THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY (2005) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | Dancing Dolphins! 

31:15 The towel thing is explained in the book. If you're hitchhiking and you have a towel with you, people you meet will assume that you're the sort of person who travels well prepared for everything, and will therefor not mind lending you stuff that you accidentally forgot to bring with you. Perfectly logical.

When Alan Rickman was cast as Marvin... I cried... because there has never been a more perfect casting in the history of any casting... and that includes castings of fishing lines, dice, and spells.

"The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't.” I mean, seriously... That line from fairly early in the first novel is just - wow! I loved how Douglas' mind worked.

The books do get existential at times but can also be a chaotic mess of absurd humor. They're wonderful. They've taught me not to take life too seriously.

I love the story of the plutonium rock band, Disaster Area. Not just the loudest band in the galaxy, but in fact the loudest noise of any kind. They play from orbit and the audience sits in concrete blast shelters. The Hitchhiker's guide is full of gold.

The line from the book that really stuck with me is, “A time when men were real men, women were real women, and little furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real little furry creatures from Alpha Centauri!” That was just delightfully absurd to me for some reason.

This movie is slightly amusing. The books are absolutely astounding. I have read them 5 times over the years.

11:10 The bathrobe look is one of the more iconic outfits in ScFi by now - and purely accidental. Douglas Adams simply didn't notice he never gave Arthur the chance to change clothes when he first wrote the story... :)

A fun adaptation that doesn’t get enough love. FYI: Betelgeuse is a red giant star in the constellation Orion. The book series is off the wall. In the third book we learn how to fly: throw yourself at the ground and miss. It’s a bummer that they cut the whole towel bit because it’s classic. This movie only is adapted from the first book. The second book is called “The Restaurant At The Edge of The Universe,” and picks up where the first left off.

The movie does not do the books justice, but the movie is definitely serviceable.

At the end, the starship Heart of Gold turns into the face of Douglas Adams, and it brings a tear to my eye every time I see it. The movie tangentially references the many uses for a towel by showing Ford using his towel in various different ways, including hiding his face while running through oncoming laser fire.

This movie captured the spirit of the first book and really is a nice way to dip a toe inside the world that Douglass Adams created. It only loosely covers the first book of the "trilogy of five parts" which the first book is titled "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy". The five part trilogy thing, even though there are now six books, is a little joke at and nod to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and how there are many more books than just the big three parts of the trilogy. The whole towel thing you notice if you pay attention to Ford throughout the movie, he displays how useful a towel is by constantly changing how he uses it: pillow, shawl, weapon, etc.

25:00 That planet in the background has the face of Douglas Adams (1952-2001). His face is also the final image of the film, as the Heart of Gold enters Infinite Improbability Drive. Adams was a tireless advocate for the preservation of endangered species, a theme woven into the film in a satisfying way. Please read his "Last Chance to See", a tour, along with a wildlife photographer, to Madagascar (to visit the Aye-Aye, the rarest lemur), New Zealand (Kakapo, a flightless parrot), Komodo (the eponymous dragons) and to the plains of Africa to visit the white Rhinoceros. The book is based on a BBC Four Radio series, which ran from 1978-1979, and is the best incarnation of the franchise. It played on NPR in the United States in 1980, and I (age 11) taped it off the radio every time it was on (12 episodes in all, later expanded as someone below has commented). The sound was done by Paddy Kingsland of the BBC Radiophonic workshop, successor to the great Delia Derbyshire of "Doctor Who" and electronic music pioneer. Adams wanted the series to sound like a modern rock album (his friends, Pink Floyd, were recording The Wall around the same time, and there are music cues from Pink Floyd, Gyorgi Ligeti, Richard Strauss, and many others). The sound design was lush and in full crisp stereo, and I'm happy that the movie is carpeted with sound effects cues. The world building in the original series was so good that you could see it on radio, so to speak. I've performed the first 12 radio scripts in community theater and science fiction conventions, and Marvin is always an audience favorite. We always have an A4 sized photo of Adams to bring out with us at curtain call, so Douglas can take his bow along with the cast.

The TV adaptation is worth looking into for the Deep Thought scene alone. 30 years after I first saw it and I still can't say the number '42' without making it a booming proclamation. Also, the holographic head that appears when they arrive at Magrathea(?) is the actor who played Arthur in the series.

The Hitchhiker's Guide originated as a serialized radio program, which likely contributes to it feeling like a lot of little tiny stories stitched together (I've listened to the radio program, I do greatly enjoy it 🙂). The radio program was adapted to at least the first couple books where it was given a slightly more coherent storyline, and again here in the movie where the overall story can even be followed. The underlying DNA at its core is just a bunch of funny situations, many of which can be swapped in time without really detracting from the overall whole.

Theme footnote: the rock song that plays when we initially open the Guide at the beginning of the movie is "Journey of the Sorcerer" by The Eagles, Hitchhiker's eternal theme song. It also opens the older TV series adaptation. Listening to the full song gives me the chills. Another footnote: Marvin from the old TV series had a large boxy design, and had a cameo in the movie. He was in the queue at the Vogon office.

The book series was absolutely wild. This film is loosely based on the first one, and we never got to see the other four books get a similar treatment. It's a shame because as a kid I used to stay up till the early hours of the morning reading them. So many surprisingly powerful or emotional moments hidden amongst the absurdity.

As I recall, the book opens with a long background on earth and humans, then inside of Author's house. The writing is very witty and clever. Very quick to read, and I recommend reading it. It's one of the few books I have physically read voluntarily.

I had a chance to hear Adams speak at my university a few years before his passing. He talked about how much he enjoyed adapting this story for different media and how important it was to throw out whatever was necessary for adaptation. A radio play, tv series, book, text-based computer game, movie ... all need different things to work. He felt like each should stand on their own and not require the others or be required to include everything from the others. I love that take on adaption and it has flavored my enjoyment of different adaptations over the years and appreciation for good adaptations which made the tough choice to make changes which might even alienate original audience but which would make a better product. The Fellowship of the Rings (150 pages of wandering and lore cut to a short travel montage worked) and Ready Player One (replacing tasks that took years to solve and would've been boring to bring to the screen with action sequences worked) are great examples to me.

Something I love most about the writing style of Douglas Adams is the way he tends to take the hilariously scenic route to his punchlines. I was pleased to find a lot of that was kept in the movie adaptation. The books are still my favorite version because I think the medium works best for conveying his brilliant wordplay humor. If you’d like to have some rather wild and bizarre dreams, though, I highly recommend listening to the radio series while sleeping. It certainly worked for me. Don’t Panic, Shanelle. It was a lovely reaction.

I read the books many times before this movie came out. The movie does capture the spirit of the books pretty well. The books are veey small and quick to read because of the writing style. Most of the material comes from the first book with lore and some things coming from others. I highly recommen reading the books.

When my kids were teenagers and big Doctor Who fans (still are btw), we ofcourse had to watch this film and as of that moment, when playing games (we do that a lot), a certain score (depending the game) is needed to win, yet when someone gets a 42 score, they win too. This houserule still holds till this day. And Alan Rickman is killing it as Marvin.

The character of Marvin, the Paranoid Android, was based on the actual personality of a university contemporary of Douglas Adams called Andrew Marshall, who also, surprisingly, became a comedy scriptwriter. The original story was written in episodic form as a radio series, mostly in the couple of days leading up to recording (Adams would sometimes still be working on parts of the script when recording of the completed pages had started). Although the story of Arthur's failed attempt to win over Tricia MacMillan at a London party was part of the original story, he didn't find love and contentment until much later, in the book series.

The hologram missile warning head is the actor who played Arthur Dent from the BBC TV series. The original radio series was absolutely the best HHGTTG

No musical numbers but "So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish" (1982) is the title of the fourth book in the series.

There’s an unintentionally funny moment in this film if you watch with subtitles on. When the earth explodes, it says in tiny font - [boom] 😊

My all time favorite book! 🙌🏼 The movie is fun for what it is but the book is life changing

If you’re curious about the difference between this film and previous versions, I’d recommend Dominic Noble’s Lost In Adaptation HHG2G video. It also explains why fans of other versions found this one disappointing. That said, I’m glad Shanelle enjoyed it! Maybe I should view it as Hitchhiker’s lite, and accept it for what it is. It gives you a taste but doesn’t match the full course meal.

I’m really glad someone is reacting to this film, especially as a fresh viewer without the baggage of the books. It’s a great weird film that deserves more praise as a British classic

As cute as the movie is, the radio show is better, the books are even better, (a trilogy in 5 books if you only count the ones Douglas Adams wrote), but my favorite is the TV show from 1981. Great reaction Shan. Marvin is certainly one of my favorite characters. Alan Rickman did a fantastic job.

Douglas Adams (the face you see at the end) truly had one of the greatest minds. I've loved the Guide since I was kid watching the BBC series, then the books (a trilogy of five). His Dirk Gently books are well worth a read too. Between these and the radio serials, it would be impossible to fit it all in to a single movie, but they did a good job of condensing it down to two hours here. Thanks for reacting to this, I could nerd out about it for days.

The books are actually really good, super funny and surprisingly intelligent, philosophical and thought provoking. Worth reading (they're not long books, easily consumable). My favorite chapter of all time is in the 3rd book, Marvin the paranoid android is stranded on a planet, in a swamp, and has a conversation with a mattress. I cry laughing at that one every time!

Releasing this on a Thursday, I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

A few years back I went as Arthur to a friend's Halloween party- I was too lazy to think of a costume so I figured bathrobe, towel, bag of 'Babelfish' (gummy fish) and my copy of the Hitchiker's Guide book. It worked out quite nicely :p

I was a junior in high school in 82 when I read this the first time. Always had a thing for british humor and a Sci Fi fanatic this seemed Monty Python in space, so great mix!

My first exposure to Arthur, Ford, Trillian and Zaphod was when I was in elementary school. My father gave my brother and me a few audio cassettes of the original radio broadcast. (Arthur from the radio program, and subsequent BBC TV series, was played by the Magrathean hologram who sent the missiles at the Heart of Gold.) I’ve read the books, and they’re full of weird, meandering lore that’s brilliant fun, with universal themes and plenty of odd contradictions. Back before he wrote the first episode of the radio program, Douglas Adams wrote with a couple of the guys from Monty Python, and he wrote a number of episodes of Dr. Who. The towel bit had no intended meaning, but fans have declared May 25 to be Galactic Towel Day as a tribute to Adams and his works. My father got his first edition copy of So Long and Thanks for all the Fish signed by Adams back in 1984, which I now own and cherish. Thank you for reacting to this fun extension of my childhood!

This movie has some of the best commentary tracks. I binge watch this one three times in a row quite often, normal, amd once again with each commentary. So much info and great chats.

I love The Hichhikers Guide series of books, the best trilogy in 5 parts ever written. This movie is ok but the B.B.C. tv series from the 80's is so much better as far as I am concerned. The movie tries a little too hard and lacks the soul of the tv and radio series. But over all is great to see another person discover the guide.

Thank you, Shanelle! 🌌 There's a BBC tv series version from 1981; only 2 and a half hours total. Might be worth comparing, since it's rated higher.

I want that played at my funeral - "So long and thanks for all the fish!"

''So long and thanks for all the fish''. This still makes me laugh. 🐬🐟🤣🤣

I don't really care for tongue in cheek, winking, self-aware fiction but I absolutely love this series of books. And, of course, loved this film as it's own thing.

Shanelle. It's not based on a book. It's based on a British TV miniseries, which is based on a book, which is based on an earlier draft of that book, which is based on a radio show. Honestly as a HUGE HHGTTG fan, this movie only scratches the surface of Douglas Adams's brilliancy. If you're a reader, you should read the complete works (like 7 novels all in one). After his death, other authors continued more books in the same world. So long, and thanks for all the reactions!

In 1982 I was in a small bookstore looking for another Piers Anthony novel. I saw a book with a hand holding up a thumb, a planet sticking its tongue out at me, the words "DON'T PANIC you can read this book before everyone else has!". I started to read the intro and laughed out loud. A book had never caused me to actually physically laugh before, let alone standing in a small quiet bookstore. A must read (you can still read it before everyone else has!).

In some of its world building, The Hitchhiker's Guide parodies Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, which also features galactic empires and an essential reference source, in that case called the Encyclopedia Galactica. The ridiculous names, like Zaphod Beeblebrox, poke fun at Asimov's tin ear for the invention of common names.

For me, the British writer who has the most Douglas Adams-like writing style today is Jasper Fforde. Very quirky novels that are definitely for the literature college major that I was-my favorites are the Thursday Next series.

It must be so weird to watch that movie without knowing the plot from the books or the radio play.

I LOVE the book! Own it! I remember way back when I turned 42 my son said. "MOM! You are the answer to the meaning of life and the universe!" I was a proud mom.

You're right. Marvin is the best character. If you like all the silly side stories and explanations you'll love the books. Usually I hate lots of narration in a movie, but the books are full of them so it would be hard to work around them. And when the narrator is Stephen Fry I just want to close my eyes, forget the movie and listen to him.

One of my favorite books. I read it when I was 14 and laughed so hard I fell off my bed! The movie is a little different from the books but Douglas Adams had a hand in the screenplay. I even got a tattoo of “don’t panic”. On a separate note, one of my mottos is: The world was made for those not cursed with self awareness.

I've been a die hard Hitchhikers' fan since I was in high school in the 1980s. First, I watched the BBC TV show, then read the books. Then I learned that the whole thing started as a BBC radio show. I waited for years for a film version to come out. I was especially excited when I found out that Douglas Adams wrote the screenplay (mostly), and his son finished it when he died. In honor of Douglas Adams, May 25th is known as International Towel Day, started by fans in New Zealand. May 25 also happens to be my birthday. In 2008, I threw a huge sci-fi party for my 42nd birthday, more than 200 guests that I held as a fundraiser for a friend who needed help with medical bills. It was such a blazing success that it still comes up in conversation among my friends from time to time. I was disappointed with the movie at first, but on second and subsequent viewings, I enjoyed it more and more. The CGI was limited to things that couldn't be accomplished with puppets and miniatures. In 2005, Sam Rockwell said that he modeled the character of Zaphod as a combination of Elvis Presley and George W. Bush. Also, I have the number 42 tattooed on me in three places in binary, Roman numerals, and in ASCII. I discovered the question to the answer when I learned that Douglas Adams was a computer programmer. It all makes sense to me now. Also, the movie has so many fan-service cameos, that the fans being serviced always chuckle whenever they catch them.

Betelgeuse is a red giant star better known as The Shoulder of the Constellation: Orion. It is a star we expect to supernova soon and the only one we really expect to do so in the local region of the galaxy. It has been in the news A LOT over the past few years.

I personally prefer the BBC's TV adaptation but this movie was a fun, if different, take on the story. I think the movie does well with adapting some of the major plot points (and jokes - the sperm whale and petunias is always a fun time) but they had to change a lot to fit it into one movie. I think they did pretty good with that, though, and I really like the cast, especially Freeman, who I think is a great Dent Arthur Dent (as Slartibartfast might call him).

Douglas Adams was a genuis at writing! The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of the biggest and greatest sci-fi books ever. Ya gotta watch the old tv bbc mini-series. It has alot more than whats seen in thr movie! Alan Rickman as Marvin is Fantastic and EPIC.

The towel has MANY practical uses, but only ONE specific purpose. For this reason, I never leave home without one.

This is one of the best examples of a good adaptation. It captures the spirit of the book without just redoing the book. I love it so much.

If you want even more Hitchhiker's Guide, ABSOLUTELY check out the 6 episode TV series from the 80s, based on the first 2 books. If you like Doctor Who, it'll feel similar.

I came across the book while living at a renaissance festival in upstate New York. Someone had left it in the kitchen trailer, so I started to read it... Have you ever heard of a book so engaging that you can't put it down? Well, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was EXACTLY that. I could not put it down or stop to sleep until I'd read it cover to cover. I can't recommend it enough. So, it was made into a radio play, then an episodic TV series, all through the BBC. PBS brought it over for us Americans to enjoy. It took AGES to be made into a film, but finally resulted in this one. The film got panned BADLY by fans of the book and the earlier theatrical renditions, but I personally like it. The book is pure British absurdist humor; it comes out of the same generation that produced Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Goon Show, and The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. The closest America ever got to this same type and quality of hysterical absurdism is Robin Williams. The same can be said of the sequel, "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe". In the same UK vein is the beloved show "Red Dwarf". (By the way, Ford Prefect is a type of automobile sold in the UK, like our Honda Civic or Nissan Altima.) Did you recognize John Malkovich and Bill Nighy in the cast? Or the Henson practical effects? Great film choice! Loved this!❣ Recommendation: "Warm Bodies".

When they get slapped in the face with the flyswatters I laugh out loud every single time. Even years of watching I still laugh.

Is it just me who tears up a little with a smile on my face when Douglas Adam's face appears right at the end of the film?

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was originally a radio series which ran for two seasons. Then it became a series of books. Then a tv series, more books, then the original radio cast came back to dramatise the new books, and then this film. Overall the film was basically "The League of Gentlemen does their version of Hitchhiker" and a bit disappointing. The robot who waves at them in the waiting room is the ORIGINAL Marvin the Paranoid Android. I'm not sure if it truly is Stephen Moore (the original Marvin) in the suit or a nameless extra.

In regards to the movie vs. the 5 books, this film only handles the very first of the books (and it differs greatly in many ways from the book itself). But the books differ from the original radio play that Douglas Adams originally wrote, so it's kind of a running gag that the film continues. The author referred to the 5 books as a trilogy, just to confound readers, but I highly recommend reading them, as they are hilarious, as are the Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency books (of which was made a 2 season TV series that was a hoot to watch).

My original copy of the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy long since fell to bits due to reading over and over. I am 65 and can still quote the book just as some people can quote Shakespeare. Towel Day is celebrated every year on 25 May as a tribute to the author Douglas Adams by his fans.

1:22 “Maybe this Hitchhiker will be hitchin’ his way around the Galaxy…” In a word: yes.

The radio show is delightful. I don't know how you could react to a radio show but you should definitely listen to it. And yes, the books are delightful too. Again, reacting to a book would be ridiculous but for your own enjoyment you should check them out. They are delightfully hilarious.

BTW you should totally watch the 2016 Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency from BBC both seasons. You will love it.

9:04 - That's literally *EVERYONE* in in high school! 😂

Love it. I saw it when it came out. I started laughing once I saw your thumbnail. 🤣😜 One of my first very well decorated cars had a decal that said “don’t forget your towel”. I’m also pretty sure the South Park character Towlie must not be a complete coincidence.

I read the books and saw the movie in the theater. I can't imagine what it would be like to watch the movie without reading at least the first book, but my feeling is that the viewer would miss a lot of the jokes. The books are fantastic. I would have liked to see the other books adapted into movies.

I am a HUGE fan of “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”… The original Radio Plays, The Books, and The BBC Mini-Series. This film was a disappointment to me. Douglas Adams died after writing the first draft and it seems to me the makers of this film threw most of Adam’s Comedy out.

A movie based on a tv series based on book based on a radio show. There have been so many iterations of Hitchhiker's that anything that maintains the spirit of the original is totally legit. And Douglas Adams agreed.

Love this movie. So many good things. The one thing I wait for is when Zooey tears up while using the POV gun. She does that so well. (I have a little thing for her too)

Absurdist comedy is strange and fantastic. Hitchhiker's guide, Monty Python, Fry & Laurie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, this type of comedy is so unreal, it's awesome. Also, the man's face that quickly pops up at the end is the story's creator Douglas Adams who passed away during the film's production.

I absolutely love this adaptation and also the books. Just fantastic.

My kids loved this movie when they were little. My daughter when she was 4 years old would randomly yell “HUMMA KAVULA”!

I loved that you noticed the woman at the bar, she was the leading lady of the original hitchhikers guide to the galaxy show back in the day.

The original mini series is much better, even though it's lower budget.

I love the Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardines documentation "Last chance to see", so good and a nice mix of sad and funny - especially a famous Kakapo parrot scene, that's so hilarious

I grew up with the books, and they are super funny. The movie pretty much covers much of the first book, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, they allude in the movie about the second book. The books are: Book 1: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1979) Book 2: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980) Book 3: Life, the Universe and Everything (1982) Book 4: So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish (1984) Book 5: Mostly Harmless (1992) The whole series has been a radio play, a book series, a TV series, and lastly the movie. There are many plot differences between all of these, but the style has always remained the same.

My favourite line from the book describes how the Vogon ships hang in the air in the way that a brick doesn't. 😅

I love that the robot is so depressed because he knows everything. I can relate.

The BBC 1980's mini series of Hitchhiker's was the first time I ever saw or heard of it (thanks Dad!) I was 6 years old, and I fell in love with it.

Always needing a towel is actually some really good advice. Even more so when you have kids

Let's see... read the books, played the Infocom game, watched the tv series, listened to the radio dramas, read the graphic novel, then finally saw the movie. Loved it. The author intentionally changes the story to fit the medium each time. So glad they put that credits guide entry bit from the Infocom game in it.

When the Vogon said He closed the gate we need to find another way around I lost it lol

It was first a radio drama before it was a book. Every iteration of it features different elements, and the ones that are always there get shifted around.

35:15 The fact that there are 5 Hitchhiker's Guide books makes it the longest triology ever written 😁

The book was legendary and passed among nerds and artists, many years before this movie came out.

When I was a kid, these books were my absolute favourite. I first heard the BBC radio version of this starting when I was 10. I used to hide my clock radio under my bed covers and listen to the hour long broadcast every Sunday night. I wouldn’t stop talking about it, and eventually got the series of books, the 5 part trilogy, as a Christmas gift when I was 11. Read them more times than I can remember, and it they definitely helped shape my perception of the world. Douglas Adams also wrote what is probably my favourite book of all time, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.

From the Guide: "Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with."

If you are hitchhiking around the galaxy on less than 20 Altairian dollars a day, you have to keep your key every day carry items on hand. The towel is one of them and symbolic of the whole readiness thing. For example, if a bugblatter beast is about to kill/eat you, you wrap the towel around your head. The beast is so dumb that it figures if you can't see it, then it can't see you. So then it can't find you to eat you. The towels are also somewhat technologically advanced - covered in the book but not the movie.

In reference to favorite lines in the book, mine is "Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.”

Your towel can be a cushion, a pillow, a sun shade, a shawl, and can dry you. You can also use it to flag someone down. You can touch things that are too hot or too cold for your bare hands. Your towel is essential for any serious traveler.

I was introduced to Hitchhiker thru a radio theatre series on NPR, then the books, the BCC tv series, finally the movie. The radio series was amazing.

Douglas Adams (the author of the Hitchhiker's Guide) was an avid programmer. One language he was fond of was ASCII, in which an asterisk is represented by "42". The asterisk means "anything you want it to be". That's the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything c':

The first time I saw the movie was in a special fan screening, and we all brought towels.

I remember Douglas Adams saying in an interview that production on the theatrical movie was due to start "next week" and that it had been the same "next week" for several years.

I think you're going to love this. The genius of Douglas Adams is irresistible 😎

I loved this movie. It had a lot of elements from the Science Fiction I used to read back in the late 70s. Like the bowl of petunias "... nobody knew why his only thought was 'oh, no, not again'"

Fun bits. The nose temple and iconography is Douglas Adams' nose. His face was scanned for a video game. The model data was used to create the props. His face is also one of planets in the background while they travel through Managethren's factory floor. His face also shows up as one of the improbable forms when the crew heads to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.