Archive Douglas Adams/Hitchhiker’s Guide news for July 2004

Home / News / About me / About my book

30th July 2004
Two more set visit reports on the way
Jamie Freeman has paid another visit to the set and promises us a report on what he has seen as soon as it has been cleared by The Powers That Be. Meanwhile Jenz Kjellberg is on holiday but should be bringing us his own set visit report when he gets back to Sweden.

30th July 2004
Cinesite starting on movie effects
An interesting article on bbc.co.uk about London effects house Cinesite mentions that :“A handful of staff are working on preliminary effects for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Read the whole thing here. (Thanks to Nicholas Blake and Kieron Edwards for spotting this.)

30th July 2004
Hollywood Reporter looks at summer 2005 release schedule
An interesting article in the Hollywood Reporter looks at the proposed US release dates for next summer’s movies and shows where Hitchhiker’s Guide will slot into things. The movie is currently pencilled in for 3rd June, two weeks after Star Wars Episode III (which we now know to be subtitled Revenge of the Sith). Also opening that weekend is Tru Blue, about a 1970s drug dealer-turned-police informant, which stars Denzel Washington and Benicio Del Toro; and a movie aimed at teenage girls called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (no, honestly!) about a group of friend who find a magic pair of jeans that fits all of them (ho, honestly!).

If Revenge of the Sith has eased off enough to allow Hitchhiker’s to top the movie charts, it should have a clear second week because the only new opposition on 10th June will be an untitled comedy starring Ashton Kutchner, and Robert Rodriguez’s kids superhero flick The Adventures of Shark boy and Lava Girl. Then on 17th June everything will be knocked down one place by Batman Begins.

The Reporter does, however, make the important point that every one of these dates is subject to change.

29th July 2004
Zaphod and Marvin to feature in Greatest Sci-Fi TV show
For the past couple of months I have been helping Granada Television on the production of a series of three programmes celebrating the science fiction genre. Greatest Sci-Fi Aliens, Greatest Sci-Fi Robots and Greatest Sci-Fi Moments follow a similar structure to the Top Ten TV: Sci-Fi programme which I appeared on a year or two ago: ten items discussed by various knowledgeable talking heads, interspersed with a bunch of clips. Yesterday I was in London to film my contributions to the first programme (on Zaphod Beeblebrox) and the second programme (on Marvin the Paranoid Android) – as well as some comments on Doctor Who, Planet of the Apes and Chewbacca. Other interviewees include members of the Hitchhiker’s TV series cast and crew. The programmes are currently scheduled to be broadcast on Sky in September.

26th July 2004
Movie poster, DVD, towel images
Those lucky folk who attended the Disney presentation at Comic-Con came away with up to three red-hot collectables. The teaser poster can be seen at Filmforce IGN, while Nicolas Botti’s site has a photo of the DVD – which contains trailers for the Hitchhiker’s Guide movie, National Treasure and The Incredibles – and also the promotional towel! (It’s actually more of a face flannel, but it’s still deeply cool. And, unsurprisingly, there are already several on eBay.)

26th July 2004
‘Kamikaze’ sketch lives again
News reaches me that the famous Douglas Adams-penned ‘Kamikaze’ sketch from The Burkiss Way was revived last month when a selection of classic Burkiss sketches were performed at Nigel Rees’ sixtieth birthday party. The original version will be included, along with Douglas’ other contributions to the series, on the Douglas Adams at the BBC 3-CD set, due out in September. (The script for ‘Kamikaze‘ was published in the Comic Relief Christmas Book and in Don’t Panic.)

25th July 2004
MJS interviewed for sci-fi radio talk show
I just recorded an interview for Sci-Fi Overdrive, America’s premiere SF talk show, which is syndicated over 20 stations across the USA and can also be heard over the web. My interview – about Douglas Adams, of course – will be broadcast on Monday 2nd August. I also recorded an interview for American Who, the first internet audio Doctor Who news magazine, which will be broadcast in September.

25th July 2004
Teaser trailer on-line
Well, that didn’t take long! You can now view the teaser trailer that was shown at Comic-Con here (as AVI) or here (as RealPlayer). Take a look – it’s terrific.

24th July 2004
WYWH US hardback scheduled for March
Amazon.com are now listing the US hardback edition of Nick Webb’s book Wish You Were Here. It will be published on 29th March by Ballantine for $25.95, or $17.65 from Amazon.

24th July 2004
Exclusive! First teaser trailer shown at Comic-Con!
A reliable report reaches me that the giant annual Comic-Con in San Diego, which always features first glimpses of forthcoming movies, saw the first screening of the first teaser trailer for the Hitchhiker’s Guide movie! Apparently the teaser does not feature any footage from the movie itself, but it does use the traditional end-theme from HHGG, Louis Armstrong singing ‘What a Wonderful World’. This plays over footage of the Earth seen from outer space – which then blows up, revealing the phrase ‘Don’t Panic’ (so not too dissimilar to one of the opening animations on the official site). Apparently teaser posters were also given away at this Disney presentation. Did anybody else see this? Has anyone got a poster they can show us? More info please! (Enormous thanks to DW for the above.)

(Since I posted this another description of the teaser has been posted at Comingsoon.net.)

23rd July 2004
Nicolas Botti posts set visit report
Nicolas Botti, France’s premiere Hitchhiker’s fan, has posted a report on his visit to the movie set last week. “I have to say that fans are up for a big surprise,” says Nicolas. “This version is really a new one, with a lot of new items, characters and events. ... I’d like to add that the moviemakers have brought an incredible attention to each and every detail. I think it will be possible to see the film several times and still discover new subtle stuff. The DVD, including the making of, will be a very useful tool to have a full grasp of the film. There will even be a lot of references aimed at the fans who know by heart all the previous versions.” You can read Nicolas’ full report here on the world’s first dedicated Hitchhiker’s movie fansite. (There is also an alternative version with some less than helpful annotations by the Vogons.)

23rd July 2004
Warwick Davis confirms: no Marvin voice has been cast
In a public talk at Peterborough Central Library yesterday, Warwick Davis confirmed that the role of the voice of Marvin has still not been cast. Warwick is speaking the lines on set and then re-recording them in an ADR studio so that the film-makers have clear dialogue for editing etc – his voice on-set being rather muffled and echo-y because of the costume. But absolutely no decision has yet been made on who will supply the voice used in the finished film.

Warwick also said that he was offered the role after being called in by Hensons (with whom he worked on Labyrinth and the unproduced King of the Elves) to advise on how a short actor could be fitted into the proposed costume. He recalled watching the Hitchhiker’s TV series as a child, said he currently had the radio series in his car, and was full of admiration for the film and the people making it, as well as being aware of the responsibility of living up to what has been done before with the character of Marvin.

20th July 2004
Hitchhiker’s Guide to Bill Clinton?
Andrew Williams spotted an unlikely reference to Hitchhiker’s Guide on last night’s edition of the Australian ABC interview show, Enough Rope: “Although usually studio-bound, the episode was an interview with former President Bill Clinton, filmed in London last week as part of the launch of his autobiography. In one part of the interview, host Andrew Denton compared Clinton to a character from The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Universe [sic] who had "a brain the size of a planet". The reference was made as part of a question about what Clinton felt when people automatically thought about the Lewinsky affair, rather than his achievements, when considering his presidency. Sadly, Clinton did not refer back to HHGG in any way.”

19th July 2004
HHGG movie producer interviewed about his car!
Many thanks to observant Jonathan Lunt for pointing out to me that Todd Arnow, line producer on the Hitchhiker’s Guide movie, is interviewed in today’s Daily Telegraph – in, bizarrely, the motoring section! Arnow is a fan of Italian cars and apparently spent seven months looking for a rare Giulia Super while he was over in Europe making the first Harry Potter film.

19th July 2004
Peterborough event details confirmed
Details for Thursday’s sci-fi day at Peterborough Library have now been finalised. I will be talking and signing books in the library from 3pm till 5pm; local lad Warwick Davis will give a 45-minute illustrated talk in the John Clare Theatre next door at 7pm; and there’s a sci-fi/fantasy fashion show at 8pm. There’s likely to be a quiz somewhere in amongst that lot too. The whole event should be a laugh and I hope to see some of you there.

19th July 2004
Tertiary Phase stars pub visit photos on-line
Back in November, members of ZZ9 attending the monthly London pub meeting were joined for a few pints by Simon Jones and Geoffrey McGivern, fresh from recording the Tertiary Phase. Photos of this impromptu event are now on-line.

15th July 2004
WYWH paperback includes extra material
I finally had the chance to flick through a paperback copy of Nick Webb’s Wish You Were Here today. Although there’s no mention of it on the cover, the book includes a new three-page appendix bring the story up-to-date – or at least, up-to-February 2004 – mainly covering the Tertiary Phase and the movie. (Note that this is the paperback published earlier this month, not the larger trade paperback which was published simultaneously with the hardback last year.)

13th July 2004
Vintage Douglas Adams interview on-line
A 25-minute audio interview with Douglas Adams recorded in 1988 when he was promoting The Long, Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, has been unearthed and put on-line. The interview was originally broadcast on KPFT in Huston and is available here as streaming audio and here as MP3. Douglas discusses not only Tea-Time but also DGHDA, Last Chance to See, ‘Young Zaphod Plays It Safe’ and Monty Python. Interestingly, he says that the ‘Gospel According to a Sheep’ piece in the Comic Relief Christmas Book was written by Richard Curtis “with a few little additions by me.”

13th July 2004
Hitchhiker’s football?
Thanks to Ian Crichton for letting me know that he spotted some signs near Gerards Cross pointing to ‘Hitchhiker’s Football Location’. I checked whether this was connected with the movie and indeed it is. It’s the location of … a football match. The first unit versus the second unit, taking a short but well-deserved break from shooting. But I don’t yet know the score.

10th July 2004
Humma hymn photos on-line
Professional photographer Rab Letham, a former TDV-er, took some photos of the recent recording session of the movie’s ‘Humma Kavula hymn’ and has posted them here. They include several shots of a clearly very happy Garth Jennings and also a shot (middle, left) of Grant Gee who is shooting the film’s ‘making of’ documentary. (Thanks to Jon Crook for spotting this.)

9th July 2004
HHGG reference in new Robert Rankin novel
I have just been sent a copy of Robert Rankin’s new book, Knees Up Mother Earth, to review for Starburst, and I found the following on page 4:

“Thanks a lot,” said Norman. “But numbers are everything and I firmly believe that everything can be reduced to mathematics. Everything.”
“Life, the universe, and everything?” said Jim. “The number you’re looking for is forty-two, is it not?’
“Don’t you start,” said Norman.

Rankin is known to be a big fan of Douglas Adams’ works. Knees Up Mother Earth will be published on 5th August by Gollancz in hardback at a very reasonable £9.99 (or a mere £5.99 from Amazon).

8th July 2004
Competition news 1: winning photos on-line
The photo that won Adrian Cockle a walk-on part in the film, and the runners-up, are now available to see here.

8th July 2004
Competition news 2: a lucky bastard writes!
I am delighted to learn that the winner of the other win-a-walk-on-part-in-the-film competition, Nick Loven, learnt about the comp here on Magrathea. And he has sent me an e-mail!

“Yesterday I went for the costume fitting and was treated to a full tour of the studios,” writes Nick. “I have signed a confidentiality agreement so I’m not going to mention any specifics. Actually, even if I hadn’t signed one I'd still not want to give away any of the wonderful surprises that are going to make this film a big success.

“I am a massive fan of Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Like pretty much everyone who is following the development of this film, I have read all of the books and heard the radio version and seen the TV version many, many times. I have been waiting and worrying about a movie version for a long time. It is difficult to read the book without trying to imagine what a film would be like. So when the film actually began to be made I was excited and worried.

“So I am very glad to report that after visiting the studios and seeing sets and production designs and costumes, I am no longer worried and I'm a lot more excited. The attention to detail is superb. The designers really seem to understand Douglas’ ideas. I was also fortunate enough to meet and have a nice chat with Executive Producer Robbie Stamp. He cares as much as we do that this film should do Douglas’ ideas justice and he has complete confidence in all of the incredibly talented people who have gathered to make this film.

“So, my message to the fans is this: DON'T PANIC, the film is in excellent hands. This is not an adaptation of any previous version. It’s a new and fresh version made from Douglas’ ideas by a group of extraordinarily talented people who really ‘get it’.”

5th July 2004
Welsh movie scene in the can
Jamie Freeman reports on MartinFreeman.com that the Hitchhiker’s movie crew have been filming a scene on location in Wales (this is the footage that was originally going to be shot in Iceland) “The scene was part of one of those ideas Douglas Adams had for the movie before his death,” reveals Jamie, “and it’s quite an interesting plot development I must say.”

5th July 2004
Movie competition winners
The competition on today’s Simon Mayo Show to win a walk-on part in the Hitchhiker’s Guide movie was won by Nick Loven from Lincolnshire. Listeners were asked to invent a drink to rival the Pangalactic Gargleblaster and Nick’s suggestion was called the Viltvodle Charmhammer. Here’s his recipe:

Leave a glass of orange juice in the sun for half a day. Any sun will do, just don’t leave it too close to the centre or you’ll never be able to retrieve it. Add two drops of Jatravartid armpit sweat and as much Viltvodka as you can acquire. Finally pour the drink into a hollowed-out watermelon – sentient or non-sentient variety, depending on personal taste. Stir it with whiskers freshly plucked from an Arcturan Mega-leopard and decorate it with a Tananglian Zoopleflower – and an olive.

Meanwhile the winner of the h2g2 competition was Adrian Cockle from Surrey whose photograph was selected by Martin Freeman himself and will be appearing soon on the h2g2 website along with some of the other entries.

5th July 2004
Mostly Harmless 93 received
Issue 93 of the world’s only magazine dedicated entirely to Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy arrived at Magrathea this morning. This issue includes my full-length movie set report (about three times longer than the on-line version) plus an exclusive interview with Executive Producer Derek Evans. There is also an interview with Chris (Burkiss Way/News Huddlines) Emmett about how he researched and compiled the Douglas Adams at the BBC CDs, together with a complete run-down of what is on all three discs. Early, unmade versions of The Tertiary Phase are discussed in Part Two of ‘The Maggs Memoirs’, and there are also short chats with Jim Sangster about how he created this terrific Martin-as-Arthur 3D caricature and with author Jonathan Morris about the Adams influences on his new Doctor Who novel. Throw in an advance look at the ‘25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition’ of Guide, a report on the recording of the Humma Kavula hymn for the movie and an obituary of Paul Neil Milne Johnstone – plus the usual reviews, artwork, etc. – and you have a magazine which is as packed as it is indispensable. Anyone who claims to be a Hitchhiker’s Guide fan but who isn’t a member of ZZ9 just isn’t trying…

5th July 2004
WYWH paperback goes on sale
The paperback edition of Nick Webb’s Douglas Adams biography Wish You Were Here goes on sale today. It costs £7.99 or £6.39 from amazon.co.uk.

4th July 2004
Listener complains about Tertiary Phase
Believe it or not, not everyone likes Hitchhiker’s Guide. Among those who don’t is Peter Roland from Wansted in London whose letter to the BBC Radio 4 programme Feedback was read out in tonight’s show. Here it is in full:

“Oh Lord, the heart sinks. About 25 years ago it was announced that a marvellous new series starring Peter Jones was about to be launched on the Radio 4 airwaves. Having been fans of Peter Jones from the days of Copthorne Avenue* onwards, we were greatly looking forward to it. In the event however, the new series – called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – proved dreadfully unfunny. Since then the series has been repeated several times – to be greeted, presumably, by the sound of the off-switch being operated in thousands of households throughout the land. With the creation of Radio 7 however, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, content that the BBC could re-run it forever more on that channel to their heart’s content, and that the Radio 4 airwaves would be freed up for something more amusing. Everyone would thus be satisfied. But I rejoiced far too soon. This week a sequel was announced. I can only hope that it will prove a relatively short series and it will not be remorselessly repeated on Radio 4 for the next twenty years or so. But I fear these hopes are going to be in vain.”

*A reference to the classic 1950s series In All Directions.

3rd July 2004
Another chance to be a movie extra
Well-known Hitchhiker’s Guide fan Simon Mayo will be discussing the HHGG movie on his show on BBC Radio Five LIve on Monday 5th July and will be launching a competition to win a part as an extra in the movie. Mayo’s show is on from 1pm to 4pm (BST); it can be heard live here and will be available here for 24 hours afterwards. Details of the competition are here. (Thanks to Mosh for spotting this one.)

3rd July 2004
Big Read blooper broadcast
Last night’s edition of Outtake TV on BBC1 included a sequence which was shot for The Big Read last year. It was Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson and two colleagues reading the Deep Thought sequence from HHGG – and needing six takes to get it right.