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With Movies Like These, Who Needs
Drugs? I've never taken an illegal
drug in my life... unless we do that new agey, wussy thing
and consider alcohol a drug. No, really. I am
well aware of my addictive personality, and as such have
never once taken a drug. Luckily, my strongest
addiction is to film, and I first became aware of its
ability to completely take the place of any "tripping" one
might need to do when I first saw
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. But, by the end,
that was, though a great movie, a frickin' bad trip.
Now, we have The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and holy
crap, what a trip. Bizarre and so quirky that
quirky's too childish of a name for it, Hitchhiker's Guide
really is like what an LSD tab must be like on a very
creative, good mood day. Having read the first two
books of Douglas Adams classic series, I thought I had a
pretty good idea what do expect. I haven't, however,
heard the original radio shows, or any of the other
incarnations of the mythology. As a result, these
other sources combined with Adams's own last minute ideas,
before his unfortunate death, brought about a whole other
realm for the story, hysterical at times, a little slow at
times, mind-bogglingly strange at times, and completely...
odd at others. So, what did I think of the
movie. I liked it. A lot. I didn't
love it. But that doesn't mean I won't in the future.
I have a weird feeling this is the kind of film that will
plant itself like a seed in my head and grow and grow.
Not with the power of
Napoleon Dynamite, which continues to make me laugh six
months after the one time I've seen it, but something I am
sure I will own. With terrific nods to the
other books and Douglas Adams's own strange humor, as well
as one of the best Lightsaber gags ever, Hitchhiker's Guide
is a funny, funny movie. Well done, newcomer Garth
Jennings, and a great final addition, Douglas Adams.
We will continue to miss you.
Christian's Preview:
About two nights ago I finished reading the first novel in
Adams' classic sci-fi/comedy cycle, The Hitchhiker's Guide
to the Galaxy and am now a third of the way into the first
sequel, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
Somehow these books have evaded me up till now in my 28 year
on this bloody earth, but now with the film mere weeks ago,
a new and unexpected sense of urgency have prompted me to
bust these classics out... yo.
The research I've done on this film has led me to some
interesting opinions, about as varied as you would expect
from a movie from a novel with a HUGE cult following.
Apparently, the filmmakers have felt the need to add an
unnecessary love story in, but aside from that it's supposed
to be quite faithful.
I think the casting of Alan Rickman as the voice of Marvin
is brilliant, I do love knowing that the guy in the suit is
Warwick "Willow" Davis. So far, I remain excited and
hopeful, until proved otherwise. |
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