The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

Don't panic! After twenty years stuck in development (a mere blink compared to how long it takes to find the answer to life, the universe, and everything), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has finally been turned into a movie. Following the radio play, TV series, commemorative towel, and books, this latest installment in the sci-fi-comedy franchise is based on the screenplay and detailed notes by Douglas Adams.

Hitching a ride.

For those unfamiliar with the story, everyman Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) wakes up one morning to discover that his house is set to be demolished to make room for a bypass. Little does he know the entire planet Earth is also set to be destroyed for an interplanetary bypass by the Vogons, a hideous and bureaucratic race of aliens realized in the film by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Whisked off the planet by his best friend, alien-in-disguise Ford Prefect (Mos Def), Dent embarks on a goofy jaunt across the galaxy accompanied by his trusty Hitchhiker's Guide, which looks like a really fancy PDA.

The guide itself provides some of the funniest bits of the movie, little animated shorts that explain the ludicrous life forms and extraterrestrial phenomena our heroes encounter. Along the way Arthur meets the two-headed party animal/president of the galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell) and develops an unrequited crush on fellow earthling Trillian (Zooey Deschanel). The creatures and sets are inspired and answer to the sci-fi fan's primal need to see lots and lots of cool stuff. In particular, there's John Malkovich's creepy, CGI-enhanced Humma Kavula. He's a guru leading a religion that worships the gigantic nose that allegedly sneezed the universe into existence (naturally all their prayers end not with "Amen" but with "Bless you.") The aliens the team encounters are inspired creations, eminently worthy of action figure-ification, and the sets belie an attention to detail worthy of freeze-framing. Fans of the other Hitchhiker manifestations, namely the British TV series, will be amused by a number of in-jokes sprinkled throughout the movie.

Concept art: The Heart of Gold pod on the planet Vogsphere

Where the story stumbles is in the telling--as books, the Hitchhiker's Guide was foremost about goofy and brilliant ideas that raised questions about our place in the universe while getting a laugh. The cast seems at times bewildered, at least when Sam Rockwell isn't picking pieces of scenery out of his teeth, perhaps a natural reaction to an adaptation of a book with no traditional plot. The movie has enough trouble figuring out how to get the characters from one fantastical location to the next that Adams's funniest concepts often feel left in the dust. While the reverence the filmmakers felt toward Adams's legacy is apparent, one wonders what we could have expected had the creator of this science fiction universe lived to see it with his own eyes. -- Ryan Boudinot

A Guide to the Guide

The Soundtrack	The Radio Play (CD)	The TV Series
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (Deluxe Edition)	The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (Paperback)	The Filming of the Douglas Adams Classic (book)

Interviews with The Cast and Director

Watch our interviews with the cast and director of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and find out what they think of other DVDs and books: high bandwidth low bandwidth

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Here's info most viewers did not know

Douglas Adams did indeed write almost all of this script, people who are not aware of Mr. Adams general character may not be aware that he has INTENTIONALLY made every version of Hitchhikers different. The Radio series was first and is different from the books which in turn is different than the BBC TV mini seires and so on and so on. He did this on purpose he has been quoted as saying he did not want to keep retelling the same story he wanted to change things and add new things each time he did the story.
And for most people that may not work for you, for me as a looong time Adams fan I appreciate his desire. I mean who wants to keep telling the same story over and over again? SO he plays with it, he always has and were he still alive I feel sure he would still be making changes, just to piss so called purists off. Since there truely is no one pure version of Hitchhikers.
So enjoy, or not that's your choice but don't assume Adams had little to do with this film because you would be wrong.
June 27, 2008

HiLaRiOuS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS IZ PROBABLY ONE UV THEE BEST MOOVIEZ I HAV EVR SEEN!
MY FAVORITE PART IS WHEN A WHALE STARTS FALLING AFTER THE SHIP GOES AT LIGHT SPEED OR SOMTIN. THEN HES NAMING STUFF LIKE A TAIL, WIND AND THEN HE SAYS, "WHAT IS THIS HARD SURFACE FLYING TOWARD ME VERY, VERY FAST.
I THINK I'LL CALL IT OU...OUND...ROUND...GROUND! YES THAT'S IT! GROUND!
I WONDER IF IT WILL BE FRIENDS WITH ME. HELLO GROUND!" AND THEN HE HITS THE GROUND VERY HARD. WHILE THAT IS HAPPENING ALL THAT THE FLOWERPOT IS
THINKING IS, "OH, NOT AGAIN." YOU'D HAVE 2 C DA MOOVIE THOUGH. IN OTHER WORDS IT IS HILARIOUS! June 14, 2008

Fantastic and funny

The first time I saw this movie I was like what the hell was that. But after the 3rd or 4th time watching it I love it. Some parts are so funny and Zooey Deschannel cant be hotter. This is a very sci fi movie and funny as hell if you like sci fi. June 8, 2008

I Never Read The Book...

...which is why I'm not disappointed that, once again, movie makers were not true to their original source. Movie makers are never true to the original source: why torment yourself thinking it could ever be otherwise? I loved this movie in its own right; though I have to admit I almost abandoned it during the first few minutes, wondering if it was going to be any good or if should I end it now. Happily, I stuck with it - and it was well worth it. And most happily of all, at no point did I think: this doesn't make any sense. Because it made perfect sense; it had an internal coherence and each separate event had an internal logic - which is all you can ask of any movie, no matter how whimsical it might be. It needed no overview to help understand what was happening or why: things just happened, and you either took them at face value or not. Luckily, I chose to take them at face value. June 2, 2008

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy [Blu Ray] "I'd Rather be Happy than Right"

I played this INFOCOM text-only game on my Apple computer back in the 80s and loved it. The English dry-humor really appealed to me.

This version strayed away from the book but remember that Douglas Adams still had his hand in it before he passed away. Even if you are not currently a fan of the movie, this Blu-Ray disk is worth the purchase.

Compared to the standard DVD, the menus are basic and there are fewer special features. I miss the impropability drive option. The film begins automatically after putting it in the player.

There is definite improvement in HD on this film, the special effects are more detailed and you can see features on the actors invisible before (make-up, wrinkles, etc). The sound is great on my 5.1 system!

I think this disk is a worthy upgrade from DVD if you are a fan of the film and watch it regularly. I really think this is a funny film which delivers solid entertainment. My wife and I watch it together at least every couple months. In fact, it was from our watching this movie that I got her to enjoy "Love Actually," (Due to actor Martin Freeman) which you'll have to see to understand my meaning. May 28, 2008

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