H2G2 Cast Finalized, Starts Shooting in April 541
akahige writes "According to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin Freeman (The Office, Love Actually), Mos Def (Showtime, The Italian Job), and Zooey Deschanel (Big Trouble, Elf) have signed on to play Arthur, Ford, and Trillian, respectively. Stephen Moore is once again doing the voice of Marvin. No word on who's playing Zaphod (but wouldn't Eddie Izzard be great?). It worries me when they say things like, "Adams adapted his own novel for the screen. After his death, Karey Kirkpatrick came aboard for a rewrite." But it's Disney, so what do you expect? Shooting begins in April."
What to expect.. (Score:5, Funny)
But it's Disney, so what do you expect?
Probably not what you expect..
Multiple Hitchiker toys at (McDonalds|Burger King) so people have to make several visits to buy them all.
Perhaps a Hitchiker Ride at Disney World if the movie proves very successful.
A DVD release followed soon after by a "collectors edition" release.
A re-release of the books all spiffied up for the new consumers.
A movie where quality will be second to the marketting of junk collectibles.
/. needs a "+1, Cynical Bastard" mod.
bah..
Re:What to expect.. (Score:5, Insightful)
This would be one of the worst things that could happen to a kid, literarily. Douglas Adams was a memorable portion of my adolescence escape.
Re:What to expect.. (Score:2)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:4, Insightful)
So true. I'd love to know the stats of the people which paid to see the LotR trilogy multiple times, bought the various DVD editions, plastic cups from some fast-food dive but haven't read the books and have no intention of doing so.
I'm not knocking Jackson or the movies, I think he did as good a job as could have been done, but no amount of CGI can beat the infinite movie screen of the imagination when fueled by a good book.
Re:What to expect.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Here's your stats:
Total: 0.
Margin of error: Not enough to worry about.
People who have not read the books tend to see them each once at the theater, and come out saying "a pretty good action flick, but kinda slow at times."
The psycho-fans who are buying little Gollum statues and set
Re:What to expect.. (Score:5, Informative)
The movie Starship Troopers actually spurred sales of the original novel Starship Troopers. Despite the movie being a horrible rendition of the book (emphasis on the "rend"). I may be mistaken but I think the movie actually launched the book back into the bestseller lists (the first time would be when it was first published and won a Hugo award).
Re:What to expect.. (Score:4, Informative)
You might be surprised. The book was written and first published in "younger" and more "innocent" times, and it caused quite a controversy. Not quite so much as Stranger in a Strange Land, but Starship Troopers wasn't an easily ignored thing. It portrayed women in combat roles as pilots of spaceships. It portrayed non-white and/or non-American characters in most (if not all) of the key roles. It portrayed a society in which the right to vote or hold office was gained only through military service. It contained public flogging and public hanging. It described "police action" that closely parallelled U.S. activities in Korea and later Vietnam -- some of these were acts we would consider terrorism today!
Aside from being controversial, the novel was also hugely inventive. The MI piloted what amounts to Robotech battle mechs.
Now go look up the first publish date and realize that all that was written probably before you were born.
Sometimes, the movie is better (Score:4, Insightful)
Bah.
Look at the credits for LotR. We're talking about 100s of professional dreamers, all channeling their combined skills into one magnificent creative act.
They beat me. Their world was more brilliantly imagined, more consistently detailed than my lone brain could come up with reading those books as a kid.
I think this is lazy-speak for another phenomemon. When you read a book, you are triggering fundamentally different feelings than you get watching a movie. There is a pleasure in reading that you don't get from film (and, I think, the converse is true).
But, yes, I admit it. the combined talents of all the creative folk on LotR bested my imagination.
Kudos to them. And good luck to the H2G2 crew, they have a big job ahead of them.
Re:Sometimes, the movie is better (Score:3, Insightful)
1. A movie has to be everything to all people, and this necessitates many trade-offs. My hypothetical best story is different from yours, and there are more people out there who would be happy with some lasers and rocket engines than would be happy Adams' superlative wit, just like there were more people who thought the Scouring of the Shire was an unnecessary add-on to the story than thought, like the author did, th
Re:What to expect.. (Score:3, Informative)
Maybe the radio listeners thought the visual versions ruined it for THEM!
Re:What to expect.. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:3, Interesting)
I was very disappointed in the books because I thought the radio series was sooo amazing. It just didn't seem to capture the atmosphere even though the words were the same ... like the wry voice of the book which said a lot by the way it was said. I read the books but it just wasn't the same, and the tv series was another couple of notches further down the scale.
Re:What to expect.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:2)
Yeah, but the collectables might be worth something in like 2000 years. I want to save them in the origional package.
Re:What to expect.. (Score:2, Offtopic)
ah disney. they took victor hugo's classic "the hunchback of notre dame" and gave us...
the lunchbox of notre dame.
Re:What to expect.. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:5, Funny)
I believe its called "insightful"
Re:What to expect.. (Score:5, Funny)
"Towels in the kids meals - Yes, Kids! You can hide from your parents simply by placing this over your head!"
"This weeks special, the so long and thanks for all the McFish"
Re:What to expect.. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:2, Insightful)
I once had a lady ask me if the most important part of her kid's Kids Meal was in there as I handed her food out the Drive-Thru window. I asked her what the most important part was, and she said, "The Toy of course!" Kids dont care about the food, its all about the toy. Just my $.2
Re:What to expect.. (Score:2, Informative)
I highly recommend you read Fast Food Nation [amazon.com]. The author goes into some detail about marketting to children. Some parts are a bit alarmist but overall it's a thought-provoking read.
Re:What to expect.. (Score:2)
and
* Profit!
Re:What to expect.. (Score:5, Informative)
by The Duke of Dunstable [imdb.com]:
For those of you who are worried about the Disney involvement of the movie, here's what Douglas said about it in December, 1998.
"First of all, I have not tried to 'downplay' Disney's role in this. Disney is the studio which is making this movie, which is financing it, which will be distributing it. It couldn't really be much more central to the project.
What I have tried to explain is that people's ideas of who or what Disney is is a little out of date. Yes, it made Bambi and Snow White and Flubber, but it also made Pulp Fiction, The Rock, etc., etc. It is a huge entertainment corporation, one part of which still makes what it originally made, i.e. family entertainment. So to talk about 'Disney-fying' Hitchhiker makes as much sense as saying 'Columbia-fying' it or 'Universal-fying' it. Yes, each studio has its strengths and weaknesses at any moment, depending on who's running what, but generalisations based on Bambi no longer apply. The important issues as far as I'm concerned is - who are the individual people I'm working with? The director, the producer, the studio executive etc. As things stand at the moment, I'm feeling very happy, confident and well looked after. But we have a huge task and huge challenges. Let's see how it goes."
Re:What to expect.. (Score:4, Funny)
I will gleefully whore out my favourite childhood novel if I can get a plastic Vogon figure with my Bugblatter Burger of Traal.
YLFIRe:What to expect.. (Score:4, Funny)
So, the Babelfish will need to be wrapped in a towel and placed on the head,
and Flying? well, with Disney, we're talking about at faerie dust, right?
Mickey Mice made Earth? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What to expect.. (Score:5, Funny)
* A cup of something which tastes almost (but not entirely) unlike tea.
* Shoes that not only do not fit, but which are actually joined at the heels.
DNA was always a bit close to the bone.
Disney (Score:5, Funny)
Umm... a happy ending?
Zombies on the board (Score:4, Funny)
Written in hell. No doubt...
LOTR (Score:2)
Eddie Izzard - Both Male and Female? (Score:5, Funny)
Elf (Score:2, Funny)
Wow, I didn't know that the elves started to do movies for Hollywood
H2G2 (Score:5, Informative)
HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/
... except it only applies to the web site (Score:4, Informative)
h2g2 (note the lower-casing) is the name of the online guide inspired by The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy. It's considered "official" because it was created by The Digital Village Ltd., the new media company that had Douglas Adams amongst its directors, and he assisted in its creation. It is not the name of the book, the radio series, the game, or anything else. Just the online, fact-based guide.
If you want to reference the fictional story or Guide with an abbreviation, I'd recommend HHGTTG. Or HHGG. Or HHG.
-- Yoz, who was one of the four original developers of h2g2.com, and is also horrifically pedantic
On the studios... (Score:5, Interesting)
Adams on this subject in The Salmon of Doubt:
"The Hollywood process is like trying to grill a steak by having a succession of people coming into the room and breathing on it."
Obligatory Disney Joke (Score:5, Funny)
Mickey says, "I didn't say she was odd, I said she was FUCKING GOOFY."
Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated... (Score:3, Interesting)
What was it that drew everyone to Hitchhiker's? Or did some people gain interest just from all of the different forms?
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:2)
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:2)
The reason the books are popular is because they are outlandish and enjoyable satire. Very comedic, very fun, very radical. A good read.
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:2)
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:2)
The Infocom game, IMO, is just about the most frustrating thing known to mankind, even for someone who's read the books many times.
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:2)
One can play the game online here [elsewhere.org].
Wry look at "Life, The Universe, and Everything" (Score:2)
Humor would have to be number one.
Unpredictability would be second.
Adams takes the reader on many twists and turns to wind up where we least expect.
My favorite aspect of the books is how a single event in one book can be later explained in another book from a wildly different perspective (e.g. a bowl of petunias thinking "not again" in one book is not explained until a later book).
Re:Wry look at "Life, The Universe, and Everything (Score:3, Interesting)
For me, I was in middle school and the Book Fair came into the library, offering to sell us all books. I remember seeing 12" LP's for this "Hitchhiker's Guide" thing and wondering what it was all about - and one of the books for sale was H2G2, so I bought it (amusingly, it reccomended "mature audiences"). Been hooked ever since.
For the uninitiated, go into any bookstore in America and look for the "Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide" [barnesandnoble.com] - one volume, five+ books, $15.
Start with the books (Score:3, Informative)
Additionally, the first three books are the best (Hithchiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Resturant at the end of the Universe; and Life, the Universe, and Everything -- I may have mixed up the order of the last two). So Long and Thanks For All the Fish and Mostly Harmless are ok, but get worse and worse. The trilogy probably would have been be
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:4, Insightful)
Read the first three books first, in order (*Hitchiker's Guide*, *Restaurant at the End of the Universe*, and *Life the Universe, and Everything*). Then listen to the radio shows (it is vitally important that you listen to the radio shows and read the books BEFORE you watch the BBC television series). I'd suggest the books first because they are the highest quality, even if the radio series is the fons et origo. Note that there are important differences in the organization of the books and the radio series: but you'll be able to see how DNA reworked the material for the books, and will hear the actors rather than seeing them.
After that, watch the BBC series. The BBC cast used mostly the folks from the radio cast. Thing is, they're radio actors, and they act like radio actors - their movement, blocking, etc. are all a little stiff, even if their voices are superb. Also, the budget was very tight, and the production quality (special effects, sets, wardrobe, and especially the prosthetic head) leaves much to be desired.
Next, read two stories that appear in *The Salmon of Doubt*. The first is "Young Zaphod Plays it Safe* - the version in *Salmon of Doubt* is uncensored in the US, while the on in the *Ultimate Hitchiker's Guide* and the other omnibus editions are censored in the US so that the ending leaves you a little confused (the last line is dropped). The second (though probably the oldest story of all, though I never checked on it) is "The Private Life of Ghenghis Khan".
After you've read those, it's time to read *So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish*. Enjoy. This one is a little more surreal than anything else, but it's still pretty damned funny (the biscuit story, which is absolutely realistic, is funny as hell).
Now, wait until some time when you're in such a good mood that nothing, not enough universal apocalypse, will make you sad. Get your favorite blanky out of the attic, and call up your significant other and ask him/her/shim/sher to remain on standby for a call. You are now prepared to read the last book, *Mostly Harmless*. The whole book is very, very dark, even though it is still quite funny. A lot of people hated it because the ending is rather depressing, and there's some retroactive continuity that's stretched a bit thin, but if you're over 30 you'll get it right away (if not, I've got terrible news for you: this is what life is like).
Then go out and get yourself a nice glass of orange juice and a breakfast sandwich. It will cheer you up.
Re:Someone explain to the non-Hitchhiker educated. (Score:3, Informative)
Somewhere in there you should read The meaning of liff, the expanded
Disney? Might be good .... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Disney? Might be good .... (Score:4, Insightful)
H2G2 a common abbreviation? (Score:3, Funny)
It took me a moment to figure out the meaning of the headline. I had to actually read some of the additional commentary. If I had to actually read some of the commentary before posting on all articles, how could I shoot off an ill-informed comment that so blatantly exposes my ignorance?
Re:H2G2 a common abbreviation? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:H2G2 a common abbreviation? (Score:2)
So I'm guessing you've never been to h2g2.com.
It's about as official as it gets.
they forgot the most important part!! (Score:5, Funny)
I once asked Douglas Adams... (Score:5, Interesting)
The towel story, he said, came from being on an extended vacation in Greece and never having a towel with him when his buddies wanted to go to the beach. The cooler folks always seemed to have theirs along.
you know... (Score:2)
Re:you know... (Score:2)
oh my god. what? come again?
This doesn't match at all! (Score:2, Funny)
(And what's with them removing the Dutch accent that all the Orcs had in LotR? Everyone knows that's how they talked!)
I've got low hopes (Score:3, Insightful)
It always seems like they spend less time poking fun at things like how major motion picture studios do product placement and regurgitate the same old shit and spend more time doing product placement and regurgitating the same old shit.
But I don't know. Maybe I'm just being cynical. After all, it's Disney! The people who brought us Brother Bear and, uh...yeah, Brother Bear!
Um ... ok. (Score:2)
Keaton as Zaphod? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Keaton as Zaphod? (Score:2)
Re:Keaton as Zaphod? (Score:2)
This must be Thursday. (Score:5, Funny)
But it's Disney (Score:2, Interesting)
Nothing. Loved the books. Enjoyed the BBC video, enjoyed the BBC radio play. Will not have it ruined by Disney and their idea of a rewrite. I'm so opposed to seeing this that I wouldn't even download it from the web.
Obvious response (Score:5, Funny)
Don't Panic.
E.
Head going to explode! (Score:4, Funny)
A black, American Ford? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:A black, American Ford? (Score:5, Funny)
Strange castng decisions? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Strange castng decisions? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Strange castng decisions? (Score:3, Insightful)
For me, given that it was a radio series first, I'll go with your first but not your second point.
To expand a little. Yes Ford can be what ever colour you like, NAP. But Douglas Adams was a _very_ English writer, and if he wrote Ford with an English accent (witness accents on original BBC Radio4 series: mostly, but not entirely, English accents), I'd prefer it to stay that way.
That said, without DNA to keep the director/movie corp in line, I'm re-jigging my expectations for the film.
Disney doing subtle mi
Not that strange... (Score:2)
Re:Not that strange... (Score:4, Informative)
I didn't. I pictured Arthur as a white English guy, and Ford as a really irritating Southern California hipster, race unimportant. Like some obnoxious American tourist who barges into an English pub thinking he's the shit and talking too loud. (I'm an American, by the way.) I think body language and style are far more important here than race.
zaphod actor (Score:4, Insightful)
At Least there's no Will Smith. (Score:4, Funny)
Dolemite
_________________________
Disney is involved? (Score:2, Funny)
H2G2: It changes every time!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
In other words, The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series is all about change. If the movie is 100% faithful to the books, I'll be very disappointed. I want them to switch it around a little bit, give us some of the stuff we love, but also some new stuff too.
I want to see the wonderful spirit of H2G2 and the sense of humor of Douglas Adams accurately reflected in these movies. If that's done, I don't care if Ford is black, if Arthur Dent is Latino, if Trillian is played by Queen Latifah or if Fenchurch is played by Harvey Fierstein.
That's just the problem, HE did. (Score:4, Interesting)
And you can beat your ass that no matter what anyone else does, it'll be shot down in flames. Just look at all the things they had to change in LotR - if JRR Tolkien had been there and said "We need to do this to make it work on the screen" noone would have complained. But even the things that were absolutely necessary got flamed from here to the moon.
Besides, I'd love to see a good movie version of it as it is, I have the TV series. I just hope they can keep it just as British as the original, not hollywoodify it (as seems to happen to so many movies, whether they were made there or not). And at the same time give me some dazzling CG graphics, a proper 2nd head and third arm on Zaphod (real ones, just CGI attached).
I really hope they can do it. Like that scene where they approach Magrathea, and the book steps in to tell the audience that noone will get hurt in the impending rocket attack. It's as un-hollywoodish as can be. And I love them for it.
Kjella
Re:H2G2: It changes every time!!! (Score:3, Funny)
-Jellisky
"Hollywood" Re-Write of H2G2 Scares Me... (Score:5, Insightful)
My great fear of this is that the wit, sarcasm and anti-religious rage will be written out and instead, we'll get...Spy Kids in Space. The anti-religious part will be the first to go, otherwise Pat Robertson will be ranting and railing on Fox News about a horrible, blasephemous film coming from that esteemed home of children's entertainment, Disney. But it's a part of 'The Guide' and should stay in. Otherwise, it becomes...something else.
On the other hand, I suppose Disney should be given a little benefit of the doubt, after all, Pirates of the Caribbean was a highly entertaining film.
It will interesting to see what happens with this. I was hoping secretly Peter Jackson would handle the director's chair, given the respect he gave LOTR as literature. To me, Hitchhiker's Guide is a classic and should not be "messed with."
Adams' thoughts on TV and Hollywood... (Score:4, Funny)
Here's hoping the creative/adaptive tam here has the same spirit of humorous overload!
Wow didn't know _he_ was Mos Def! (Score:2)
So I guess (Score:5, Funny)
A Black Arthur Dent?! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:A Black Arthur Dent?! (Score:4, Funny)
ekoJ OCS diputS (Score:5, Funny)
I nominate Darl McBride, he's already two-faced!
On the subject of a Hollywood rewrite.. (Score:4, Insightful)
You can't have drinking to excess (even if it is with peanuts to help offset matter transfer and hyperspace) in a teenager film, so that's out.. It'll have to be Coca-Cola/Pepsi and Doritos instead.
The mid-western 13-18 male demographic wont understand probability, so the infinite improbability drive is out. It must be the particle of the month, just like Star Trek.
Satire isn't funny enough. Eddie the ship board computer will have to be smutty and/or throw custard pies. Marvin will be the cheery, slapstic C3PO look-alike.
I'll just go and drink a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster (tm) (c)Zaphod Beeblebrox, (available at a seedy space ranger's bar near you) and drown my sorrows. (Oh, and that'll be canned as well!)
I don't see what all the fuss is about... (Score:5, Funny)
Spy Glass Entertainment not Disney (Score:4, Interesting)
Listen to the ORIGINAL incarnation of HHGTTG (Score:3, Informative)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams [kcrw.org]
Now, please refrain from slashdotting it until I've gone home for the day. I'm trying to listen to Fit the Third.
My .02 (Score:3, Insightful)
This movie treatment deserves to be something special/spectacular.
also
DNA narrated all of his books for Dove audio, and added (again) something special.
It would be lovely if they would his voiceover for narration or for the guide itself.
Re:H2G2? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:H2G2? (Score:2)
2 H's
2 G's
H2G2
Re:H2G2? (Score:3, Funny)
H1i1t1c1h1h1i1k1e1r1s1space1G1u1i1d1e1space1t1o
Re:Mos Def (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Huh? (Score:4, Insightful)
I for one am PUMPED to see what the mighty Mos Def can do for this film. He's an incredibly talented rhymer with a very distinct vocal style. His flow will match well with Davis' dialog. I'm already imagining him dropping great lines like "Muscle relaxant. You'll need it for hyperspace, it's unpleasantly like being drunk." "What's wrong with being drunk" "Ask a glass of water."
Re:Can someone explain please? (Score:4, Informative)
You know you're lazy when an acronym is too much effort to type.
but then again... (Score:3, Interesting)
Yes, but the company that made Lilo & Stitch and then proceeded to fire everyone who'd worked on it just might be that bad.
Re:Can't we have ONE fucking movie without a rappe (Score:3, Informative)