Magrathea Closed

[coalescent]

Did I miss the flurry of posts about this?

In late 2004 I resolved to stop writing about Hitchhiker's Guide after 6th May 2005, which was at that time the projected release date for the film. I have told plenty of people about this decision over the past few months. I had intended to keep Planet Magrathea going beyond then because I know that a lot of people find it a useful site and it just about pays for itself through Amazon and Google links.

As of today I have decided to just say 'sod it' and pack the whole thing in.

Dated the 17th, and seems to be at least partly related to the reaction to his review of the film.

Even the Beeb mentions it in its report on the premiere:

Mr Simpson is a journalist with a passion for science fiction and the work of Douglas Adams.

He has written books, visited the set of the film and runs a website dedicated to the Hitchhiker's Guide. He also got to see the film and he did not like it.

His review is beyond comprehensive, it is a scene by scene dissection of a movie he wanted to love but felt deeply let down by. Much of the detail which he had loved for so many years was missing.

Some of the jokes had been changed and new ones added. His website was bombarded with 70,000 hits in one day.

Some agreed with him but many others were appalled and it had an impact on MJ Simpson.

He has now said that his website is being closed and he will never write another word about Douglas Adams.

Seems a shame.

Comments

[cellardoor28.livejournal.com]

This may amuse/horrify you.

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

I think the flurry is all happening in the zz9 members-only mailing list.

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

It was discussed heavily on the zz9 bounce. A number of things spring to mind.

1) Simo cannot take criticism very well.
2) People are over reacting to his review
3) His review sounds a bit harsh - but MAY be justified.
4) He DOES know about comedy.
5) He probably needs to disassociate himself from HHGttG in order to get work writing about other things.

PS I am one of the three ZZ9ers mentioned in that BBC article.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

When it comes to FW, with me it's always mostly the latter reaction. :)

[xsabx.livejournal.com]

His review sounds a bit harsh - but MAY be justified.

I could have put a *lot* of money on the film upsetting those who could be considered as 'serious' or 'prurist' HHG fans, and I'd consider Mr Simpson as quite high in the ratings on both of those counts. The only way this film would have made those fans happy would have been if Mr Adams were still with us and he had written the script. However, I suspect if Mr Adams *were* alive the film would never have gotten made in the first place, because Adams himself would never have found a way to make the film so he would be happy with the results. personally, if the Product Placement is as blatant as Simpson makes out, I'd argue that Adams would have walked.

Simpson is right, they should have looked at the Stage Play if they wanted to see a good way to summarise the plot, but it does have to be said that the original is nearly 30 years old... I can see why filmmakers would want to try and make the whole thing *relevant*...

Put it in the same compartment as the TV show (as a version that is part of the canon but not the best) and go back to listening to the original Radio Broadcasts. Does anyone know if you can still listen to them online?

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

> if the Product Placement is as blatant as Simpson makes out

I even noticed some at the Film premiere :-)

[talvalin.livejournal.com]

What is it with people who post commentary on the Internet (especially about something with a *lot* of fans) and then whine when they get a deluge of negative responses and personal attacks. What did he expect?

[ex-susumu64.livejournal.com]

Also: Massive Geek In Didn't Like Massmarket Adaptation Shock

[cellardoor28.livejournal.com]

I was most amused by his suggestion that anyone who attacked/disagreed with him must be a studio plant.

[sclerotic-rings.livejournal.com]

Bloody typical. I hit my overload of arguing with abusive morons back in 2002, and apparently he did so here. Yeah, it's a shame, mostly because nobody in the science fiction community is willing to accept a cull on Cat Piss Men.

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

I'm not a HHGTTG freak but I believe Adams was one of our finest writers of spoken comedy. Obviously you can't keep all dialogue intact when adapting for a different medium. But it's quite, quite clear that the film has either been adapted by, or edited by, people who don't believe that jokes intended for people with brains sell movies. I'm sure they're right. It's also possible that they thought that shiny, well-polished, slightly old-fashioned English jokes wouldn't sell movies either. And they might be right there too.

You know, I'm beginning to form the same sort of view of this film that papersky has of Jackson's Lord of the Rings; that it is not only a travesty in its own terms, but it devalues the original by creating an entire class of people who believe, without having heard it, that the radio series is no better than the film.

Ah

[applez.livejournal.com]

You mean a rubbery one with fern-like leaves in the corner over there? Very nice, doesn't need water or light. :-p

Oh well

[applez.livejournal.com]

Almost every good novel suffers in film adaptation, but I'll still go and see the film at least once.

I already had heckles of warning when I saw the trailer, and didn't see a Mongol road-builder with blood-infused veins popping large in forehead and neck as he discussed the day's work ahead with Dent, Arthur Dent. I also miss the businessman decided the digital watch and all civilisation isn't worth it and jumps back into the sea. Doesn't mean I won't watch the film though.

Would prove sad if 'Red Dwarf' gets me closer to HHGttG than this film.

Re: Ah

[cellardoor28.livejournal.com]

Ok, now I've got the plant from the Adventure Game as an image in my head...

[sparkymark.livejournal.com]

Just had a look through the itemised discrepancies: the most unforgivable nitpick is "Ford and Arthur watch the Magrathean sunset: but don't disuss it". Gee maybe because its a film and not a radio show?