The Viking Views Senior Issue • May 13, 2005 - North Canton City ...

[ scene ]TOUCHSTONE PICTURES/USED WITH PERMISSIONJames Williams Staff Writer‘Guide’ has the answer‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’ entertains on film“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” isn’t just a movie; it’salso a useful tool for determining whether the viewer has anythingresembling a sense of humor.The film opens with a Broadway style musical number performedby dolphins. According to a major religion on some planet, the universewas created by an unfathomably big sneeze. An army of extraterrestrialsoldiers can’t negotiate a waist-high gate because it’slocked from the inside. If none of this is amusing to you, then youmay want to check your pulse.The movie hones in on one important question that man hasbeen asking himself since he first tried to walk upright, fell flat onhis back, and found himself gazing into the endlessly starry skyabove him.“The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” by Adams, is now in itseighth incarnation. It has appeared as a radio show, a record album,a series of books, a computer game, a stage show, a comic bookand a towel.Which means there is quite a fan base behind “The Guide,” givingdirector Garth Jennings a unique task: satisfy an immense andhugely varied fan base while still appealing to newcomers of theseries. He succeeded for the most part.The usual problems with movies made from books don’t happenin this case, partly because of how many times “The Guide”has been redone, and partly because Adams himself wrote the screenplay.You’ll see a unique cast of characters go through a torrent ofrandom situations that begins from the first dolphin dance numberand doesn’t end until after the final credits.The story is mostly about Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), thehapless Englishman who is thrown into said situations, starting whenhis longtime friend Ford Prefect (Mos Def) informs him that he isfrom outer space. His friend is a writer on the highly unproductive20 u the viking views u 05.13.05staff in charge of eternally updating and revising the standard repositoryfor all knowledge worth knowing: “The Hitchhiker’s Guideto the Galaxy.”They meet up with the self-kidnapping, starship-jacking Presidentof the Galaxy: Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell) and Trillian(Zooey Deschanel) who he met at a party on earthThe film version of their story has them sort of looking for theultimate question to life, the universe and everything. Though thereis a certain amount of randomness to the movie because, like thebooks, there are plenty of side stories, with the pseudo-romance ofArthur and Trillian taking the lead in most of the movie.Ford and Trillian never really do anything. Arthur comes off asa bit of wimp, while Zaphod is more dumb than crazy (he’s funnierwhen crazy) and the story does lag once or twice, but through allthis, it’s important to remember that most of the time you won’tnotice because you’re too busy laughing. These are the kinds ofgripes you can only think of after you leave the theater.But those are the only bad details, and details are one of “TheGuides’” greatest strength. Nearly every aspect of the film lookslike it was plucked straight from the mind of Adams, and any fan ofthe series will be thoroughly satisfied with the Vogons and theirconstructor fleet, Marvin the chronically depressed robot, and thePlanet Factory Floor of Magrathea.But what would a pretty picture be without great music? Just apicture, that’s what. Joby Talbot composed a brilliant soundtrack tocompliment every scene. Anyone who can give us an electronictune, a Mexican street song, and an Angelic hymn in the space ofthree minutes and make it sound smooth and natural belongs somewherebetween the ranks of “genius” and “savior.”The sights and sounds are beautiful. The dialogue and detailsare great. The acting and general story flow are not bad, and it’shilarious. There’s always that.Call it a must-see for anyone with a sense of humor and atolerence for general sci-fi weirdness. nV