the cast is not spectacular, it will be the eight deadly sin and the cast, producer, director, and guy who adds bad and unneccesary changes must be hunted down and had their bodies and minds broken in the most painful manner imaginable, perhaps after a trip through the Total Perspective Vortex... Unless they make it good, in which case they will be among the gretest people on the planet, perhaps in the entire galaxy.

This entire problem could be solved. Have a narriator hired, explain his name in the film, and go to a picture of the car for a breif moment. If the veiwers still do not get it, their lack of intelegence boggles the mind. The entire scene will take 30 seconds.

You're so RIGHT!

Or maybe just show a brief scene of Ford touching down in front of a car.

I don't know...I think if it has to be explained the irony would become kind of pointless. I think if the movie is made his name should be left as is and for those who get it, perfect, for those who don't, it's their loss.

Any good piece of art will have bits and pieces that will be missed on initial perusal and caught later. Part of the problem with mass entertainment in this country is that these things are lost in the drive to make everything as bland and easy to digest as possible in hopes of raking in the largest amount of paying customers.

A good example is my own experience with 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.' Most people have enough knowledge of the King Arthur mythos to get a decent number of the jokes. When I first saw it (at age 14, about 17 years ago) I probably had more background than many people my age (and older, even) but still only had a cursory knowledge of Arthurian literature. I've seen that film more times than I can count, and there are still bits that I'm only just catching. While in college, I took a class in Medieval literature wherein I read 'The Quest for the Holy Grail.' I completely lost it when I got to the bit about the Castle of the Maidens. I had never realized that the bit in the film was actually based on anything in the book. I had always assumed that it was completely made up and had never fully gotten the joke until I was reading what had inspired the scene.

Yeah the dumbing down of the American (and probably British) audience is a problem when recreating a series based on wit.

I very much agree that Americans (can't say much about the British as I am an American) are looking for a quick, simple movie. Nothing to make them think. I love HHGTTG and would hate to see it brought down to the level some/most viewers would be happy to see it brought to.

Well, I guess we've already seen the dumbed down HHGTTG... it's called Men In Black... which was entertaining, but it wasn't subtle at all... you didn't HAVE to have an IQ to enjoy it, allthough that usually helps...

You have a point. Men in Black was funny but was simple. I would hate to see HHGTTG brought down to that level (the level I usually call cheesy sci-fi).

Yup, pretty much exactly the same happened to me with the inimitable Ford. Strangely enough in a Physiology presentation.

Someone had included a fairly random slide of a bloke in a car (explaining the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, you see) and our lecturer commented that it looked a lot like an old Ford Prefect. I just about fell off my chair! Was a bit odd explaining to all my classmates that I'd just, finally, got a joke I'd known about for a good 10 years.

I think I preferred wandering around in ignorance for those years, only to be hit by the blinding brilliance of DNA's wit so much later. Just makes the books (which I read first) and the radio keep on going and going. So don't explain, trust that the audience will either get it or at some point later on, be educated and the light of realisation will dawn on their little faces as a new facet of HHGTTG is revealed to them!