Don’t Panic
by subacati
As some of you may have guessed already, I recently watched the Disney incarnation of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. Having read all five books, the original radio script and played the text adventure version of this phenomena, I was suprisingly not disappointed. This is not exactly the same story, just as the radio play differs from the book and the original radio script differs from both the book and the radio play, so too does this film differ.
No attempt was made to parrot the book and beat it into a movie. Instead, they decided to rewrite the story and make it unique. If you've read all five books, then you'll know that this movie opens with the start of the fourth book. This book was only written after a considerable time had passed. By that time, the story had become known as a trilogy comprising, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, The Restaurant At The End Of the Universe, and Life, the Universe and Everything. Whilst the second book is hardly even touched on in this movie, the first, third and fourth book are well captured and seemlessly woven into the single story that they should have been in the first place. If you want the book(s), then read the book(s), they aren't in this version. This is a good way to remember the books though so if you've enjoyed all five books but haven't read them recently, you'll most likely enjoy this movie. However, if you've seen the movie but haven't read the books, then you've missed a lot. You cannot understand the movie unless you've read all five books.
I give this movie a five out of five overall although it only gets three out of five on authenticity. To be fair though, the did manage to capture the spirit of the story that took five books to complete. :up:
subacati 
I need to read the books. I know of and about them, I've just never managed to read them, which is odd since I've seen the movie. 😦 Definitely something that I need to rectify. 🙂
The problem is that the movie cannot possibly explain what's going on in enough detail for you to fully comprehend the story. You have to read the books to get the full explanation of the very complicated universe that Douglas Adams describes. For example, a pangalactic gargle blaster is mentioned in the movie but only briefly. In the movie, Ford Prefect is shown drinking a pangalactic gargle blaster, but in the book it claims that the only person to ever survive drinking one is Zaphod Beeblebrox. (presumably because he has two heads?) the full description of this drink is quite detailed and includes a lengthy discussion on Old Janx Spirits, a vital ingredient (some say it's the only essential ingredient) in the drink. If You like Terry Pratchett's Disk World, (and I know you do) you'll love these books. Be warned though, you have to read the books in the order they were written. :up:
Spotted Outside A Bookstore: Dont Judge A Book By Its Movie Adaptation
:lol:. The reverse is also valid ya know! :up:
There's books? :p
Yeah but ya have ta know how ta read em! :p
I don't think I ever read the last two, but I did buy the 5-in-1 book. Maybe one day…
I love Pratchett! I'm definitely going to have to get this series then. :yes: I'll definitely make sure to read them in the order written since you said that. 😀
I liked the movie as well. I never got very far in the books. :down:
A lot of things are explained in the books that are left open ended in the movie. But you'd need at least five movies to cover the first three books, let alone all five of them. :left:.
😆 That's usually the way of it.
Hello!I also loved the movie (I thought it was the smartest comedy I had seen in years) and then I bought that "5-in-1" book but it's still in my waiting list. :whistle: On the other hand, I bought 2 of T.Pratchett's books after hearing all the buzz about him; I read one of them and I was a bit disappointed. I suppose that's what happens when you have great expectations about something… 😦
Which Terry Pratchett book did you read?
It depends on personal tastes really. And, of course, which book you read. Some of his books are way better than others. :up:.Be warned though, Douglas Adams is a very deep souled writer so his books are definitely not popcorn books.
I totally agree, Aadil. 🙂 I wasn't too fond of "Eric" or "Moving Pictures," but the rest I have adored, especially when Death or CMOT Dibbler are involved. :lol:Ooh! I live deep souled writers. :yes:
Squeak!
😆
The book from TP that I read was "Equal Rites". I also have "Feet of Clay" in my waiting list. I don't exactly read only "popcorn books" but I have to admit that I can hardly stand books which are too philosophical. For me a book has to have a story or else…
I haven't read "Feet of Clay" either (although it's in my stack of "books that need to be read"). "Reaper Man" was definitely one of his better. Some of the publishing pressure has to do with the fact that he was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's in August of 2007. I think the publishers want to get as many books out that they can before he can't write any more. 😦
Equal Rites is not one of his best, I haven't read Feet of Clay but I'd recommend Reaper Man as one of his best. :up:. Just my opinion for what it's worth. I think publishing pressure might be to blame but Terry Pratchetu.s later books become increasingly less good than his earlier books.
They probably hope he'll did quickly so they can profit from it too! :irked:.
Probably. :irked: I hate it when publishers take advantage of the writers.
That's why more writers are opting for self publishing these days. The disadvantage being that distribution of self published works is limited so we don't get to buy it in the local book store. :awww:.
It's a bit of a lose/lose situation in some ways. 😦 Although, there are some self published authors that did really well that way.