H2G2 - Black Ford Prefect

[Sebmolo]

I am strangely unworried by this.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr...ent_id=2079307

[Brian Rubin]

Heh, I'm just happy it's being made in the first place. Now if ONLY they would make a faithful Red Dwarf feature film, my life would be complete. Okay, maybe not, but still, it would rock.

[Squirrel Killer]

I never pictured a black Ford, but I can totally see it now. As for Mos Def, I'd say that he was one of the bright spots of The Italian Job, but that would be admitting that there actually was a bright spot in that remake.

[awdougherty]

I never would have pictured a black Ford either, but it's definitely a good call. I wouldn't have minded Vince Vaughn either.

[Jakub]

I can totally see a black Ford Prefect. It's an inspired decision.

[Jason Levine]

I hope you guys are right, but I have misgivings about the whole project. Adams specifically created the character of Arther Dent for Simon Jones and it's very hard for me to imagine anyone else in that role. And the whole thing had such a British feel to it, of which the name, Ford Prefect, is evidence. And the cheesy, low-budget effects of the BBC production fit the script perfectly.

Hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling I'll be sticking with the DVD of the original.

[RichardC]

Originally Posted by Jakub

I can totally see a black Ford Prefect. It's an inspired decision.

(HENRY) FORD: You can have any colour, as long as it's...

[Mike Cathcart]

I'm more worried about this:

Adams adapted his own novel for the screen. After his death, Karey Kirkpatrick came aboard for a rewrite.

[Jason Levine]

Originally Posted by Mike Cathcart

I'm more worried about this:

Yeah, I can just picture some studio exec saying that it doesn't have enough action, put in a chase scene.

[Theodore Rex DX]

I don't know about a chase scene, but it definitely could have used some kind of resolution, or at least an ending that didn't make you think Adams just ran out of paper to write on.
The TV series did it well by combining both HHGTTG and TRATEOTU, which made the story sort of complete. Was the radio series like that? I haven't heard all of it.

[Jason Levine]

Originally Posted by Theodore Rex DX

I don't know about a chase scene, but it definitely could have used some kind of resolution, or at least an ending that didn't make you think Adams just ran out of paper to write on.
The TV series did it well by combining both HHGTTG and TRATEOTU, which made the story sort of complete. Was the radio series like that? I haven't heard all of it.

I thought the "Life, The Universe, and Everything" had more or less the same ending as the teleplay. No?

I dunno, the Disney backing is a bad sign. I like Mos Def a lot, think he's a terrific actor, but I agree with whoever said that it's British through and through and I don't even want to imagine Mos Def affecting a fake English accent or something, a la Don Cheadle in Ocean's Eleven, and I don't event want to imagine Mos Def not affecting a fake English accent. i.e. interesting, inspired, but ultimately I'm guessing, a bad choice.

[Theodore Rex DX]

I thought the "Life, The Universe, and Everything" had more or less the same ending as the teleplay. No?

No.

[Kevin Grey]

Originally Posted by Mike Cathcart

I'm more worried about this:

The need for rewrites wouldn't be surprising if the budget has been changing. Hitchhiker will be pretty expensive to produce as it is, so I imagine as they got closer to production and had the budget nailed down certain sequences had to be changed- hence the rewrite.

It is the very rare Hollywood movie that never has a rewrite.

[tromik]

Woah, wait...why would an alien have an English accent?

[Jakub]

Originally Posted by tromik

Woah, wait...why would an alien have an English accent?

Because he lived in England for 17 years, after crash landing on Earth. He named himself after the most popular being in the area, the Ford Prefect, only later realizing it's a vehicle and not the most popular name of the dominant form of life.

[RichardC]

Originally Posted by Jason Levine

I thought the "Life, The Universe, and Everything" had more or less the same ending as the teleplay. No?

The radio series ended - AFAIR - with them meeting the Ruler of the Universe and the discovery that Zaphod was ultimately responsible for blowing up the Earth.

[DennyA]

Why would an alien have an American accent?

As for Mos Def, I remember when the Millenium Falcon had to put in there for repairs a few years ago...

[tromik]

Originally Posted by Jakub

Because he lived in England for 17 years, after crash landing on Earth. He named himself after the most popular being in the area, the Ford Prefect, only later realizing it's a vehicle and not the most popular name of the dominant form of life.

How in the hell did he get the accent right if he couldn't get the name right?

[Jason Levine]

Originally Posted by Charybdis

The radio series ended - AFAIR - with them meeting the Ruler of the Universe and the discovery that Zaphod was ultimately responsible for blowing up the Earth.

Oh, OK, I thought I remember the TV series ending with them on the "rebuilt" Earth with all the telemarketers, phone cleaners, etc., Arthur pulling out of his sub-conscious that the ultimate question to which the answer was 42 was what is 9 x 6, and Arthur saying, "I always knew there was something fundamentally wrong with the Universe." But considering that I saw it in the '80s, that may have been the drugs. :wink:

[Jakub]

Originally Posted by tromik

How in the hell did he get the accent right if he couldn't get the name right?

Think about it.

[freeman]

Originally Posted by Jason Levine

Adams specifically created the character of Arther Dent for Simon Jones and it's very hard for me to imagine anyone else in that role.

If you've seen The Office, then you know that the guy they chose is beyond perfect.

[tromik]

Originally Posted by Jakub

Think about it.

I've already given up.

Seriously, you guys would fit in perfectly on the UGHH forums. It's just people hating on music, movies, sports, cities, games, cars and people.

[Jakub]

Originally Posted by tromik

I've already given up.

Seriously, you guys would fit in perfectly on the UGHH forums. It's just people hating on music, movies, sports, cities, games, cars and people.

I haven't said a hateful thing to you or about this movie or book or anything in the last week or so.

I was just under the impression you didn't give a lot of thought to the idea that an alien, crash-landing on Earth, sees a lot of "Ford Prefects" and quickly names himself that, before realizing "doh, they're only vehicles, and not a life form." Over the next seventeen years, I think it'd be quite natural he picks up an English accent :)

[Bill Dungsroman]

Originally Posted by tromik

I've already given up.

Seriously, you guys would fit in perfectly on the UGHH forums. It's just people hating on music, movies, sports, cities, games, cars and people.

Dude, you just offered up that you watched The Office instead of the Super Bowl because you hate the NFL over in CBT.

[Dave Markell]

Originally Posted by tromik

How in the hell did he get the accent right if he couldn't get the name right?

He had 17 years to practice the accent and a day to pick a name, maybe?