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

Well, who can say?

*seeths about prospect of Zaphod having the correct number of limbs*

Wow. That script's shite. I knew DNA had said it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad. According to Salmon, he was working on another script, but I don't remember if it was finished or not.

And DNA picked Hugh Laurie for the role of Arthur Dent... interesting. Hugh Laurie looks more like Ford Prefect, I think, and Stephen Fry looks like Arthur Dent to me. They make a nice comedic pair, and would be perfect for the roles.

"Will you have another peice of Pie my lord? It really doesn't matter, we'll try again in a few minutes, have a look at these naughty parchments..."

Sorry, just reread the posting about Blackadder II. Must mention the turnip as well - Exactly the same shape, as a thingy!

Anyway, I do agree Fry and Laurie should both be in there somewhere. Rowan Atkinson for jeltz? Can we find a roll for John Cleese somewhere? lol

The parts of Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz and Prosser should be played by Rowan Atkinson. I can see Atkinson in the captain's chair, demanding that people tell him what they think of his poetry. I can also see him lying in the mud, feeling ridiculous. It'd be a perfect part for him.

John Cleese should be either Majicthise or Vroomfondel.

I thought of Rowan Atkinson when I imagined him saying 'apathetic bloody planet'.

Majikthise. Vroomfondel sounds a lot shorter, and Cleese is 6'5".

Cleese, according to current typecasting trends, should be Max, the entertainer at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. After all, he does a quite decent "eccentric hotel owner"

I'd like to see a cameo by a current entertainer for the part of Max. He needs to be a little sleazy, a lot cheesy, and withered. John Cleese is just too robust for that part. Max should look as if he's about to keel over any minute. Keith Richards, maybe, if he could speak in intelligible sentences.

I agree and will be up in arms if Carrey plays Dent. Let him be a vogon if he HAS to be in the movie.....but let's face it, I watched my hopes dashed on the rocks by Peter Jackson when we screwed the Two Towers upside down with a hot iron. It'll probably happen with H2G2 as well. Will I see it....sure.....but for God's sake don't shoot it out of the sky before it gets off the ground by casting Jim Carrey. He's an abomination to the comedy industry and a flop in drama. Dent's character needs both, and he has neither. I also agree, if this film is shot as an American film from an American point of view....I as an American will boycott it entirely. How can Carrey sport a British accent at all? Who's to be Ford? Jeff Bridges? We'll just call it Dumb and Dumber 3 and leave it to video. ( oh yes kids...they've already made a sequel to dumb and dumber so why not have a 3d?) Whoever is casting for this movie.....pick a BRITISH ACTOR!!!! Heck, to us Americans you could use an Austrailian and we wouldn't know the difference! I've said enough....rock on guys.

According to mostly harmless, the zz9 fanzine, Fry and Laurie aren't being considered because they're past it. Would have been fine if the film had been shot several years ago, but not now. Also, the writer is apparently versed in English humour, though they did joke that 42 would become 69... At least I hope it was a joke...

I think, folks, that we may be overlooking one tiny little point here. Not only would the casting of this movie be immensely difficult, but MAKING this movie would be incredibly difficult. How do you make a visual rendering out of something that is funniest for the choice of wording used to describe it. I mean, let's face it: THG is funny primarily because of the way that DNA chose to weave the story. Had another author tackled the plot, leaving out all those wonderful distracting deviations from the story and paradoxical phrasing, it simply wouldn't have had the comic bang it did. The story alone is funny, but it will never be AS funny on screen as it was in the books. Thus, I think anyone who's read THG (even just the first one) will be disappointed. The poor suffering wretches who haven't had the luxury of reading any of the books might enjoy the film, but their opinion does nothing to assuage our grief...

To join the conversation, though, does anyone think there might be a part for Dame Judy Dench?

"To join the conversation, though, does anyone think there might be a part for Dame Judy Dench?"

How about Slartibartfast?

Hey Josh, Mighty Keeper of the s
Not sure how to break this to you, but h2g2 has already been transferred to screen.
There was a TV version of h2g2 made in the '80s.
Oberon20001

"...a part for Dame Judy Dench?"

How about Slartibartfast?"

Well, do you ever see them together?

Difficult finding her a part, definitely can't see her as Trillian or Fenchurch...

The emergency backup personality for Eddie, the shipboard computer?

We could always have a female...erm...mouse

First of all, I know that the Guide's been put on screen, and I think we can all safely agree that it was a disaster. I realise also that it's British comedy, but frankly, I have yet to see a BBC movie that can equal a Hollywood one in many respects. Thus, I think it should be filmed in Hollywood with a British director, if they absolutely MUST film it.

Actually, I DID think of Slartibartfast when I first thought of Dench, but I didn't want to insult what I think of as a superb actress. Still, it's an idea. Maybe she could just do the voice of Deep Thought (after all, who said it was a guy?). Then again, that might be a better job for Charlton Heston...

Josh, MKOT

Post Script,

While I enjoy Carrey's serious films and a small dosage of his humorous ones, I quite agree that it would be filmic suicide to put him in the movie.

Don't think she'd be quite right for deep thought, but Eddie's backup personality has possibilities.

Just as a thought, in the american/other foreign language books do they change the names on places like guildford? (I think I remember reading DNA insisted on keeping Rickmansworth, but I'm not sure about others). Are they going to have to recored every scene twice, once with the english, and once with the american like they did with harry potter and the philosophers/sorcerors stone?

waitwaitwait...they reshot every single scene for the american version of harry potter??? why??!!!!! thats twice the work and i stupid waste of money!!!

They didn't do that. They simply reshot the few scenes where the characters actually talked about the philosopher's stone. The rest of the movie is identical.

However, there are some examples of films they shot twice. The movie of Oklahoma was shot twice, for two different film sizes (and speeds).

See http://us.imdb.com/Trivia?0048445 for more details.

Can I just ask why you've put your measurements after your screen name Jim? I meant what you said, but it didn't come across very well. Also, will ford pay for the peanuts in pounds? Dollars? (Or god forbid try to pay for it in altarian dollars because it would be 'funny').

Judi Dench for the Nutrimatic machine!

(Sounds like a fair swap doesn't it?)