In reply to:

Tony:
Definitely get the novels and read them that way.

Nooooooooo. Get the radio series. Apart from the fact that the radio series is the definitive HHGTTG, you'll also not be tempted to read the abomination that is Mostly Harmless.

In reply to:

Tony:
No. The BBC-TV version sucked.

I'd have to disagree. The casting was superb (well, I agree about Sandra Dickinson - by the way, she was then married to Peter Davison who played the "dish of the day" in the Restaurant At The End Of The Universe scene) and I still can't watch anything with Stephen Moore in it without thinking of Marvin. Unfortunately, the voice of the book, Peter Jones, died only a couple of months back.

The effects were, for their time, excellent too. Did you know that all the book graphics were hand drawn - they spent a massive part of their budget on that. Another large part of the budget was spent on Zaphod's head, which caused several delays in filming when it kept breaking down.

It always amuses me when somebody slates something for being low budget. Surely story, actors and production is much more important? That, for me anyway, is certainly true of Blakes 7, Red Dwarf, and to a lesser extent, Dr Who.

In reply to:

Tony:
Fortunately, Douglas is working on a feature film version now,

And is, apparently fighting against Hollywood's attempt to bastardise the story beyond recognition (the hero is, of course, American. He does, of course, save the world etc. etc. etc.) HHGTTG has been 'in production' several times. Each of those times, Douglas Adams has had the conviction, presence of mind and guts to pull it out after writers, directors and producers wanted to change the whole point of his story. Hopes are, though, high for the latest venture, but we'll see.

The problem I've got with high-budget films is that where there is a story, they detract from it. Then, there's the fact that you can only get so much into a film anyway. Well, like I said, we'll see.

In reply to:

Bryan:
How may I fulfil your vertical transport requirements for today?

Ah, go stick your head in a pig.

Nick.

PS - Just so this is even vaguely Empeg related - How's about some sort of short, snappy and associative catch phrase for the unit? Like The Guide's "Don't Panic".


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