Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Movie!

[DaveS1138]

Hi Sukerkin

Do you know how to get hold of the original version of the radio series? I only have the ones they brought out on CD. The only part that I know for sure was changed is when the crew arrive on Magrathea. In the original they trudged along the planet surface with Marvin humming some rock tune. I gather they couldn't get the rights to the tune since every version since then has had it removed and has them going straight from the Heart of Gold airlock to the tunnel entrance.

Just curious if there is a way to get the original.

 

[sukerkin]

Well, the copies I have are on tape. I do have the original broadcasts recorded at the time, by me, on my little radio/cassette ... the quality wasn't great and I'd be surprised if they'll even play after nearly thirty years !

I also have the BBC tapes of the first series but it's the re-broadcast and so is missing a few of the original voices and sound-effects (perhaps including Marvin humming Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd), I don't remember if that's on the tapes or not).

I also have the second series, again taped by me off the radio.

You might see a pattern here i.e. I have them all but they're on old analogue media. I could probably figure out a way to get them onto my PC (as I had to cobble together a Heath Robinson machine to begin transfer my LP's onto CD ) but I reckon the quality would be very disappointing.

I'll ask about at work to see if any of my fellow fans have some decent recordings or transfers (I find it hard to believe that noone in the world has committed them to digital media so there is hope).

Just don't ask Marvin's opinion .

 

[Zardoz]

Well, I got a horrendous shock this morning.

Inspired by this thread, I went to the upstairs closet where I stashed my set of six cassette tapes of the original BBC radio broadcast. To my stunning dismay, I discovered that one of them is missing. I have no idea how it got away.

I thought back and now realize that I haven't listened to them in about four years, so if the missing tape was ever going to turn up, it would've by now. I have to assume it's history.

So now I have all the motivation I could want to find this series in CD. Its got to be available, right?

We'll see what Google can find...



EDIT - Apparently only Amazon UK has the Primary Phase CDs:

Amazon UK

Oddly enough, BBC Online Shop says it isn't even available. They only have the Tertiary Phase.

Never ordered from Amazon UK. This should be interesting...

 

[DaveS1138]

Call me crazy but it occurs to me that Somewhere in the cosmos, along with all the planets inhabited by humanoids, reptiloids, fishoids, walking treeoids and superintelligent shades of the colour blue, there must also be a planet entirely given over to audio cassette life forms. And it is to this planet that unattended cassettes would make their way, slipping away quietly through wormholes in space to a world where they knew they could enjoy a uniquely cassette lifestyle, responding to highly cassette-oriented stimuli, and generally leading the cassette equivalent of the good life.

 

[DeLoreanBrown]

Eh...if DA had'nt kicked the bucket would this outrage have occurred . Hollywood went through the script with a LameOizer . The radio series was broadcast in a most wonderfull form of sensory image generator called stereo hot on the heels of Foundation by Isaac Asimov in that crucible of adaptation BBC Radio1 at the kick-off of dem eighties...Bury this movie please !

 

[Joey D]

I don't understand why you guys thought the movie was so bad...I found it entertaining enough.

 

[BlackZ28]

It would have been a lot better if I had been a fan. In the theatre people were clapping and all kinds of ****. I had no idea why. Later, my friend told me about the book and its following.
But I didnt like the movie at all.