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H2G2 Film Website

tplayford writes "On the third anniversary of Douglas Adams death, the makers of the 'Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy' film have released their website, with a photo of the whole crew and a blog. I'm trying not to panic, but I just can't wait for the film to come out."

321 comments

  1. Weird.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    The new movie starts with "Click here to download the Flash Plug-In". I've seen that a lot, is that a new film studio?

    1. Re:Weird.. by big_gibbon · · Score: 1

      http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/hitchblog/blog.ht m Should get you where you want to be. Not that there's much up at the moment, and you'll need JavaScript, but hey . . . ;)

      P

    2. Re:Weird.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alls I knows is that I can't wait to see Arthur Dent take names and kick ass with his rocket launcher!!!

  2. Waldo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I like playing spot the black guy in the photo. It keeps me occupied for hours.

    1. Re:Waldo? by dasmegabyte · · Score: 1

      I think he's referring to Mos Def, the actor playing Ford Prefect (also a righteous rhymer in his own right who's been the musical guest on, like, a dozen Chappelle's Show episodes).

      He's not English...he's from Brooklyn...and to be honest, I can't find him in the photo. But I'm sitting like 4 feet away from the laptop at the moment.

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
    2. Re:Waldo? by dasmegabyte · · Score: 2, Informative

      Oh wait, there he is. In the blue suit. In the front row. I'm a fucking idiot.

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
    3. Re:Waldo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ask the Michelin Man.

    4. Re:Waldo? by waxxie · · Score: 1

      what you talkin `bout Willis? it took less than 5 seconds :P

    5. Re:Waldo? by Roark+Meets+Dent · · Score: 1

      Wait, a black guy is playing Ford Prefect? What?

    6. Re:Waldo? by Eggz+Factor · · Score: 1

      "I like playing spot the black guy in the photo. It keeps me occupied for hours."

      I had fun doing that in the IMAX Nascar film I worked on. I think there were three!

      --
      blah, blah, blah...
    7. Re:Waldo? by EverDense · · Score: 1

      That's not a shirt, its a loungue suit.

      --
      http://jesus.everdense.com/
    8. Re:Waldo? by dasmegabyte · · Score: 1

      *Rolls Eyes*

      Yes, a black guy is playing Ford Prefect. An immesely cool, intelligent, easy going, and unique entertainer who just HAPPENS to be black, is playing the part of an immensely cool, intelligent, easy going intergalactic hitchhiker slash journalist.

      Do you have a problem with that?

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
    9. Re:Waldo? by Trejkaz · · Score: 1

      Where were you the last two or three times Slashdot mentioned it?

      --
      Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
    10. Re:Waldo? by kaens · · Score: 1

      Which would be why he said suit.

    11. Re:Waldo? by Roark+Meets+Dent · · Score: 1

      Don't get so testy.. NO I don't have a problem with that. It's just that I didn't know they still allowed blacks in England. Sheesh. In all seriousness though I just never pictured Ford as black. More of an unkempt almost-40 white-trashy looking journalist/artist/hippy type.

    12. Re:Waldo? by dasmegabyte · · Score: 1

      You're in luck, then. Mos Def is the pinnacle of almost-40 looking journalist/artist/hippy types. He's just not white.

      I'm not getting testy...it's just that this casting decision is so beguilingly perfect that I'm surprised Disney made it. I can't wait for this durn film!

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
    13. Re:Waldo? by fcolari · · Score: 1

      Hey, here's a Black Ford Prefect...

      http://www.kmbusinesssolutions.com/49prefect.htm

      --
      "The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the pieces." --Aldo Leopold (Paraphrased)
  3. Skip flash by jfengel · · Score: 5, Informative

    To skip the rather unnecessary Flash intro, go here

    1. Re:Skip flash by cybermage · · Score: 1

      but the flash is harmless

    2. Re:Skip flash by noelmarkham · · Score: 4, Funny

      mostly.

    3. Re:Skip flash by warrax_666 · · Score: 3, Funny

      NO! You must always Duck and Cover(TM) when you see the flash!

      --
      HAND.
    4. Re:Skip flash by hords · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mostly Harmless

    5. Re:Skip flash by Democritus2 · · Score: 0

      mostly harmless you mean

      --

      no god is good

    6. Re:Skip flash by Mmm+coffee · · Score: 2, Troll

      If I install Flash I'll be subjected to obtrusive and noisy ads that slow my system down while they download, load, and render. Moreover, what flash content is out there is not enough to justify having it on my system - 99% of its usage is unnecessary and a general bother.

      Flash is far from harmless, it's a major pain in the ass. I don't care if it gives me HGTTG movie info or the second coming of Jesus, keep that bother off my machine.

      *Misses the days when Javascript and Flash wern't even thoughts yet*

    7. Re:Skip flash by networkz · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Use Spyware Blaster to disable flash on and off.

      Then you can still view the odd flash files as needed:

      http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.h tm l

      *note this is Windows, not Linux ;)

    8. Re:Skip flash by linicks · · Score: 3, Informative

      You might be interested in checking out the FlashBlock extension for Mozilla's Firefox browser. Instead of playing the Flash file, it puts a flash logo there. If you want to view the Flash file, click on the logo. Now you've got the best of both worlds, and it looks much nicer than "Missing plugin..." :-)

      http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/#flashblo ck
      --

      I got nothing...
    9. Re:Skip flash by object88 · · Score: 2

      Sounds like you need Firefox & the AdBlock plugin... or is it FlashBlock? Oh well, I've got both installed, and I only see Flash when I want to.

    10. Re:Skip flash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, mod that up. Best compromise solution. Also it "blasts" a lot of other crap and works GREAT in combination with Spybot Search & Destroy. I donated to both.

    11. Re:Skip flash by the_womble · · Score: 1
      Phoneix^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Firebird^H^H^H^HFox has a click to play extension for Flash - it only downloads if you click on a place holder.

      Opera alows you to enable or disable pug-ins from its quick preferences menu.

      Further more with out flash hwo the heel do I navigate around sites like this?

      That said I do hate flash and during the dot com boom repeated irritated clueless "web designers" with tirades about why I hated it.

    12. Re:Skip flash by ctrudeau · · Score: 1, Redundant

      Use Mozilla/Firefox and add the "Flash Click to View" extension. It turns all flash elements into giant buttons. If you want to see it, press the button. If it is an ad, ignore the grey box and move on.

    13. Re:Skip flash by nlindstrom · · Score: 2, Funny

      And don't forget your towel !! Ducking and covering is all fine and well, but if you can't then drape your towel over your head, you will still be eaten by the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal. Lots of good ducking 'n' covering will have done you then!

  4. Lets see if we can /. by Throtex · · Score: 5, Funny

    Deep Thought.

    1. Re:Lets see if we can /. by JosKarith · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's for amateurs.
      /. The Earth!

      --
      'Don't worry' said the trees when they saw the axe coming, 'The handle is one of us.'
    2. Re:Lets see if we can /. by Throtex · · Score: 1

      Easy... all you need is a giant Vogon laser and some really bad explosion special effects. :)

    3. Re:Lets see if we can /. by evil-osm · · Score: 1

      See you obviously don't belong here, as it is clearly "./ The planet". Guards, please have this trash removed.

      --


      E.

      Never rub another man's rhubarb - The Joker
    4. Re:Lets see if we can /. by NeoPotato · · Score: 1

      We're trying - it's called "sexual reproduction".

    5. Re:Lets see if we can /. by stanmann · · Score: 1

      Wasn't that a movie? Or was that the guy who broke into nixon's office?

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    6. Re:Lets see if we can /. by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 2

      /. The Earth!


      We already know you can deface the earth by crashing a ship of hair dressers, telephone sanitizers, marketers, etc. on it. Though... I suppose that's more like a slow-spreading worm than defacement.
    7. Re:Lets see if we can /. by caldroun · · Score: 3, Funny

      Do people on this message board reproduce? *shutter*

      --
      "If you have done 6 impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways" -- hhgg
    8. Re:Lets see if we can /. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      By Jack Handey?

    9. Re:Lets see if we can /. by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 0

      You're taking pictures? You're a braver man than I.

      --
      <xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>
    10. Re:Lets see if we can /. by typobox43 · · Score: 1

      Deep Throat was the guy you were referring to. Deep Thought was the computer that discovered that the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything was 42.

    11. Re:Lets see if we can /. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      /. The Earth!

      ... I think someone tried that once. Went by the name of Marx. Real smart fellow. Haven't heard from him in a while, though.

    12. Re:Lets see if we can /. by Thuktun · · Score: 1

      Do people on this message board reproduce? *shutter*

      Want pictures, eh?

  5. Not very good... by noelmarkham · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not a very interesting site...

    Just a button you can't push!?!?!

    1. Re:Not very good... by DaHat · · Score: 2, Informative

      Perhaps you should try pushing it again.

    2. Re:Not very good... by noelmarkham · · Score: 3, Funny

      But it says...

      Please don't push this button

    3. Re:Not very good... by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


      Are you pushing your monitor hard enough with your index finger? Maybe try tapping it with a hammer. The button gets stuck sometimes.

      --
      Trolling is a art,
    4. Re:Not very good... by SmackCrackandPot · · Score: 1

      I thought the main index page was a photograph of everyone who had contributed to the movie.

      I could imagine the director making a speech -"This movie is dedicated to every ancestor who has contributed DNA to my family tree, with special consideration to my great-great-great grandfather who contributed the gene TGHA-3 in Chromosome 6, and my great-great-great-great-grandmother who contributed the genes OXGH-5 and SRGH-3 in Chromosome 20."

    5. Re:Not very good... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you pushing your monitor hard enough with your index finger? Maybe try tapping it with a hammer. The button gets stuck sometimes.

      Great thanks a lot! It worked!

      (good thing I have a touch screen monitor)

  6. Uhm? by Xilo · · Score: 3, Informative

    I watched the Guide several years ago, and was really kinda disappointed. It's cool that it's finally .. being remade? What exactly is going on?

    --
    Read; Write; Execute
    1. Re:Uhm? by Throtex · · Score: 2, Informative

      This is a movie. What you watched was a miniseries.

      Presumably you know that it's based off of a book, otherwise you wouldn't be here. :)

    2. Re:Uhm? by grahams · · Score: 4, Funny

      What you saw a few years ago was a BBC TV miniseries. It had a budget of approximately 3 dollars (US).

      The new film is a hollywood production.

    3. Re:Uhm? by Throtex · · Score: 3, Funny

      You gotta give credit where credit is due! That lifelike prosthetic head and third arm Zaphod wore around certainly constituted all three of those dollars by themselves!

    4. Re:Uhm? by Xilo · · Score: 1

      I sorta figured it was a miniseries, but didn't remember it being broken up (by episode).
      Of course I know it's based on a book. I just have to finish the last book or two of the series.

      Can someone tell me what happens in the Flash thing? Something is seriously malfunctioning and it stops after hitting Big Red Button twice. It seems that Earth explodes, but I want to see it :-/

      --
      Read; Write; Execute
    5. Re:Uhm? by drdink · · Score: 4, Informative

      Isn't the miniseries more based off the radio version? The radio was the original, then came the book.

      --
      Beware, Nugget is watching... See?
    6. Re:Uhm? by Jace+of+Fuse! · · Score: 2, Informative

      That lifelike prosthetic head and third arm Zaphod wore around certainly constituted all three of those dollars by themselves!

      Though some satire was intended, that is mostly true, though the dollar value is a bit off.

      Apparently a great deal of money DID go into the arm and head of Zaphod, and they were supposed to do a great number of things that they never really could quite get to work properly.

      As for the Three Dollars, that was probably spent on the beers consumed in the pub scene. :)

      --

      "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"

      Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
    7. Re:Uhm? by Gallowsgod · · Score: 1

      I agree that BBC's miniseries was a disapointment.

      But HHGG was originally a radio series, which later turned into a book. Or actually four books which later again turned into six books. Only the first two were based on the radio series. As far as I know BBC are planning to make a radio series of book 3 and 4 later this year, with most of the original actors in it.

      The books are way better than the TV series, and in my opinion the radio series are even better than the books.

      --

      The belief in a biblical god is an ignorant one
    8. Re:Uhm? by rmull · · Score: 0, Troll

      So, just where DO you buy your crack?

      --
      See you, space cowboy...
    9. Re:Uhm? by grahams · · Score: 1

      He/she may smoke crack, but they are also correct. The Radio Version came before the book.

    10. Re:Uhm? by Mark+Hood · · Score: 4, Informative

      Apparently a great deal of money DID go into the arm and head of Zaphod, and they were supposed to do a great number of things that they never really could quite get to work properly.

      Actually, they did work, very well.

      Unfortunately owing to the budget constraints, there wasn't time to recharge the batteries between rehearsal and takes, so Zaphod's second head spent a lot of time asleep :)

      I heartily recommend the DVD of the mini-series, whcih includes a short clip of the head on 'Tomorrow's World' explaining how clever it is...

      Mark

      --
      Liked this comment? Why not buy me something nice
    11. Re:Uhm? by List+of+FAILURES · · Score: 1

      That's odd, I really liked the BBC production. It was the BBC at it's finest. It combined the feel of Doctor Who with the sarcasm of the best Monty Python skits. In fact, I still watch a lot of BBC programming now, and I have to say that they produce some of THE best television I've ever seen. Their programs are intelligent, witty, everything I've been saving myself up for!

      Current Favorites:

      My Family
      The Worst Week of My Life
      Red Dwarf

    12. Re:Uhm? by flyhmstr · · Score: 1

      Forget the TV version it was crap, the original Radio broadcasts however were (and still are) wonderful.

      --
      -- The Flying Hamster
    13. Re:Uhm? by Fred+Or+Alive · · Score: 1

      I guess some versions were made into an omnibus edition / TV movie for export (and possibly home video). Same happened with Doctor Who. The DVD version is episodic. And it's not a miniseries. It's a series. We Brits don't generally have big series. ;-)

      A cue ball hits the earth if you don't heed the buttons warning. The DON'T PANIC appears with the title, and then the real site loads.

      --
      10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
      20 GOTO 10
    14. Re:Uhm? by Daniel · · Score: 1

      I just have to finish the last book or two of the series.

      If I may give you some advice: don't waste your time; the last two books are far below the bar set by the first three.

      Daniel

      --
      Hurry up and jump on the individualist bandwagon!
    15. Re:Uhm? by Fred+Or+Alive · · Score: 1

      AFAIK think the new radio series have been made, but are in rights hell, probably related to the new movie.

      --
      10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
      20 GOTO 10
    16. Re:Uhm? by stanmann · · Score: 1

      So did the Tv Series.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    17. Re:Uhm? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The original radio series was (sort of) turned into *two* books. The third book was written shortly after these two (and contained pretty much nothing that was in the original radio series, IIRC). A few years later, "So Long and Thanks For All The Fish" was written, and then a fair few years passed before "Mostly Harmless" was written. In all, there were *five* Hitchhiker's Guide books in the (increasingly inaccurately named) "Trilogy".

      I am not sure how the parent poster came up with the idea that there were *six* books in the series. My best guess is that s/he is under the misapprehension that "The Salmon of Doubt" is part of the series. Either that, or s/he is counting the short story "Young Zaphod Plays it Safe" as another "book" in the series (I don't believe it has been seperately released - it would be too short; it appears in a few of the "Complete" hitchhiker's books, along with the first 4 or 5 books all contained in one big book, though)

      * Although I use the word "written" in the first paragraph, I am *really* talking about publication dates. Given DNA's famous quote about deadlines, I am sure each book was being written for a fairly long period of time, quite likely more than a year.

    18. Re:Uhm? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Au contraire - there are at least 3 different flash forms - in one, the earth just glows white and shrinks to a white horizontal line along with a high-pitched whine...like when the tv is turned off (for the video effect), and a tv station goes to the testing signal (for the audio).

      The other one I have seen is the earth exploding in chunks of rock.

      There may be others.

    19. Re:Uhm? by BigZee · · Score: 1

      We're talking about the BBC here. 6 eps constitute a full series and not a mini-series.

    20. Re:Uhm? by mfg · · Score: 1

      I'll agree with you about the 5th book - a
      complete waste of paper - but I liked the 4th
      one. I think part of the reason I disliked
      the 5th one is the way he treated Fenchurch,
      my favourite character from the 4th (details
      omitted to avoid spoiling those who haven't
      read it yet). He also seemed desperate to
      bring the story to a close so he didn't have
      to write about the characters any more.

      The 2nd Dirk Gently book was OK as well, but
      nowhere near as good as the 1st.

    21. Re:Uhm? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yet they still provide more laughs than all of Terry Pratchet's books combined.

    22. Re:Uhm? by cmacb · · Score: 1

      The cue ball hits the earth the first time. The second time, the earth explodes, and the third time it fades out in the manner of an old TV picture (or maybe it's supposed to look like a warp drive effect?). None of the flash animations are particularly large, or interesting. The button joke is cute.

      I didn't see much info on the movie at all, other than a single cast photo. Hopefully there will be more.

    23. Re:Uhm? by nlindstrom · · Score: 1
      I still firmly believe that the best ever two-head movie scene is the one from Army of Darkness.

      In it, the intrepid Ashley J. "Ash" Williams (played by the always hilarious Bruce Campbell) splits into two persons. During this process, he has two heads and three legs for awhile; one head is good (the original head) while the second is pure evil. During the so-called fight scene, watching "him" poke "himself" in the eye and slap "his own" head was an absolute riot!

      The movie is highly recommended to anyone who likes Douglas Adams and/or Terry Pratchet.

    24. Re:Uhm? by Bambi+Dee · · Score: 1

      Six books?

  7. Visiting executives from LA by lordmoose · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's never a good sign.

    1. Re:Visiting executives from LA by shut_up_man · · Score: 1

      Unless they're guest-starring as Vogons.

  8. Photo!?!? by imidazole2 · · Score: 1

    Check out that scary photo! lol

    --

    -Imidazole2
    1. Re:Photo!?!? by krmt · · Score: 1

      Yeah, Mos Def appears to be the only black guy on the cast and crew. That's irony for you. Go Mos!

      --

      "I may not have morals, but I have standards."

    2. Re:Photo!?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any relation to Mos Eisley?

  9. Probability. by bludstone · · Score: 4, Insightful

    While this story has adapted well to radio, book, and even a campy TV mini-series, what is the probability of hollywood trashing this?

    Id say higher then turning a nuclear missle into a confused sperm whale.

    I hope that this doesnt wind up sucking. But, unfortunatly, I think it will.

    Oh well.

    --

    no .sig
    1. Re:Probability. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      5,233,001 to 1 against... and falling!

    2. Re:Probability. by AceCaseOR · · Score: 5, Interesting
      From what I've gathered so far about the film, the only thing any Hollywood schmucks have to do with the actual filmmaking (aside from any special effects), would be with distributing it and promoting it in the USA. I've got faith that the film won't suck.

      However if it does suck, we may see the nerd riots after all, except they'll be in 2005-6 instead of 2004.

      --
      Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
    3. Re:Probability. by Golias · · Score: 2, Insightful
      So all we need is a hot cup of tea and...

      Eh, screw it. Quoting Adams is getting to be as pointless, annoying and overdone as quoting Monty Python.

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

    4. Re:Probability. by minotaurcomputing · · Score: 1, Funny

      "what is the probability of hollywood trashing this?"

      42

    5. Re:Probability. by jonastullus · · Score: 1

      hmm, it's the same for H2G2U as for all "fantastic" fiction!

      they did it to LotR, they did it to the Neverending Story, so why should H2G2U turn out to be exploited less than its noble predecessors? (oh, I almost forgot: although not fantasy at all, haven't "they" just spoilt the epos of the trojan war for just about everyone? i mean: how can such bullsh*t be produced without some cultivated person stepping in and preventing it?)

      in my opinion hollywood (and all other film producing places at that) should refrain from making movies out of scripts that mean a lot to many people and are highly unlikely to satisfy most of them! some things simply can't be made into a movie (although H2G2U WAS originally written as a radio series, this does not make it into a better movie script)!

      in my opinion it is a very textual book but (while giving great opportunities for wonderful and aesthetic visuals) is not suited for movie adaptation!

      just my two cents,

      jethr0

    6. Re:Probability. by pubjames · · Score: 3, Interesting

      what is the probability of hollywood trashing this?

      Quite high, I expect.

      I mean, when hollywood can fuck up making a movie of Starsky and Hutch for flipsake, what chance have they got with this?

      I do hope they get the point of Arthur Dent in the story and don't try to make him funny. Like Brian in the Life of Brian, the comedy revolves around him and his situation. If they try to make Arthur into a comic character it won't work so well.

      Having said that, I think they have chosen the right actor for Arthur.

    7. Re:Probability. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cultivated person? But Spaarti cloning cylinders are illegal!

    8. Re:Probability. by grasshoppa · · Score: 2, Interesting

      they did it to the Neverending Story

      Side note here: To those who have not, READ THE BOOK. I got my hands on it, not really thinking a great deal about it after seeing the movie, and I was completely shocked by how good the story is. It is, by far, one of the best books I have ever read.

      Hollywood raped this book for fun and profit. And by rape, I mean they sorta stuck with the first couple chapters of the story...sorta...but then kinda dropped the ball with the rest of the book, could they have been said to ever be carrying it in the first place, which I wouldn't.

      --
      Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
    9. Re:Probability. by d_p · · Score: 1

      What is the improbability factor of this being a good movie?

    10. Re:Probability. by stratjakt · · Score: 2, Insightful

      in my opinion hollywood (and all other film producing places at that) should refrain from making movies out of scripts that mean a lot to many people and are highly unlikely to satisfy most of them!

      In my opinion, you should refrain from watching such films and commenting about them.

      I bet when Wizard Of Oz was in production, there was some oldtimey nerd was saying the same things, but it turned out to be a classic and timeless film.

      So get over yourself. If you're "above" movies, don't go see them. It doesn't make you particularly cultured or elite, just a pompous windbag.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    11. Re:Probability. by mydigitalself · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Maybe not...they've cast John Malkovich who generally is involved with pretty good non-mainstream productions.

    12. Re:Probability. by IMarvinTPA · · Score: 1

      I didn't enjoy it too terribly much, but it might have been because I had to read stuff for the school's summer reading list. (Or was it because I wasn't taking the Normal English which had H2G2 on the list and Advanced English didn't...)

      The fates toy with me so.
      IMarv

    13. Re:Probability. by WaKall · · Score: 1

      Seriously, they can't trash the movie unless it is highly improbable that they will trash it. Or have you misplaced your improbability drive?

    14. Re:Probability. by EvilAlien · · Score: 1
      Yes, like Man in the Iron Mask! Brilliant!

      Malkovich != guaranteed quality

      --
      perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
    15. Re:Probability. by NaugaHunter · · Score: 1

      5,233,001 to 1 against... and falling!

      Hey! The party I met my wife at had that phone number!

      --
      R: That voice. Where have I heard that voice before? B: In about 365 other episodes. But I don't know who it is either.
    16. Re:Probability. by cocotoni · · Score: 1
      I bet when LoTR was in production, there was some oldtimey nerd was saying the same things, but it turned out to be a classic and timeless film.

      Oh, wait...
    17. Re:Probability. by katarac · · Score: 1

      Your 2 cents will be worth 3 if you tell me what H2G2U stands for.

    18. Re:Probability. by prell · · Score: 1
      I hope that this doesnt wind up sucking. But, unfortunatly, I think it will.

      I was worried as well, but I went to iMDB and, having seen who's involved, I feel a little better. Some of the people include:
      • Mertin Freeman as Arthur Dent. He plays Tim on The Office, and I consider him to be a very promising fit for Arthur, based on his performance in that show.
      • Mos Def as Ford Prefect. Sounds good!.
      • John Malkovich. Cool!.
      • Sam Rockwell as Zaphod. Time will tell how well suited he is for this role, but I've envjoyed him in everything I've seen him in, and he seems to have a decent range.

      It looks like a very creative cast listing. Trying to picture all these actors on screen in the same movie is already getting me a bit excited. I'm sure you'll notice that many of the main people involved in this are British. Hopefully, in some simple way, that means this will be a pretty faithful (and hopefully inspired) movie. After all, I doubt a U.S. film exec would have come up with this on their own.
  10. I don't know about Adams. by Power+Everywhere · · Score: 0, Troll

    Having characters called things like Slartibartfast and Zloat kind of makes me think he was taking stabs in the dark at writing a having a huge joke over on his readers/consumers.

    1. Re:I don't know about Adams. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      The name "Slartibartfast" was chosen because the person who typed out the copies of the script for the recording of the radio show objected to having to type out long silly names. So he deliberately chose a very long and very silly name for a fairly major character.

    2. Re:I don't know about Adams. by angusr · · Score: 1
      Having characters called things like Slartibartfast and Zloat kind of makes me think he was taking stabs in the dark at writing a having a huge joke over on his readers/consumers.

      Well, given that it was a radio series when he wrote most of the character names it would be "listeners".

      And Slartibartfast came about because he wanted the character to have something that constantly depressed him and made him secretive, and he decided it would be a really terrible name. It started off as "Phartiphuckborlz" or similar, and they switched the syllables around until it was almost, but not quite, entirely safe to broadcast.

      You should read about his writing technique; it usually involved taking three pages of dialogue and rewriting them mercilessly into about four sentences over the course of a day. Part of his problem with deadlines was because he was never ever totally happy with his work.

    3. Re:I don't know about Adams. by ajs · · Score: 1

      Part of his problem with deadlines was because he was never ever totally happy with his work.

      And the other part was that the man was a raving alcoholic. Let's not over-gloss his life, it wasn't all pretty. He wrote some damn fine comedy, true. Leave it at that.

    4. Re:I don't know about Adams. by pete-classic · · Score: 1

      Who the fuck is Zloat?

      -Peter

    5. Re:I don't know about Adams. by Rallion · · Score: 1

      Let's not over-gloss his life, it wasn't all pretty. He wrote some damn fine comedy, true. Leave it at that.

      Uhhh...make up your mind!

    6. Re:I don't know about Adams. by Fearless+Freep · · Score: 1

      Part of his problem with deadlines was because he was never ever totally happy with his work.

      Part of it was because he was writing as it was being recorded so it has a very random, stream of concious feel to it. The third and later books were much more cohesive.

    7. Re:I don't know about Adams. by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      "Having characters called things like Slartibartfast and Zloat kind of makes me think he was taking stabs in the dark at writing a having a huge joke over on his readers/consumers. "

      I thought the joke was that aliens always have silly names.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    8. Re:I don't know about Adams. by angusr · · Score: 1
      Part of it was because he was writing as it was being recorded so it has a very random, stream of concious feel to it. The third and later books were much more cohesive.

      That was only true of the second radio series (Fit the 7th to Fit the 12th, IIRC) - the first series was written before recording (although there were numerous rewrites, and at that time he was also the Doctor Who script editor and under a lot of time pressure). The second series was both written and recorded in a huge hurry, with writing happening while the actors were waiting and - once - the episode almost being transmitted before the end of it was ready.

      The writing in the second series shows to a large extent why Adams was so fond of continously rewriting - he couldn't do it on that schedule, and it shows. An epsiode and a half worth of the "shoe event horizon" was covered by half a page when it made it into book form.

      It also shows why it was a failing, too. The first two books were written in a hurry (to the extent that the first book ends at the point where the dispatch rider from the publishers turned up to collect what he'd written, regardless) and that seemed to make them funnier, along with the fact that the plot & dialogue had already been honed for the radio series. The third book onwards weren't written under such enourmous time pressure, and weren't so closely based on the second series, and I think he had a tendency to rewrite some of that excitement and humour out.

      Adams was always best when he was converting something he'd done for another medium - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, for example, was based on at least two episodes he'd written for Doctor Who and so the plotting was already done. Long Dark Teatime of the Soul was less satisfying to my mind because he got lost in the plot.

    9. Re:I don't know about Adams. by toxcspdrmn · · Score: 1

      Adams claimed that the name was supposed to sound like a really rude word (when Slartibartfast first appears he keeps saying that his name is unimportant but he eventually tells Arthur what it is).

      Apparently the first version of the name was Phartiphukborlz and Adams just played around with it until he came up with something that sounded rude, but wasn't.

      --
      "E pur si muove!" - attributed to Galileo Galilei, 1564-1642
    10. Re:I don't know about Adams. by guidemaker · · Score: 1

      And the other part was that the man was a raving alcoholic.

      No he wasn't.

  11. Connection to jodrell bank? by qrash · · Score: 1

    I am not aware of the connection with the Jodrell Bank observatory [http://www.jb.man.ac.uk], however I heard they are actually filming part of the film there, as one of my tutors works there.

    --
    you may find the Higgs in this signature.
    1. Re:Connection to jodrell bank? by kuiken · · Score: 2, Informative

      They got a shot of it in the mini serries awsell.

      Its a joke about the vogons turning up and nobody beeing aware off it even tho thats exactly the thing the jodrell bank is looking for

      --

      42
  12. Call me Marvin, but... by Doches · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...After what I've heard about Disney having the script re-written after Adams' death, I'm not exactly looking forward to this _travesty_ with his name on it.

    1. Re:Call me Marvin, but... by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      Disney? Disney? Oh for the love of God, I give up.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    2. Re:Call me Marvin, but... by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      "...After what I've heard about Disney having the script re-written after Adams' death, I'm not exactly looking forward to this _travesty_ with his name on it. "

      On the plus side, we'll be able to get Peril Sensitive Sunglasses in our next Happy Meal. They insist the Mice are a tie-in as well.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    3. Re:Call me Marvin, but... by blamanj · · Score: 2, Informative

      There's an interview with the director (Garth Jennings) and producer (Nick Goldsmith) that makes it sound like they have their hearts in the right place, but we'll have to see the flick to know for sure.

      One bad sign, this is the design for Marvin. Ick.

    4. Re:Call me Marvin, but... by Fearless+Freep · · Score: 1

      One bad sign, this is the design for Marvin. Ick.

      Nice to see Warwick Davis get some work, though

    5. Re:Call me Marvin, but... by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 4, Funny



      > One bad sign, this is the design for Marvin. Ick.

      No, no, NOOOOOO!! They got it all *wrong*! Marvin's tall, dammit! I've been listening to the album-length BBC production of Hitch-Hiker's for over *twenty* years now, I *know* what Marvin sounds like, and *HE SOUNDS TALL!*

      Oh man, this is just going to mess with my head...

    6. Re:Call me Marvin, but... by beebware · · Score: 2, Informative

      I agree - Marvin IS meant to be tall. IIRC, in one of the many "about:H2G2" books I have at one point Douglas wanted, for the TV series, a 6ft+ man in a gold leotard(!). But Marvin being less then 5ft? Nah - the whole point of Marvin was that he was, in every way, "bigger and better" than everyone else but that he had to live his live in resentment and as a slave to the crew of the HoG.

  13. Comfy by CptSparrow · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wonder what the three guys in the front of the photo do that allow them to wear blue fuzzy slippers?!

    1. Re:Comfy by TCaptain · · Score: 2, Funny

      Arthur Dent and his stunt doubles?

      --
      "I'm not a procrastinator, I'm temporally challenged"
    2. Re:Comfy by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 1



      That's Mos Def dressed all in blue, and I imagine the folks next to him are cast as well. Since this is a workday picture and it was taken after 9am, they're almost certainly in costume. The blue slippers are either costume, coverings for their costume footwear when outside, or (most likely) they're coverings to keep their shoes from picking up contaminants that might get on or scratch the set floor. Pretty common when working on a set that has a highly polished surface - say, the interior of a gold space ship?

    3. Re:Comfy by cybergrue · · Score: 1
      Yep, I looked at the photo, and thought I saw Warwick Davis standing there in the front row, so I looked it up in the imdb, and yes, the people in the front row do look (vaguly) like the cast.
      IMDB entry for hg2g

      Also, did anyones flash pause loading at 42%? Mine temperarly paused at 38% and I was quite disapointed.

    4. Re:Comfy by imidan · · Score: 1

      My almost wholly ignorant impression was always that those fuzzy slippers they wear are to kill the sound of their footsteps on the floors of the sets. There was something about that on one of the DS9 DVD special features, in which they had the guy who plays Dr. Bashir pointing out that you can clearly see the fuzzy slippers on his feet in one scene of an episode that they did together with the TNG cast. And I thought that's what he said about it, that it was for sound.

    5. Re:Comfy by CaptainBaz · · Score: 1

      Presumably the aftermath of the shoe event horizon!

    6. Re:Comfy by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 1



      Could be. Wardrobe on a film set is a *very* flexible thing, especially on a sci-fi shoot with very few "natural" environments. There are also many instances of actors only getting half-dressed for days where they're only going to be shooting closeups. No point in spending two hours getting sewn into a costume that isn't going to be seen.

      (And on the flip side, Marlon Brando refused to wear pants for many days while shooting "The Score" because he didn't want them to shoot him in long shots.)

  14. Is it just me? by erick99 · · Score: 0, Troll
    I may well be the only person on the planet (or at least the only one over 40) who never read the orginal book. I did pop over to the website to see if it tells the viewer anything about the movie but it does not. I don't think it does. I do know, from the site, that Douglas Adams died three years ago but I don't know who he is. The author? This appears to be a web site that is very much for insiders.....

    Happy Trails

    Erick

    --
    http://www.busyweather.com/
    1. Re:Is it just me? by AceCaseOR · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Okay, you need to get up from your computer, right now, go to the nearest library, and check out a copy of the book. Read it, love it, live it... Okay, maybe not the live it part, but you get my point.

      Stick to the first three (Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Restaurant at the End of the Universe, and Life, The Universe and Everything) though. The series kind of goes downhill in the last two books in the trilogy (Mostly Harmless, and So Long and Thanks for All The Fish).

      --
      Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
    2. Re:Is it just me? by ErroneousBee · · Score: 1

      Original book? Have they published the scripts for the radio show?

      --
      **TODO** Steal someone elses sig.
    3. Re:Is it just me? by angusr · · Score: 2, Informative
      Original book? Have they published the scripts for the radio show?

      Yes, at least twice - I have the original version somewhere at home, and it's pretty easy to find the current version.

    4. Re:Is it just me? by Lemmeoutada+Collecti · · Score: 1

      Now just what, exactly, is so monumentally wrong about living it? What if we want to be hoopy froods? I know where my towel is, do you?

      --

      You can have it fast, accurate, or pretty. Pick any 2.
    5. Re:Is it just me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know where my towel is, do you?

      Mine is currently drapped over Colin whilst it dries. Colin seems very happy about it.

    6. Re:Is it just me? by ggvaidya · · Score: 1
      The series kind of goes downhill in the last two books in the trilogy (Mostly Harmless, and So Long and Thanks for All The Fish).

      Yeah, reading it in that order can do that to you ;)

    7. Re:Is it just me? by iamcf13 · · Score: 1

      Nay, I vaguely remember reading (all?) of them and found only the first one (THHGTTG) to be the best one.

      Absurdist fun with a SF slant!

      Too bad Mr. Adams's not around to see the big screen version of his famous work....

  15. Re: But it says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You must be British.

  16. What!?!?!?!? by Doches · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Douglas Adams!??!?! taking stabs in the dark(!) at writing!

    Of course his characters are huge jokes, that's why they're great! Have you even read the books? No? Go, now, and purify thyself -- I promise, you'll enjoy it.

  17. Just a question... by GTownBeast · · Score: 1

    How does "H2G2" translate to "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"??

    --
    Rumor has it... that Catholic School Girls Rule
    1. Re:Just a question... by urmensch · · Score: 3, Interesting

      HHGG - Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

    2. Re:Just a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The problem is that hitchhiker is one word.

    3. Re:Just a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...that contains two 'H'es.

    4. Re:Just a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually there is some descrepency over wether the spelling is "Hitch Hiker", "Hitch-Hiker" or "Hitchhicker". You'll just have to read Neil Gamons Don't Panic! for the full, confusing, story.

  18. At last!!! by bcmm · · Score: 1

    COOL!!!

    But with DNA dead, they could just do this really badly. Which would be unforgivable.

    --
    # cat /dev/mem | strings | grep -i llama
    Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
  19. Re: But it says... by noelmarkham · · Score: 1

    Is it the accent?

  20. Yes, It's just you.... by Doches · · Score: 1

    ...But you know, it's an easy situation to remedy!

  21. Reload the page by Tribbles · · Score: 3, Informative

    The opening page acts in different ways when you press the button - although I had to restart the browser for it to change (refresh didn't seem to cut it).

    1. Re:Reload the page by Christopher_G_Lewis · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      In IE, do a ctrl-F5. (Forced Refresh)

      The three I've seen are:
      - Cue-Ball hits earth
      - Explosion w/ rocks
      - Explosion in a weird, special effect thingie like what Lucas did to the Death Star in Star Wars 1.1 (the enhanced VHS stuff)

  22. Re: But it says... by Trigun · · Score: 1

    That, and the fact that you don't see too many people outside of the isles named Noel Markham.

    It's a pretty safe guess.

  23. Photo Looks Like Elstree by Vespa1000 · · Score: 1

    The photo of the crew looks like they are at Elstree Studios in North London (http://www.elstreefilmtv.com/), the same place where they shoot Big Brother. May they will use Jade as the Triple Breasted Hore from Erecton Six!!

    1. Re:Photo Looks Like Elstree by jcostantino · · Score: 1

      Eroticon Six, you insensitive clod!

      --
      Reviews with a twist! http://www.sardonicbastard.com
    2. Re:Photo Looks Like Elstree by Vespa1000 · · Score: 1

      Thank you for the precision. I read the book like 15 years ago.

    3. Re:Photo Looks Like Elstree by Spad · · Score: 1

      Still, who could forget Eccentrica Gallumbits?

  24. Whatever... Vaporflick alert!! by LqqkOut · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hate to break it to you all, but there isn't anyone in that staff pic with 2 heads. There's no way they can make this flick w/out the coolest guy in the universe!

    --

    -- In Soviet Russia, radio listens to YOU!

    1. Re:Whatever... Vaporflick alert!! by stanmann · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well you see he's been replace by Jar-Jar beeblebrox.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    2. Re:Whatever... Vaporflick alert!! by object88 · · Score: 1

      Clearly, he's far too cool for the photo. Man, you earth-monkeys are slow!

    3. Re:Whatever... Vaporflick alert!! by bcmm · · Score: 1

      In the TV series, they had an unconvincing plastic head.

      They could do a lot better this time, but I hope they don't turn the whole film into a load of over-the-top computer graphics...

      --
      # cat /dev/mem | strings | grep -i llama
      Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
    4. Re:Whatever... Vaporflick alert!! by ahem · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't that be Jar-Jar-Jar-Jar Binkselbrox?

      --
      Not A Sig
  25. Stock up on untainted books now by spuke4000 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Better buy a bunch of copies now, before all you can buy are the one's with the picture of the cast on the cover saying "Now a major motion picture."

    --
    This post cannot be rebroadcast without the express written constent of Major League Baseball.
    1. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 1

      The phrase "Never judge a book by its cover" springs to mind.

      What difference does the picture on the front have to do with the quality of the words inside? Is your enjoyment of them related to the image on the front somehow?

      --

      "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
    2. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by SlightlyMadman · · Score: 1

      Actually, I can't stand these covers, because even if I decide to read the book before the movie, I end up picturing the actors in my head while I'm reading, rather than letting my brain come up with its own interpretation. I always feel somehow cheated out of a crucial part of the experience when this happens.

      The worst was when I reread The Lord of The Rings before the movies came out. Even though I had read it before, my mind was tainted and I couldn't even recall how I had originally pictured them.

      Of course, any sort of character portraits on the cover can have this exact same problem.

      --

      Money I owe, money-iy-ay
    3. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by chrismear · · Score: 1

      Is your enjoyment of them related to the image on the front somehow?

      Yes. I wouldn't be seen dead reading anything other than the adult version of the Harry Potter books. It obviously makes it far more respectable.

    4. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by MenTaLguY · · Score: 1

      I don't see much of a problem with that myself either.

      Worse, however, is the pernicious phenomenon of the "book based on the film based on the book".

      Screenplay novelisations of films based on books are invariably rank.

      --

      DNA just wants to be free...
    5. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by jea6 · · Score: 4, Funny
      People who buy a book only after it has become a major motion picture are tag-alongers not true-believers. Tag-alongers deserve noting but our ultimate scorn. True-believers have been there since the beginning and are worthy of our undying affection and respect. It is only the power of the true-believer that has allowed this book to become a major motion picture. Everybody else is a free-loader who can bring no insight or value to this proposition.

      Other examples of this phenomenon are:
      • LOTR (obviously)
      • Harry Potter (When did you read Sorcerer's Stone)
      • My Slashdot ID is lower than yours (Sub-groups here are 3-digit, 4-5 digit, low 6 digit IDs)
      • People who had to watch Soprano's Season 1 after Season 2.
      • People who first watched the Matrix on DVD.
      • Anyone born after Carter left office.
      Apparently, the comic book scene (which I know nothing about), is chock-full of this ninniness too. The list could go on. My lunch break, alas, can not.
      --

      sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
    6. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Harry Potter (When did you read Sorcerer's Stone)"

      ummm...never?

    7. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Tryfen · · Score: 4, Funny

      When did you read Sorcerer's Stone

      When it was Philosopher's Stone.

      --
      If a square is really a rhombus, why aren't all triangles purple?
    8. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Fred+Or+Alive · · Score: 1

      Harry Potter (When did you read Sorcerer's Stone)

      Never. I read the Philosophers Stone. ;)

      But I did read that quite some time before the movies came out (around the time the second book came out IIRC.) I'm marginally too old to be part of the first real Harry Potter generation, but some of the people who can truthfully claim to have been part of it are in 6th Form (16-18) by now.

      --
      10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
      20 GOTO 10
    9. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by vjmurphy · · Score: 1

      When it was Neil Gaiman's Books of Magic.

      --
      Vincent J. Murphy
      Spandex Justice
    10. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by nevets · · Score: 1

      Hmmm...

      LOTR - Actually, I didn't read the books until after seeing the second movie. I've knew of them, and always wanted to read them, but never actually got around to it. I did read the books before the ROTK and I believe that made the movies better. I now have the first two on DVD (both normal and extended) and I can't wait for the third.

      Harry Potter - Before the movies, I tried to read them to my childrem (2 and 5 then) but they weren't interested. After they saw the movie, then they wanted me to read it to them. But still, it's a little too much for kids that young. They still like to look at the pictures.

      Low slash dot id... Well that speaks for itself!

      Soprano's, saw one episode, don't know what season, but I have no interest in seeing it again.

      Matrix - Rented that on VHS. Yeah I still own one of them, so I guess I am a tag along. OK, I also have a DVD as well. But still, when I saw that, I didn't know what it was about. No one I knew saw it before me, and I was quite surprise. I then bought the DVD.

      Carter? How about Nixon! ;-)

      Oh, and comics, I actually liked reading the Punisher, and then I went and rented it (The first one), God I hated that movie. I thought they could have done so much more with the character, at least get someone who speaks english. I'm interested in seeing the new one. I hope its better (well, I'm not sure it can be worst).

      --
      Steven Rostedt
      -- Nevermind
    11. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I'm marginally too old to be part of the first real Harry Potter generation
      That would make you about 75, I reckon. They released adult-cover editions for a reason, you know.
    12. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Patrik_AKA_RedX · · Score: 1
      My Slashdot ID is lower than yours (Sub-groups here are 3-digit, 4-5 digit, low 6 digit IDs)
      "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
    13. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please let us know when you've finally kissed a girl. As always, relatives and hookers don't count.

    14. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Maniakes · · Score: 1

      LOTR (obviously)

      Read books long before movie.

      Harry Potter (When did you read Sorcerer's Stone)

      The night before the movie opened.

      My Slashdot ID is lower than yours (Sub-groups here are 3-digit, 4-5 digit, low 6 digit IDs)

      Low 6 digit.

      People who had to watch Soprano's Season 1 after Season 2.

      Season 1 first

      People who first watched the Matrix on DVD.

      Watched it on a press pass (college newspaper) a week before it opened.

      Anyone born after Carter left office.

      DAMMIT! Seven frikkin months into the Reagan administration!

      --
      A legparnasom tele van angolnaval.
    15. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by eric_brissette · · Score: 1

      I din't realize my ID was lame until you said that. Crap.

    16. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Ummm... how about copiers of the book that still say "trilogy" and not "the ever increasingly inaccurately named trilogy"... None of my covers match as they were bought as the books became available.

      I have a copy of the original pressing of the radio series on CD and the silk screening on the discs is all mixed up - the colours don't match the cases and several disc have the same episode information on them.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    17. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Other examples of this phenomenon are:

      LOTR (obviously)

      Sometime around '80, which was before the animated film.

      Harry Potter (When did you read Sorcerer's Stone)

      I read Philosopher's Stone prior to PoA being released in hardcover.

      My Slashdot ID is lower than yours (Sub-groups here are 3-digit, 4-5 digit, low 6 digit IDs)

      resisted registering for a very long time, posted as an AC for about 2 years, registered about 6 months ago.

      People who had to watch Soprano's Season 1 after Season 2.

      watched Soprano's on DVD - we don't get HBO in Australia.

      People who first watched the Matrix on DVD.

      saw Matrix on the big screen first, wish I'd waited for DVD for the 3rd one.

      Anyone born after Carter left office.

      born during the reign of LBJ

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    18. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by trouser · · Score: 1

      Philosopher's Stone

      --
      Now wash your hands.
    19. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by The_dev0 · · Score: 1
      What, so morons could learn to read? The Harry Potter books are the mostly pointless, infantile plotless pages of garbage I have ever seen bound into some kind of story. These books are aimed at children. It's obvious too, by the way the book reads like a computer game, with no overall story but instead a bunch of small "quests" one after the other, that it was written especially for the ritalin-infused children who couldn't hold their attention on one plotline for longer than 20 pages.

      The only adults that read these books should be parents, but only to see the garbage that's printed so they know not to waste money on this drivel for their children. Get them onto some quality literature instead, please! Nothing shits me more than seeing adults reading these books and thinking it's actually quality fiction. Unfortunately, it's usually the same people who listen to the top 40 and think it's all quality music. They are just NOT GOOD BOOKS.

      (yes yes, mod me down because I don't agree with you)

      --
      Never fight naked, unless you're in prison...
    20. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by nevets · · Score: 1

      The only adults that read these books should be parents, but only to see the garbage that's printed so they know not to waste money on this drivel for their children. Get them onto some quality literature instead, please!

      Being a parent, I'll respond to this. If your children are at an age where they can't read for themselves, or are just starting to read. I think the Harry Potter books are excellent. Don't think you would be able to get though any of the LOTR books with a 8 year old, unless they are really into that. The important thing, for me, is that they are interested in reading. If it takes small quests and a shallow plot, then so be it. But, yes, although I liked the books as entertainment, I would not say they were "good" as in quality. But then again, I liked "Van Helsing". I went to see it after a long day at work, and I didn't want to think, I just wanted to be entertained. That movie was perfect!

      --
      Steven Rostedt
      -- Nevermind
    21. Re:Stock up on untainted books now by The_dev0 · · Score: 1

      You've hit the nail right on the head. I totally agree that these books are beneficial to the younger children, and frankly, my love of books was spawned from reading comics and the like as a little kid, literature that was/is considered low-brow entertainment (you know, the old cowboys/WWII paperback fiction, etc). I would be happy for kids to read the back of cornflake boxes if it inspired them to read more. I just hate the way some adults imply the Harry Potter books are worthy of ranking with the greats, when I see them more on the level of pulp fiction for kids. Pointless and badly written, but that's not what kids look for in a book, I suppose.

      --
      Never fight naked, unless you're in prison...
  26. Unleash Mr Prosser by zenmojodaddy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Radio series, in which Adams was involved: great.

    Books, in which Adams was involved: variable, from okay to great.

    TV series, in which Adams was involved: pretty cool, all things considered.

    Film, with no input from Adams but lots from clueless Hollywood types: worse than Vogon poetry, I betcha. Prepare to gnaw your own legs off.

    1. Re:Unleash Mr Prosser by stanmann · · Score: 1

      Radio series(the first) Good

      Tv series: fairly good for the budget

      Books: servicable

      radio series(the second): also serviceable

      Film(Script completed before Adams died but put on hold for budget reasons): Likely to be serviceable or better.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    2. Re:Unleash Mr Prosser by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      2nd radio series is not merely serviceable!!!! it's also a classic.

      now in my opinion the books are so so (if you consider what new things they bring to the franchise) and the tv series downright cheesy.

      the film could be good regardless of the script. there's more than enough material to make a good film it's all down to how it's put togethor.

    3. Re:Unleash Mr Prosser by protohiro1 · · Score: 1

      Disney is involved. Sure it could be good. But those bastards have a talent for messing things up, so I wouldn't hold my breath. All descisions at Disney are based on the ideas of the most powerful exec of the week. If he isn't available they use data from focus groups of stoned college freshmen.

      --
      Sig removed because it was obnoxious
    4. Re:Unleash Mr Prosser by ivan1011001 · · Score: 1

      Or have your lower intestine reach up and strangle your brain =P

      --

      I was thinking of converting to paganism, but where the hell can you find sacrificial virgins these days?
  27. Complete Audio CD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sort of OT, but not completely.

    I've been doing some searching, but haven't been able to find a way to buy all of the books (all five) in one audio book volume. Does this even exist? Does anyone have any recommendations on where to find it?

    Thanks

    1. Re:Complete Audio CD by dunsurfin · · Score: 2, Informative

      You are better off getting the CD's of the radio series (since this is how it all started out) - Audio book of the book of the radio series seems far to circular for me. Though I guess DNA would get a kick out of it. The problem here is finding it....... I picked up a copy from a bargain bin a while back. I have a feeling BitTorrent or eBay might be a contender. The box CD of the radio series comes with a nice "Don't Panic" logo and very cheesy 1980s style dayglo covers to each disk.

    2. Re:Complete Audio CD by Fred+Or+Alive · · Score: 1

      http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/075407571 0/ref=br_lf_b_13/026-6297324-1090865

      All five parts of the trilogy, complete and unabridged, read by the author. 25 CDs, yours for GBP140 (around $250), by BBC Word for Word. Not sure about US availability (although Amazon will ship it abroad, AFAIK), or if any abridged versions exist, those are the only ones I've seen. They are availible in seperate volumes for each book though.

      You can also get a complete version of the original Radio series[1] (the collectors edition), or as two volumes (Primary and Secondary Phases, split between the two radio series) released by the BBC Radio Collection.

      [1] Remember, it can first.

      --
      10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
      20 GOTO 10
    3. Re:Complete Audio CD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      can first? came first! I need a nice hot cup of tea. (Also, the radio series releases aren't that uncommon in the UK, and are also available from Amazon.)

    4. Re:Complete Audio CD by bilgebag · · Score: 1

      Does anyone have MP3s / Oggs of the Finnish radio series (i.e. the radio series from Finland, not the last episode or anything).

      I suspect it would be a fabulous way to learn the language.

    5. Re:Complete Audio CD by iantri · · Score: 1
      the eDokney network has all of the radio series on it..

      (aMule client for Linux is available)

    6. Re:Complete Audio CD by iantri · · Score: 1

      Audible has them, too, by the way, for downloading online. Not sure how the cost compares.

  28. Actually the miniseries was more like... by Throtex · · Score: 1

    ...the first one-and-a-half books, wasn't it? It had some of Restaurant in it.

    What will this movie cover?

  29. Time Travellers? by lxt · · Score: 1

    On the site there's a picture of the cast and crew dated 14th May...perhaps there's more science in this film than most :)

  30. Re: But it says... by DaHat · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nay, it is the fact that you seem to have never been exposed to American cartoons as a youth.

    By law, according to the Uniform Cartoon Code (UCC), Chapter 4398274, section 12.432432 as publish by the ACME Corporation. "All persons, animals or other self aware beings (terrestrial or otherwise) who encounter a large red button are required to press it under penalty of anvil" it goes on to say "Should the before mentioned red button carry a notice asking all who see it not to press it, the required pusher of said button is here by required to press it as often and as many times as possible until it's final result is known."

    Note: the actual notice of the button in this case is from the Hitchhikers Guide no less, something to the effect of:

    Dent: "I wonder what would happen if I pressed this button."
    Prefect: "I wouldn't..."
    *beep*
    Dent: "That's odd... a sign lit up telling me not to press this button again."

  31. What browser are you using by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What browser are you using? I'm using mozilla firefox on Linux and when I hit reload, a differnt flash animation comes up (seen three so far). You using IE or something?

  32. No, it's not by gosand · · Score: 2, Interesting
    FYI, you'll probably get modded as a troll, as will I, but that is the nature of this site when you don't step in line with the popular opinion.

    I bought the book (collective hitchhiker's guide) several years ago, but haven't read it yet. I keep meaning to start it, but in all honesty the thing that is keeping me from it is the hype and the fans. All I hear about is how awesome it is, and see references to it that people around here seem to think are hilarious. If you question anything about it you are lambasted and marked a troll. It almost makes me not want to read it, because who would want to read a book with followers like that? I hate to say it, but the LOTR fans do the same thing. I never read the books, but anything that wasn't a glowing comment about the movies was met with scorn from fans. I just don't get that kind of devotion. Maybe if I read the books I would get it, but I am not sure I even want to.

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

    1. Re:No, it's not by erick99 · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      I did get modded as a Troll which confused the hell out of me. Thanks for the "heads up."

      Erick

      --
      http://www.busyweather.com/
    2. Re:No, it's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      the LOTR fans do the same thing
      Real LOTR fans don't like the movies, because they took unnecessary liberties with several of the characters.
    3. Re:No, it's not by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      If you question anything about it you are lambasted and marked a troll
      I'm sure you and the parent aren't trolling at all, but to be honest what's the point of discussing an author/book you've never read?

      Also, these days a minute or two on google should give someone the basics if they have absolutely no idea who someone is.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    4. Re:No, it's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It almost makes me not want to read it, because who would want to read a book with followers like that?

      Perhaps you should try reading the first bit of either series -- HHGttG or LotR -- and base your impressions on the books themselves, rather than the followers. Remember, the books were around long before the fanatics and the critics alike, and should be judged accordingly.

      Personally, I like LotR and the first three HHGttG books. The final two in that series were entertaining, but a bit of a let-down.

    5. Re:No, it's not by stanmann · · Score: 2

      In order to properly enjoy the books, you must either be under the influence of mind altering substances, OR be the kind of person who is accused of being under the influence of mind altering substances when completely stone sober.

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    6. Re:No, it's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I bought the book (collective hitchhiker's guide) several years ago, but haven't read it yet. [...] If you question anything about it you are lambasted and marked a troll.

      I have to admit I haven't read any of your other posts, but what the hell were you smoking when you wrote them?

      Perhaps if you read a given book before you try to question things about it, you'll be less likely to be marked a troll.

    7. Re:No, it's not by Rallion · · Score: 1

      Oh, man, that second one describes me perfectly. My parents think I've been on drugs since I was eight. They tell people (particularly girlfriends) so. People tell them they know for a fact I'm not. My parents call these people liars.

      It's true.

    8. Re:No, it's not by brokenvoice · · Score: 1

      Sure. Cut your nose off to spite your face. Dumbass.

    9. Re:No, it's not by Paulrothrock · · Score: 2, Interesting

      How about this: if you love it (you will), tell everyone. If you hate it, keep it to yourself.

      --
      I'm in the hole of the broadband donut.
    10. Re:No, it's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You purposely don't want to read something because too many people think it's really good?
      Um... ok...

      Honestly, you're logic is really bad here.

    11. Re:No, it's not by trmcdougle · · Score: 1

      Actually the fanatics/critics (well some of them) were around before the books in the case of Hithhikers as the books were created after the radio series had gained fans.

    12. Re:No, it's not by haluness · · Score: 0

      So don't read the book!

    13. Re:No, it's not by amigabill · · Score: 1

      Bah! Ignore us weirdos and just read the freakin thing and get your money's worth. Besides, though I enjoy the Guide series, I don't go around quoting it or obsessing about it nerly as much as I do about Army of Darkness, third movie in the Evil Dead trilogy. Besides, I'm still an Amiga user, so I've got other things to froth at the mouth about than the Guide. If you like zany humor, you would probably enjoy the Guide. If not, it may not be your cup of tea, but give it a go and at least find out for sure. I've never read the LOTR books, mostly because I hated the cartoons when I was young. Friends talked me into seeing the recent films, which I actually enjoyed, and I may give the books a try if I ever have time to sit down and read something. (I've got a pile of books I haven't got to yet)

      Your mistrust of obsessive people may be keeping you from something you'd enjoy...

    14. Re:No, it's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd say it's about time you stop taking friends (or girlfriends) around to meet them then. Doesn't matter if they are your parents - if they don't respect you enough to believe you about something like that, they may not be people you want much contact with.

      Forget the whole "you can't choose your family" schtick - you can always choose to hang around with only people who respect you as you respect them...

    15. Re:No, it's not by Macgrrl · · Score: 2, Interesting

      My original exposure to the Hitch Hikers Guide was as the radio series while still a child. The magic of the series/books is the way that DNA put words together.

      In many ways radio was the ultimate medium for these stories because of the mental pictures they painted. "They hung in the air exactly the same way bricks don't" is a quote which will be with me for the rest of my life.

      You may not enjoy them, not everyone has the same sense of humour. But if you enjoy language - you really should read them just to experience the juxtaposition of words that he creates. If you want to read some of his non-fiction to get a feel for the way he works, try Last Chance to See, which is a collection of articles about endangered species.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
  33. A better word than travesty would be... by spineboy · · Score: 1

    a traveshammockery!

    --
    ..........FULL STOP.
  34. Total Perspective Vortex by o1dm0n · · Score: 0

    I have always wanted to post a note with "Total Perspectve Vortex" as the subject. Thank God for this topic! -Fairy Cake anyone?

  35. Humma Kavula by vossman77 · · Score: 5, Informative
    At the IMDB site it shows that John Malkovich is playing Humma Kavula. My labmate had no idea who this was so a quick google search gave us this site and we learn:
    Joining the cast set to start shooting the movie of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy in London next month is the acclaimed actor John Malkovich. In a slight twist to the original concept, engineered by Douglas Adams in creating the initial draft script for the movie, Malkovich will play a crazed missionary, living amongst the Jatravartid people of Viltvodle Six, called Humma Kavula. The script for the film went through at least two other writers hands after Douglas's death in 2001, so only time will tell how much of his original concept will survive the trip to the silver screen.

    This character doesn't appear in the books. I was wondering if anyone knows how Humma Kavula works into the story.
    1. Re:Humma Kavula by Cally · · Score: 4, Informative
      It should be interesting....
      Many races believe [the universe] was created by some sort of god, though the Jatravartid people of Viltvodle VI firmly believed that the entire universe was infact sneezed out of the nose of a being called teh "great Green Arkleseizure". The Jatravartids, small blue creatures with more than fifty arms each who were therefore unique in having invented the aerosol deoderant before the wheel, lived in perpetual fear of a time called "the coming of the Great White Hankerchief". However, the Great Green Arkleseizure theory is not widely accepted outside Viltvodle VI...
      From the intro to the first book IIRC, and from memory so probably wrong in places.

      Shit, how sad is it that I can recite this stuff verbatim? ah well that's what comes of falling asleep listening to the radio shows every night for 20 years. OK I exaggerate a little for comic effect but one grilf did give me plenty of grief over it. (The others just left...;)

      --
      "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
    2. Re:Humma Kavula by tepples · · Score: 1

      I was wondering if anyone knows how Humma Kavula works into the story.

      I don't know, but in the lampoon, the name will be changed to "Hakuna Matata" to match everything else that's been utterly Disneyfied.

    3. Re:Humma Kavula by dancingmad · · Score: 1

      I've read in a couple of different places that Adams himself wrote Humma Kavula in; in every incarnation of H2G2, Adams changes or adds something and this was supposed to be the movie's new aspect.

      I cringed when I heard it first, but since it's from Adams, it might not be too bad.

      --
      "There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter," Jeeves, (Jeeves and the Impending Doom)
  36. Something it didn't say by dacarr · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The button first said "please do not push this button"; upon pushing it, I expected the word "again" to be appended. Instead, I got "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED".

    Ah, well.

    --
    This sig no verb.
    1. Re:Something it didn't say by Strange+Ranger · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think ^that says the most about the upcoming movie. It will be an Adams-esque movie, wrapped in a Somebody Else's Humor Field so that only those who are looking for the differences can tell.

      But the difference really do matter. "again" really tickles the funny bone. "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED" is only mildly amusing.

      Just like the web site, the movie is sure to be almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Adams.

      --

      Operator, give me the number for 911!
    2. Re:Something it didn't say by Wakkow · · Score: 1

      They must have read this thread.. Go look at it now.

  37. Cast & Crew by slackerboy · · Score: 2, Informative

    Well, according to , it looks like they've chosen an interesting cast. I think Martin Freeman is an excellent choice for Arthur. I suspect Warwick Davis is being cast as Marvin simply because he seemed so pessimistic for most of Willow.

    One of the screenplay writers, Karey Kirkpatrick, also was credited with working on the screenplay for Chicken Run, which was pretty good and original. So I think we can all continue to hold out hope for a while longer.

    --
    Things to do today: See list of things to do yesterday
    1. Re:Cast & Crew by esoterus · · Score: 1

      and Mos Def as Ford Prefect? Very interesting indeed...

      --
      Not only does God definitely play dice, but He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. -Hawking
  38. Irony? by gumpish · · Score: 1

    Yeah, Mos Def appears to be the only black guy on the cast and crew. That's irony for you.

    It is?

    ironic

    1. Re:Irony? by lambent · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      "Regular Meta Moderators are more likely to get mod points." -- Just another example of Slashdot's lies.

      RE: your sig, completely offtopic, and probably whiny to boot (me, not you)

      emperically, it appears that regular metamods who adopt strict party-approved lines get mod points. I used to get mod points every 5-7 days like clockwork. When I started disagreeing more with what was going on in the mod system, and 'unfairly' metamodding people who modded controversial (but accurate) viewpoints as 'troll' or 'flamebait', or started metamodding '+5 insightful' mods as unfair (since some of those are obviously utter crap and completely wrong) my mod points have disappeared. I get mod points maybe once a month now.

      However, I do get the metamod request at least once every two hours, now, whereas it has been rumoured to be restricted to a once/day thing ...

      At any rate, the system is borked.

    2. Re:Irony? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Last week my karma was, as always, excelent, I had 5 moderator points...and yet I was (and still am) banned from posting either AC or logged in from the IP address I was using (Not this one, natch). Banned with moderator points. Go figure.

    3. Re:Irony? by LoadStar · · Score: 1
      It is?

      ironic


      You'll have to forgive most Americans. We were taught what irony was by the music industry.

  39. The big red button... by TintinX · · Score: 1

    ... is one of the standard library items that ship with MM Flash.
    Still, can't wait for the movie.

  40. Three destructions by dinaui · · Score: 5, Informative
    The flash intro apparently randomly chooses one of three ways to destroy the Earth:
    1. A standard explosion, with chunks of planet flying by
    2. A burst of light which vaporizes the planet
    3. Getting hit by the cue-ball in a game of galactic billiards
    Using IE 6, refreshing did work to see differing intros, but the randomizer does often go on runs of the same intro.
  41. what a joke. by Stumbles · · Score: 0, Troll

    What a POS site that cannot be viewed WITHOUT flash. What a pity.

    --
    My karma is not a Chameleon.
    1. Re:what a joke. by Tune · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yes it's a crappy website, which is a bad start for what could be the biggest movie in the coming years. Nevertheless, click here to skip the Flash intro and read the blog.

    2. Re:what a joke. by Stumbles · · Score: 1

      Thanks. I really hope it does not turn into a dog of a movie. I saw the BBS series on PBS and enjoyed them very much. I then found a hard bound copy and liked those even more.

      --
      My karma is not a Chameleon.
  42. Quoted for your pleasure by Rallion · · Score: 2, Informative

    "The planet beneath them was almost perfectly oblivious of their presence, which was just how they wanted it for the moment. The huge yellow somethings went unnoticed at Goonhilly, they passed over Cape Canaveral without a blip, Woomera and Jodrell Bank looked straight through them - which was a pity because it was exactly the sort of thing they'd been looking for all these years."

  43. "adult" version of Harry Potter? by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 4, Funny
    "I wouldn't be seen dead reading anything other than the adult version of the Harry Potter books."

    Is that the one where Harry and Hermione invite Ron to join them for... No, nope, that's just wrong, must get image out of my head.

  44. Just a Reminder! by thefritob · · Score: 2, Informative

    Towel Day is coming! May 25th!

    towelday.com

  45. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  46. A couple of things.. by CashCarSTAR · · Score: 1

    As an avid fan of HHG2G, I'm looking forward to the movie a lot.

    It seems to be a very good cast, from what I've seen, nobody really huge, so the past movie baggage isn't there (which like it or not, matters a LOT for a movie like this).

    As well, for arguments that Hollywood is going to screw it up..well..from everything I heard, the HHG2G story is already going to be screwed up from the first draft written by DNA. It's the same thing as the book was screwed up from the radio script.

    It's part of the mythos of the story. Deal with it.

  47. I've already done 6 impossible things this morning by noewun · · Score: 1

    Might as well visit the site.

    --
    I am a believer of momentum and curves.
  48. Reply: Not very good... by Adhemar · · Score: 1
    I'm trying not to panic, but I just can't wait for the film to come out.

    You won't have to wait much longer. According to The Salmon of Doubt the movie will be released any decade now.

    And so probably will the website.

    (Douglas Adams described the filmmaking as twenty years of constipation.)

  49. I know i've said this before by Dr.Knackerator · · Score: 2, Insightful

    but the reason a lot of films suck is the dialogue and characterisation doesn't work. You can't just swap people in and out of roles to fit an audience demographic *without rewriting all their lines and possibly changing everything* Mos Def as Arthur Dent? where did that come from? Is he going to play it straight as the original character (i.e. not flash, just a jobbing journalist), or as I would imagine - he's going to be a little cool and swarve/charming? If so why would he be friends with Dent in the first place, they'd run in different social circles! If you change almost all his lines to reflect his new character then everybody elses lines have to change to reflect their relationship with him. Maybe some things wouldn't happen. Funnily enough MosDef was in The Italian Job another travesty of a remake of a great british film. And yesterday I read that the Coen Brothers and Tom Hanks have remade 'the ladykillers'. How anybody believe that could be bettered in its original form? Ok it's black & white but then so is Dr Strangelove which is still a total classic. I must say I'm not looking forward to it, I'll wait to rent it on DVD if the reviews are generally favorable.

    1. Re:I know i've said this before by jpetts · · Score: 2, Informative

      Mos Def as Arthur Dent? where did that come from?

      From your own head, apparently: according to IMDB Tim Freeman is playing Arthur Dent. Mos Def is Ford Prefect...

      --
      Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating - Bender
    2. Re:I know i've said this before by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ford Prefect (who you meant you idiot) is cool, otherwise he wouldn't have Zaphod as a friend now would he?

      Listen to the radio series, he always has the grace to be slightly embarrassed about having a friend like Arthur. I think Mos Def will bring that "cool but nice" thing across.

      Now what's shameful is how you got modded insightful.

    3. Re:I know i've said this before by Dr.Knackerator · · Score: 1

      gahh brain error induced by a bottle and a half of Merlot and the last thing I did was look at martin freeman. You know who i meant anyway from the context :)

      to be honest i'd just like them to extract some of the live acting from the bbc miniseries and build new sets/effects around that!

    4. Re:I know i've said this before by BlacKat · · Score: 1

      Actually, you mean Martin Freeman, who played Tim on The Office. :)

  50. No, it's H2G2 by bshroyer · · Score: 1
    --
    The cure for cancer is coming: Reovirus
    1. Re:No, it's H2G2 by Seek_1 · · Score: 1

      aaaaaaah...

      Thank you for finally clarifying that!! (it's been bugging me since I read the books!)

  51. Re:Wouldn't it be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Uhm, yeah, that's what I thought. But, you know, we can't really rely on /. to get headlines right, can we? ;-)

  52. And Disney wants to own copyright by tepples · · Score: 1

    This movie is dedicated to every ancestor who has contributed DNA to my family tree

    And Disney wants to own copyright on them.

    Any movie whose official web site is part of go.com is a Disney movie. I won't be seeing it until long after its DVD release because I don't want my dollars to go toward Disney's sequel kick: lobbying for DMCA II and Bono Act II.

  53. Re:Wouldn't it be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    HitchHiker's Guide (to the) Galaxy
    HHGG
    H2G2
    (think of the 2 as "squared" as you would in specifying a regular language, or if you like, as a particularly inefficient use of run-length encoding. :)

  54. Douglas Adams set the precedent himself by g_adams27 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    HHGTTG might be a Hollywood producer's dream book: something that can be adapted and reinterpreted liberally without worrying about staying true to the source material.

    After all, IIRC, the plots of the radio series, TV series, books, and text adventure game all differ from each other, starting sometime after Ford and Arthur arrive on the Heart of Gold.

  55. here i am by zarniwhoop · · Score: 3, Funny
    with a brain the size of a planet and all you want me to do is moderate? Oh, alright I'll moderate but don't ask me to enjoy it becasue I won't.

    Hang on - I'm supposed to be designing the fjords...

    1. Re:here i am by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You confused Marvin and Slaghtybadfast! You bastard!

  56. Why aliens have funny names by tepples · · Score: 1

    I thought the joke was that aliens always have silly names.

    Of course aliens' names will seem silly to English speakers because alien cultures' naming traditions aren't the same as those of English-speaking cultures. Take the example of Shigeru Miyamoto. He's an alien (Japanese citizen in the United States for E3) with a suitably Japanese name.

  57. Re: But it says... by Kaali · · Score: 1

    The code of adventure-games: Do what you are not supposed to do, if it doesn't kill you try again. Example titles include: Monkey Island series, Sam & Max etc.

  58. Slashdot ID numbers by bshroyer · · Score: 1

    Sub-groups here are 3-digit, 4-5 digit, low 6 digit IDs

    Low 6-digit IDs? Are you referring to an actual conversation that took place in the real world, or are you revealing a personal insecurity?

    Does anyone use the "New User Modifier"? If so, do you find it useful?

    --
    The cure for cancer is coming: Reovirus
    1. Re:Slashdot ID numbers by jea6 · · Score: 1

      Precisely what I mean. All us 4 to low-6-digit types should band together instead of squabbling with one another. After all, we supported Slashdot through it's adolescence, through CmdrTaco's stock options, through the Karma cap, the removal of the Karma score. There are people out there that never knew Slashdot had a Karma score. Turn against those, brother, not against me.

      Besides I had a four-digit account but hated the resentment that came after 2000. And I lost my password.

      --

      sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
    2. Re:Slashdot ID numbers by nevets · · Score: 1

      There are people out there that never knew Slashdot had a Karma score.

      And there are those that also don't know that /. once didn't have karma.

      Besides I had a four-digit account but hated the resentment that came after 2000. And I lost my password.

      Yeah, and I once had a Pentium Quad PC, but I hated the resentment from my coworkers, and I too lost the password. So I just got rid of it. ;-)

      --
      Steven Rostedt
      -- Nevermind
    3. Re:Slashdot ID numbers by rabidcow · · Score: 1

      Besides I had a four-digit account but hated the resentment that came after 2000. And I lost my password.

      My four-digit account came with two bonus digits.

    4. Re:Slashdot ID numbers by jea6 · · Score: 1

      I followed your URL and accidentally Slashdotted myself. Clever.

      --

      sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
    5. Re:Slashdot ID numbers by Fearless+Freep · · Score: 1

      And there are those that also don't know that /. once didn't have karma.

      I actually remember those days, before Karma and Mods and such. I seem to remember there being a lot less stories per day, but they were usually more interesting.

  59. "Meesa Jar-Jar Binks" by tepples · · Score: 1

    like what Lucas did to the Death Star in Star Wars 1.1 (the enhanced VHS stuff)

    Wasn't "Star Wars: A New Hope (Special Edition)" numbered 4.1? I thought 1.1 was "The Phantom Edit".

    1. Re:"Meesa Jar-Jar Binks" by Christopher_G_Lewis · · Score: 1

      Only if you admit the existance of the new trilogy.

      Lucas might yet escape from his capture by aliens and expose the imposter that created those evil movies.

      Most likely the alien is Jar-Jar.

    2. Re:"Meesa Jar-Jar Binks" by tepples · · Score: 1

      Only if you admit the existance of the new trilogy.

      The scrolltext that opens A New Hope calls it Episode 4.

  60. DONT CLICK THE PARENTS LINK by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    DONT FALL FOR IT

  61. My Favorit H2G2 quote by bshroyer · · Score: 2, Funny
    Is very near that one - I don't know why it struck my fancy, but it's one of the first things that springs to my mind when I think of H2G2:

    The large yellow ships hung in the sky in exactly the same way that bricks don't


    Who visualizes like this? And how obvious is it, once stated, that that's exactly the right visual simile? Douglas Adams had a command of the English language both forwards and backwards. It's a shame we won't be getting any new material in this lifetime.
    --
    The cure for cancer is coming: Reovirus
    1. Re:My Favorit H2G2 quote by SlightlyMadman · · Score: 1

      That's my second favorite line. My favorite is this exchange:

      "Traveling thru Hyperspace is rather unpleasantly like being drunk" said Ford.
      "Whats so unpleasant about that?' asked Arthur,
      "Ask a glass of water" replied Ford ...

      --

      Money I owe, money-iy-ay
  62. Re:Wouldn't it be... by not-my-real-name · · Score: 0

    HitchHiker = H2 (two "H")
    Guide to the Galaxy = G2 (two "G")

    thus

    Hithchiker's Guide to the Galaxy = H2G2

    the "2"s do not represent the word to.

    --
    un-ALTERED reproduction and dissimination of this IMPORTANT information is ENCOURAGED
  63. Useful tip in post-9/11 America: by tepples · · Score: 1

    Just make sure not to carry the towel on your head so that you don't get shot at by people confusing you with a terrorist.

  64. Explanation of abbreviation by tepples · · Score: 1
    • H2 = Hitch-Hiker's
    • G2 = Guide to the Galaxy

    I prefer E2 though.

  65. Restatement (Second) of Cartoons by ArsSineArtificio · · Score: 2, Funny
    By law, according to the Uniform Cartoon Code (UCC), Chapter 4398274, section 12.432432 as publish by the ACME Corporation. "All persons, animals or other self aware beings (terrestrial or otherwise) who encounter a large red button are required to press it under penalty of anvil" it goes on to say "Should the before mentioned red button carry a notice asking all who see it not to press it, the required pusher of said button is here by required to press it as often and as many times as possible until it's final result is known."

    The UCC was amended in 1993.

    4398274 UCC 12.432432 (West 1995) now reads in relevant part:
    "(b) In the event that the aforementioned red button bears a notice requesting the public not to press it, the observer, required to push said button under subsection (a) of this section, is hereby required to press it repeatedly until the result of said presses is known; but

    (c) the presser may for a reasonable period delay pressing said button as required under subsection (a) of this section, if said delay would effect a comedic purpose, including, but not limited to, chattering teeth, protruding eyes, bulging veins, or shaking limbs, caused by the stress of resisting temptation or the anticipation resulting from such delay."

    --
    All employees must wash hands before seeking equitable relief.
  66. Wasted by ackthpt · · Score: 3, Informative
    The new movie starts with "Click here to download the Flash Plug-In". I've seen that a lot, is that a new film studio?

    Yet another wasted effort on a website. Flash is so aggrevating I simply do without and don't visit sites which require it. Poor choice not to offer a non-Flash website.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  67. So Long and Thanks for All The Fish by Moutane · · Score: 1

    Was it about OpenBSD?
    Oh sorry, the improbability of having a hole in the base system wasn't so high after all.

    --
    Hallowed be Thy .sig
  68. Wow, a solid black page by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What a news story! Maybe you should have waited to post this until there was some content on the page.

  69. Starsky and Hutch, Yes this is OT, maybe flamebait by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 2

    >I mean, when hollywood can fuck up making a movie of Starsky and Hutch for flipsake, what chance have they got with this?

    What, exactly, constitutes fucking up Starsky and Hutch? The teevee show sucked on virtually every level... bad acting, bad writing. If the movie sucks, it's just being faithful to the original. Some movies appear to be successful if being a great fit for MST3K is the goal.
    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
  70. Character names are based on somthing interesting: by Wacky_Wookie · · Score: 1

    Adams created all the character names for HG2G from adding bits of real company names that line the railway line between London and Bristol.

    I know this 'cuss my dad used to make he very same comute to work.

  71. 4,000 Light Bulbs? by GersonK · · Score: 1

    They mention screwing 4k lightbulbs into the Heart of Gold. Anybody else flash on another sci-fi franchise when they read that?

  72. Re: But it says... by noelmarkham · · Score: 1

    And they say Yanks don't understand irony....

  73. Predictable results by ackthpt · · Score: 0
    What you saw a few years ago was a BBC TV miniseries. It had a budget of approximately 3 dollars (US).

    The new film is a hollywood production.

    And it will make you long to watch the BBC TV miniseries. After Hollywood gets it completely wrong, inserts a pile of lame american humor and insipid dialogue for dumbed-down american audiences, we will all be reading posts on /. about the good old BBC TV miniseries and how finely crafted it was.

    This is all rather predictable.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  74. Re:Wouldn't it be... by SRain315 · · Score: 1

    I think the intent was Hitch-Hiker's Guide Galaxy = HHGG = H2G2

    This was Douglas' creation, so he's to blame.

    --
    --- Corporations Are A Fad.
  75. Mos Def and Ford Prefect by TheViewFromTheGround · · Score: 1

    Anybody have any thoughts on Mos Def as Ford Prefect? I think this is really cool -- Mos Def is incredibly charming and a good actor, and I think having him as Ford Prefect is a cool twist for sci-fi, which tends to just sort of assume people are white or Asian. In my experience, there are quite a few African American sci-fi fans, so I think having Mos in a more-or-less mainstream sci-fi film could really tweak people's heads in a good way.

    --
    Online citizen journalism from the inner city: The View From The Ground
    1. Re:Mos Def and Ford Prefect by dacarr · · Score: 1

      As my wife pointed out though, Adams never made an indication as to what color Ford's skin was. So it could have been particolored, for all we know - though a logical assumption would be that, yes, he could have been a black guy. So all things considered, as long as they get the hair right, he'd make a damn good Prefect.

      --
      This sig no verb.
    2. Re:Mos Def and Ford Prefect by TheViewFromTheGround · · Score: 1

      I agree on your wife's point -- I guess I was trying to say that there's an assumption that we're dealing with only white folks. I also hope they get the hair right. He'll be, uh, prefect for the role. David

      --
      Online citizen journalism from the inner city: The View From The Ground
    3. Re:Mos Def and Ford Prefect by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Having a rapper playing Ford is actually quite a good idea - Ford frequently goes off into high speed bizzarre rants which are almost stream of conciousness, delivering those lines with clear diction would be a challenge for many actors.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
  76. INTERVIEW by nigel_thomas · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here's a very insightful interview with the script writers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/A2257599

  77. The director's other work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Here's the website for the director's production company Hammer & Tongs;

    http://www.tongsville.com/

    Nice site with an interesting design. You can check out thier videos/commercials/shorts. I'd seen the Beck video before but didn't know they made it. The REM one is pretty cool too.

  78. Must've been a bitch finding a two-headed actor by wcrowe · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...to play Zaphod.

    Maybe Alec Baldwin?

    No, wait. Sorry. He's two-faced.

    --
    Proverbs 21:19
  79. Re:Wouldn't it be... by Feanturi · · Score: 1

    ...HG2G instead of H2G2?

    No, look at it this way:

    Hitch
    Hikers
    Guide to the
    Galaxy

    See the first letters of each phrase: 2 H's, 2 G's. H2G2, see it's geeky. Write it with the numbers in subscript, like in chemistry, to make it look even geekier.

  80. Hear Hear!! I too will WAIT for the DVD rental by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I went and saw Lord of the Rings (the first one)
    in the theaters. That's the only movie I've gone to
    in the theater since the Matrix.

  81. I'm surprised... by ArcCoyote · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..the site hasn't suffered a sudden total existance failure yet.

  82. Listen Here Monkey Man by Nintendork · · Score: 1
    Reading your comment gives me a terrible pain in all the diodes down my left side.

    -Lucas

  83. Re:Wouldn't it be... by DLWormwood · · Score: 3, Informative
    HG2G instead of H2G2

    The acronym is emphasized as...

    the HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    ...not...

    the Hitchhiker's Guide 2 the Galaxy

    There is already a BBC website called H2G2 that competes with Wikipedia and Everything2 as an online, community-edited reference work.

    --
    Those who complain about affect & effect on /. should be disemvoweled
  84. MOD PARENT UP! by Tei · · Score: 1

    Dawn, we can mod up bbc news!

    Its the system broken?

    --

    -Woof woof woof!

  85. Re: But it says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    WTF is a "Yank"?

    "Yankee" is a term that only applies to people from the "New England" former colony states in the far northeast corner of the US, and over the decades has become even more specific to refer to people from the state of New York. For a while during and shortly after the Civil War, it was used as a slang term for those who fought on the side of the North, but the vast majority of Americans, north or south, do not refer to themselves as "Yankees" anymore. In fact, it's used almost exculsively in reference to a professional baseball team in New York City these days.

    If "Yank" is supposed to be some shortened form of "Yankee", you might as well keep calling us "colonials."

  86. exactly ... thank you by dindi · · Score: 2, Insightful

    will be off topic:
    it really pisses me off, that everywhere I go I am forced to download a new falsh plugin, java vm, whatever player, new version of explorer (since mozilla seems to be outdated for some lameass websites), MS media player, realone player ....
    HEY !
    really, can we just see the content of websites, with .png, .gif, .jpeg(??copyright) or whatever standard ?
    i am willing to use javascript when available, but I tend to simply ignore sites with that kind of crap ...
    If i can build and maintain sites with lots of content in a way that they are 100% functional even with links or lynx, or my pda browser (before ppc2000 IE, lately konqueror/opie) then why cannot professional designers keep their sites at least usable for people with thin (or just different) clients ..

    I am going to issue chargebacks against several sites where I paid for services and where I can see :your browser is outdated and does not support encrtyption - download IE 6.0)- all that with a full install of mozilla for linux .... I do not have explorer and I do not want to have one, nor windows, nor any stupid rich-media-content bandwidth-hog crap ....

    uhh sorry for my rage ... I love hitchhiker's guide, and that flashcrap made me really mad ...

    ps: I love when they have 5 different flash ads, and they all open up a new browser for each on my pda (href target=new)
    can I choose to ignore all that ? ... DAMN

  87. Oh Ya ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Time to break out the towel !!

  88. Re: But it says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah, and Limeys don't understand sarcasm. What's your point?

  89. Re:Character names are based on somthing interesti by Albert+Scratchings · · Score: 1

    Could be true - there really is an estate agent in London called Hotblack Desiato, as any fule kno.

  90. Re: But it says... by ArsSineArtificio · · Score: 1
    It's all right. We'll just keep annoying them by referring to people from Cardiff and Glasgow as "English".

    --
    All employees must wash hands before seeking equitable relief.
  91. Re:Starsky and Hutch, Yes this is OT, maybe flameb by Golias · · Score: 1
    The movie was kind of fun and good for a few laughs.

    This totally fails to capture the essense of the original, which was as dull as Salt Lake City after hours.

    --

    Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  92. Informative? by Nino+the+Mind+Boggle · · Score: 1

    Can one of our fine moderators kindly tell me why the parent post, with exactly 1 vague statement of opinion and two questions, was modded "Informative"?

    --
    ------ "Darn floor. Big bite." (Koko the gorilla's best attempt at explaining the experience of an earthquake.)
  93. Actually booksellers finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    realised that this was a problem. I've noticed it is increasingly the case that the "old" cover doesn't get retired, in fact it gets a new print run at the same time they crank out the version with a picture from the TV series/Film. This has only started to happen in the last couple of years though. This happened with A Beautiful Mind (although being a biography it didn't really map onto the film much in the first place) and a few other films that came out around that time.

    I hate this "who was first" pissing contest with a passion. [Yes, I have a *very low* Slashdot UID account. Only I had completely forgotten the password and no longer have the email address to which it was registered. *Boo hoo*]

  94. Re:Character names are based on somthing interesti by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They even have a website, and quite proudly mention the H2G2 reference.

  95. Quoting what-now? by Luigi30 · · Score: 1

    You forget, that in Soviet Russia dead horses beat your beowulf clusters of GNAA members while profiting from you.

    --
    503 Sig Unavailable

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    1. Re:Quoting what-now? by nuggetman · · Score: 1

      You forget, that in Soviet Russia dead horses beat your beowulf clusters of GNAA members while profiting from you.

      But the real question is... can they run Linux?

      --
      ...and that's all there is to it.
  96. live it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or live it if you want. When I was in 3rd-Grade I went into school dressed in only a bathrobe for bookweek.

    (After being up till 3AM that night trying to design a convincing second-head. And failing.)

    Daniel

  97. the probability is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Also, all quotations of probability ("447765518666 to 1 and falling" for example) are in fact the telephone numbers of London pubs DA used to visit. You can still ring most of them!

  98. Re:Hear Hear!! I too will WAIT for the DVD rental by Dr.Knackerator · · Score: 1

    last time *I* went to the cinema 'proper' was for LOR pt1 as well. Which I walked out of after 1/2 hour. the print was scratched to buggery (white lines down the screen).

    But the *neg* it was printed from as well was scratched to buggery as well (black lines down the screen).

    i did go a year ago to see 'Lilya 4 Ever' at a 'directors chair' showing at Basildon UCI last year. there were 4 other people in the audience. Basildon is full of people who can't read and war shell suits so playing a subtitled film which didn't even contain special effects there was no good.

    if they want getting onto 10 a ticket:

    #1: get a good print
    #2: have some damn legroom.
    #3: stop annoying yapping chair kicking assholes from entering
    #4: don't sell stupid noisy food like crisps (chips for you US guys) and boiled sweets in noisy wrappers
    #5: have a decent sound system, not just one with an enormous sub woofer (hint... the rear speakers should be BEHIND the audience)
    #6: show some decent films
    #7: serve beer
    #8: have comfortable seats
    #9: clean the bogs at least once a month

    hey I can achieve all 9 at home. I just rent DVDs from screenselect over the net. Now tell me again why I need to go to the cinema?

  99. Release date? by im+a+fucking+coward · · Score: 1

    My expiration date is coming up (cancer fuckwad), but I made it long enough to see the LOTR trilogy, and now I'll even see Troy! I'm wondering if it's worth hanging on 'til this bitch hits the screens... I'm just finishing up the last of Doug's works (having infinite time to do crazy shit like read all day), so now that I've purused everything he's written, I'd love to see an updated version. Anyone have a firm date?

  100. H2G2 is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... by aaribaud · · Score: 1

    ... HHGTTG, aka the increasingly inaccurately named TLA that usually denotes it.

  101. Why would you panic... by ziriyab · · Score: 1

    ...if you're excited and happy about something?

  102. How declasse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Generally one commemorates an event at a celebrated person's birth. Their death is not generally the time to launch movies. Of course Americans are so declasse one would not expect anything less.

  103. Don't Forget.... by Saturninus · · Score: 1

    To bring your towel!