This Space for Rent

Oh, this is probably a bad sign

A few months ago, I discovered that Disney was doing a movie version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and I expressed some concern that it might not be a particularly good adaptation.

Well, it's apparently almost out, and reviewers have already had a chance to look it over and comment on it.

The review (with spoilers) I read excerpts some, um, disturbing stuff. Douglas Adams wrote the following dialogue:

"I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
"That's the Display Department."
"With a torch."
"The lights had probably gone."
"So had the stairs."
"But you found the plans, didn't you?"
"Oh yes, they were 'on display' in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the leopard.'"

And, apparently, the movie revised this to:

"I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
"But you found the plans, didn't you?"

About the only thing I can say in favor of ripping out the «Beware of the leopard» dialogue is that it tells me right off the bat that the movie is 100% Grade-A bioengineered horsecrap. I don't think I'll be needing to spend US$10.00 to watch it when I could get the same effect by applying a spoon to my eyeballs from the comfort of my own home.

(the horrifying, but not unexpected, news is via Majikthise )

Comments


This has got me very depressed, almost to 'Marvin' scale. I have been so looking forward to this movie. It just kills me as the dialogue would translate perfectly to the screen.

William Bragg Mon Apr 11 16:32:22 2005

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