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"The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Seasons:
Release Date:
30 October 1982 (USA)
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Tagline:
Don't panic!
Plot:
An Earth man and his alien friend escape Earth's destruction and go on a truly strange adventure as space hitchhikers. full summary
Plot Keywords:
Meaning Of Life
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Space
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Alien
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Time Travel
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Planet
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Awards:
4 wins
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User Comments:
Well executed, bears up well to repeat viewing
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Cast
(Series Cast Summary - 12 of 14)| Peter Jones | ... | The Book (6 episodes, 1981) | |
| Simon Jones | ... | Arthur Dent (6 episodes, 1981) | |
| David Dixon | ... | Ford Prefect (6 episodes, 1981) | |
| Sandra Dickinson | ... | Trillian (5 episodes, 1981) | |
| Mark Wing-Davey | ... | Zaphod Beeblebrox (5 episodes, 1981) | |
| Stephen Moore | ... | Marvin / ... (5 episodes, 1981) | |
| David Learner | ... | Marvin (4 episodes, 1981) | |
| David Tate | ... | Eddie / ... (3 episodes, 1981) | |
| Martin Benson | ... | Vogon Captain (2 episodes, 1981) | |
| Richard Vernon | ... | Slartibartfast (2 episodes, 1981) | |
| Rayner Bourton | ... | Newscaster (2 episodes, 1981) | |
| Douglas Adams | ... | Man in Ocean / ... (2 episodes, 1981) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (USA) (video title)
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Runtime:
Australia:32 min (6 episodes) | Germany:152 min (2 parts) | USA:25 min (7 episodes) (original release) | USA:33 min (6 episodes) (subsequent syndication) | 33 min (6 episodes)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Douglas Adams said that he was pleased with the smooth way the TV series worked out, largely as a result of the radio series: the jokes had already been tried and tested, and the narration (something that he never would have considered if the TV version had come first) became the voice of the Book, providing an easy framework for many of the show's best gags.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Episode 2: When Arthur and Ford are following Marvin through a white hallway, where Marvin mentions that the ship has been stolen, when Marvin walks toward the camera to enter a doorway, the actor's nose can be seen through the mesh of his mouth.
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Quotes:
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
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Soundtrack:
Journey of the Sorcerer
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (76 total)
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| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | "Doctor Who" | Spaceballs | Star Wars | Mars Attacks! |
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Related Links
| Episode guide | Full cast and crew | Company credits |
| External reviews | IMDb TV section | IMDb Comedy section |
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Unlike the recent Movie, this mini-series is mostly good, and does an excellent job of capturing the quirky spirit of the radio original.
Probably the biggest reason why this adaptation works well is that the marvelous dialogue of the radio version has not been messed up. There are changes (as there have been in every medium the guide has been adapted into), but unlike the film version, the best and most memorable parts haven't been tampered with See the memorable quotes section for examples of this. The biggest difference between this version and the film may be that Douglas Adams was directly involved with the production of the Television version, but sadly was not around to oversee the film version, for which the loss is evident.
The special effects aren't great (think Doctor Who, circa 1980), but the performances are enough fun that it doesn't matter all that much. Many of the cast members are the originals from the radio series, and even those that aren't originals mostly do a good job with their characters. The one exception is Sandra Dickinson, who just isn't convincing as Trillian She's supposed to a very bright astrophysicist, but comes across as a bimbo/airhead. Still, the rest of the casting is excellent, so this one lapse can be forgiven.
The best part of the whole series is the visuals for the actual Guide. These are extraordinarily detailed animations, buttressing Peter Jones' voice-over from the radio original with lots of extra visual jokes and humor. One of the best parts about being able to watch this on DVD is the ability to freeze-frame some of the more interesting bits to be able to better appreciate all of the funny stuff contained within. These visuals were actually accomplished using a painstaking manual animation technique to simulate the computer displays, as 1980-era computers just weren't up to the job of doing things like this. Ironically, the simulated computer animations are a lot funnier than the actual computer animations (with 25 years worth of improved technology) in the film version.
In sum, given the choice between this and the film version, I would take this any time. The DVD version also includes lots of extra material production notes, making-of documentaries, and a tribute to the late Douglas Adams.