Slashdot Mirror
HHGTG Screenwriter Interviews Himself
Overly Critical Guy writes "The screenwriter for the upcoming Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy film has interviewed himself. A snippet: 'Who am I? "Not Douglas Adams" is the answer that concerns most people.'"
Actually, the question that Arthur comes out with at the end is "What is six times nine?"
Which, as we all know, is 42, when written in base 13. Douglas Adams always claimed that this was a complete coincidence, saying that as weird as he was, at least he didn't make jokes in base 13.
Arthur Dent = Martin Freeman ("Tim" from The Office)
Ford Prefect = Mos Def (weird, but I could see it)
Warwick Davis = Marvin (?!? uh, Willow?? is Marvin short, I can't remember)
Humma Kavula = John Malkovich (say no more)
Zaphod Beeblebrox = Sam Rockwell (right on!)
I have hope.
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
No, it is never claimed that this is the actual question. To quote Prak (teller of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth): "the Question and the Answer are mutually exclusive. Knowledge of one logically precludes knowledge of the other. It is impossible that both can ever be known about the same universe.?
I could not agree more. All the versions of HHGTG are classics, but the radio show has the primary vision from which the rest sprang. You've not had the full experience until you've heard them.
Luckily, KCRW has them on-line at: http://kcrw.org/show/hg
Battle Royale was based off a book?
Indeed it was.
I'd never heard of these guys before reading that interview, but i found their website, Tongsville. You can check out some of their music video and shorts here to get an idea of their style. I'm encouraged.
Six times 9 is 54. Write 54 in base 13, and you have 42. (4 x 13 = 52; 52 + 2 = 54)
Yes, that's the whole point! Douglas Adams put the question to be "What is six times 9?", since the answer should be 42. Of course, this was a joke, since 6 * 9 is really 54.
So someone made a new joke of that, pointing out that 42 is correct, as long as we use base 13 instead of the usual base 10. So to make this painfully clear:
6 * 9 = 54 (in base 10). And 54 = 42 in base 13.
On h2g2 there's more movie stuff, including an interview with the director and producer, and a short clip of behind the scenes as the first scene is filmed.
Yes, they are British. In fact, I'm typing this around 100 metres away from the animation studio (Aardman) at which they were made.
However, I do believe that Chicken Run was touched up somewhat by DreamWorks, to slightly Americanise it - after all, Chicken Run was bankrolled by a US film studio, whereas the Wallace and Grommit films were bankrolled either by Aardman themselves or the BBC
And since then, Douglas Adams has been quoted saying "Nobody writes jokes in base 13." Another quote here.
A particular blend of Earl Grey tea sold at Harrod's. Adams used to drink it all the time.
Anyone think of even one music video director who has gone on to make a successful full length feature? I can't.
(guidemaker): David Fincher? Michel Gondry?
(macthulu): Spike Jonze?
(me): Joseph 'McG' Nichol?
So, yes, there have been quite a few.
"...indelibly impressed on my mind like a hulk of a wrecked ship"?? Good lord, man, it's quite clear that you don't know much about good writing yourself.
There have been a lot of good absurdist comedy series on American TV in recent years, many of them originating on Fox. Besides the obvious cartoons (Simpsons, Futurama and Family Guy), there's Malcolm in the Middle and the new Ron Howard series "Arrested Development," which is, simply put, a stroke of genius. Like M.A.S.H. or Frasier, only I actually laugh at it.
Hey freaks: now you're ju