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Original poster

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

37 replies

TotallyAddictedToLurking · 20/11/2013 22:27

I read a post here earlier saying it was good.

Is it worth a read? What did you think of it?

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TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 01/12/2013 22:02

Goodness me, I just looked up Peter Jones on google & Bill Dare who produces Dead Ringers is his son!

TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 01/12/2013 21:59

I am old enough, Errol. (Not sure if that needs a Smile or a Sad ) I think radio was late 70s?

The voice of the book was Peter Jones (?) who also used to appear on eg Just a Minute. And Arthur Dent was the same actor on the radio & TV

It was extremely well done. I loved D Adams & was very sad when he died so suddenly

NoComet · 01/12/2013 21:50

No an astronomy conference in Winchester.

EmpressOfThe7WillowsandTaras · 22/11/2013 11:32

You didn't meet him at a party in Islington did you, Starballbunny?

When DW and I moved to Islington my first thought was "Are we going to be living on the site of Arthur Dent's cave?" We're on the edge, though, not in the middle.

NoComet · 22/11/2013 11:31

I have the same problem with Black Beauty, DD2 saw a horrible scary, totally wrong, version of the flooded bridge bit and 8 years later still refuses to read it.

LineRunner · 22/11/2013 10:41

I took my kids to see the film assuming they would be inspired to read the book.

How wrong was I? Put off for life, more like. Which is tragic.

I will try to encourage them again, now that the film is now but a fading albeit horrific memory.

NoComet · 22/11/2013 10:13

It has a lot to answer for, I went to study astrophysics, failed, became a biologist, but met DH all because of HHGTTG

And it's all Trill(ions) fault.

Trills · 22/11/2013 10:07

Read the first one then see if you want more. Don't buy all 5 at once.

ILoveAFullFridge · 22/11/2013 10:00

I was in two minds about seeing the film. OTOH the casting sounded perfect, but OTOH films of favourite books can often be cruel disappointments. The reviews persuaded me not to see it.

The TV series, OTOH, was very good. Not so much in the characterisations (Zaphod and Trillian were particularly dire), but in the animation of The Book and the overall slightly under-budgeted classic-Dr-Who-style feel of the programmes. Which was very appropriate, as Douglas Adams wrote some of the Dr Whos.

EmpressOfThe7WillowsandTaras · 22/11/2013 09:18

Fantastic books. You'll never feel the same about towels, white mice or the number 42.

If you like them, I'd try the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde as well, similar sense of humour.

ErrolTheDragon · 22/11/2013 09:17

What a shame - Bill Nighy as slarti and Alan rickman voicing Marvin sounds so promising Sad

TheGreatWizardQuiQuaeQuod · 22/11/2013 09:10

I wish watching it had been. Angry

LineRunner · 22/11/2013 09:05

The film is so bad that everyone involved should be ashamed. From script to characterisation to 'feel': it's all wrong and leaden. It's as though the making of the film became Somebody Else's Problem.

TheGreatWizardQuiQuaeQuod · 22/11/2013 08:51

The film was so bad it actually made me angry. Grin

It's the most dreadful thing ever done to a book since they butchered the James Herriot books to make All Creatures Great And Small.

MurderOfGelth · 21/11/2013 22:58

Errol Everyone I know walked out of the film sounding like Marvin on an especially bad day, so yes, it's bad Grin

ErrolTheDragon · 21/11/2013 22:38

Oh, I somehow hadn't realised you could get copies of the radio - I'd like to hear The Voice of the Book again. Anyone else old enough to have heard the original broadcasts?

Radio -superlative; books - started excellent but while stretching the trilogy to 4 was good, I didn't really like the last one much, esp the ending. TV - so-so (they could probably have done it well nowadays with cgi, zaphod was never going to work well back then). Haven't seen the film - it's that bad, is it?

MaxineQuordlepleen · 21/11/2013 22:34

My favourite book ever. And I liked the film...

CosmicDespot · 21/11/2013 22:31

Love it! Fabulous book.

FatimaLovesBread · 21/11/2013 22:26

The Book People have Douglas Adams' 8 books in a set for £8.99 at the moment. Last week it was in the flash sale for £5.99

Shoutymomma · 21/11/2013 22:23

Books are brilliant. Get audio copies of the radio show for in the car - awesome. I hated the tv show myself.

tribpot · 21/11/2013 22:17

Read them - insanely brilliant.

MurderOfGelth · 21/11/2013 22:11

Book = excellent
Radio show = excellent
TV show = excellent
Film = big pile of poo

ElleBellyBeeblebrox · 21/11/2013 20:03

Yep the book is amazing, hilarious, clever. The film was very disappointing. It sucked.

LittleTulip · 21/11/2013 19:44

Agree with Line.

Read the book but don't bother with the film!

Thingymajigs · 21/11/2013 19:39

I'm currently reading the series to my 10 yo ds who isn't a very confident reader. It's a great book but an awful one to try to read aloud I've discovered. I'm quite surprised at how insightful some of the humour is and it still feels fresh and relevant. We're on book 3 and plan on reading them all.