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Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy began in 1978 as a BBC radio serial, which then spawned a bestselling book, a television series, more books, and even a text-based computer game. So it was inevitable that it would be made into a film: It just took a little longer than expected. The delay, in part, arose from the sizable problem of making a film that would appeal to both the book's devoted legions and newcomers to the Adams universe. Working from the last draft of the screenplay completed by Adams, who died in 2001, director Garth Jennings (one half of the music video team Hammer & Tongs) gives us a big-screen Guide that is about as good as you could expect from squashing a sprawling, meandering book into a 1-hour, 45-minute movie. The story remains the same: Arthur Dent (The Office's Martin Freeman) escapes from Earth mere seconds before it is demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass. This is thanks to Arthur's best friend, Ford (Mos Def). Ford, it turns out, is actually an alien who had been on Earth researching the latest edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. From there, Arthur meets Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), his girlfriend, Trillian (Zooey Deschanel), and depressed robot Marvin (voiced by Alan Rickman) -- and learns of his and Earth's role in discovering the ultimate answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. The casting is spot on, especially Rickman, Stephen Fry (as the voice of the Guide), and an underused Bill Nighy as planetary designer Slartibartfast. Jennings attempts to retain Adams's spirit and humor, but some of the book's funniest sections were often lengthy asides, digressions, and footnotes; many of these have been excised to add such unnecessary elements as an Arthur-Trillian romance and a subplot involving John Malkovich as a cult leader. Yet when taken on its own terms -- which may be impossible for fans -- this Guide is still light-years smarter than your average interstellar screwball comedy. Bill Pearis

All Movie Guide

Douglas Adams' oft-adapted tale of an normal guy making his way through the universe (it's already been presented as a novel, a radio serial, a television series, and a comic book) finally makes its way to the big screen in this endearingly goofy sci-fi comedy. Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) is a very ordinary man who is having a truly unusual day -- after discovering that one of his best friends, Ford Prefect (Mos Def), is actually an alien, Ford tells him that the planet Earth is going to be destroyed so that otherworldly forces can make room for construction of a hyperspace bypass. Since Arthur accidentally saved Ford's life years ago, Ford does him a favor -- he first gets him a ride on a spaceship passing by, and then presents him with a guidebook that will tell a beginner everything he needs to know as he hitchhikes through outer space. Along the way, Arthur encounters such interstellar notables as sleazy Galaxy president Zaphod Beebelbrox (Sam Rockwell), the girl of his dreams Tricia McMillan (Zooey Deschanel), perpetually glum robot Marvin (voice of Alan Rickman), interplanetary construction magnate Slartibartfast (Bill Nighy), and cult leader Humma Kavula (John Malkovich). The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was the first feature film for Garth Jennings, previously best known for his work in television commercials and music videos; he was recommended to the producers by director Spike Jonze after Jonze had to turn down an offer to head up the project. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 786936258462
• Source: TOUCHSTONE / DISNEY
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Language: English
• Time: 1:49:00
• Sales Rank: 2,670

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