From Cosmic Log for April 26, 2005:
Life, the universe and nearly everything: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" finally comes to the
big screen after a gestation period of about two decades — and close to four years after the death of its author, British humorist Douglas Adams.
The movie, which begins with the destruction of Earth (after the dolphins leave, of course), traces the exploits of refugee earthling Arthur Dent and his extraterrestrial travel mates as they carom from one cosmic scrape to another — adding a few new twists to the ground covered by the radio series, the five-book "trilogy," the TV series, the computer game and even an honest-to-goodness
"Hitchhiker's Guide." I have a soft spot for the "Hitchhiker" saga, in part because of my supporting role in the naming of Asteroid Douglasadams (which followed an earlier asteroidal tribute, Arthurdent). But the film version is sparking a controversy even before its scheduled Friday release.
Some reviews say it's a worthy if not quite stellar addition to the Adams oeuvre: The Hollywood Reporter, for example, says the story made "the tricky leap to the cinema with largely pleasing results." The praise is somewhat fainter in The Associated Press' review, which says the movie is too "mindbogglingly big."
But it's the verdict from Adams' own biographer that's the most damning: "You just won't believe how vastly, staggeringly, jaw-droppingly bad it is," M.J. Simpson says on his Planet Magrathea Web site. The outcry over Simpson's thumbs-down is so stormy that it's led Simpson to stop updating the site — and vow never to write another word about Adams or "H2G2."
Guess I'll have to see the movie to find out what all the fuss is about.
To get more of the flavor of the original "Hitchhiker's Guide," check out the BBC cult Web site. And if you're in the market for a truly scientific guide to life, the universe and nearly everything, check out this month's selection for the Cosmic Log Used Book Club: "A Short History of Nearly Everything," by Bill Bryson. The well-known British author brings a wonderful beginner's mind to all the big questions about the rise of the cosmos and civilization.
Bryson's book is a worthy addition to the CLUB Club, which recognizes books with cosmic themes that have been around long enough to show up in libraries or used-book shops. type=text/javascript>document.write("");
