New Hitchhiker's Guide - Quandary and Quintessential Phases

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/' target='_blank'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050502-Hitchhikers.jpg" /><br /><br />We've posted on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a couple of times before and it seemed to go down well with quite a few of you. So here's a reminder that the new series, Quandary and Quintessential Phases, commences on Tuesday, 3rd of May at 6:30pm on BBC Radio 4. If you miss it, don't panic, as each episode will be made available for seven days following the Tuesday broadcasts. All you need to do is click on the "Listen Again" link and you'll be able to tune into a stereo or 5.1 audio stream. Any of you space aliens looking forward to this one? ;-)

[bjornkeizers]

:way to go: They also have a new pocket version of the H2G2 website I read recently - a real-life guide to the galaxy that you can access from any web-enabled device!

I haven't had time to check it out myself, but here's the link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/h2g2/

[carphead]

I recommend getting Hg2g from Audible. They have the series read by Douglas Adams. He's really the only person who can do the books justice.

Sadly missed :(

[bjornkeizers]

Indeed. I'm a huge fan of the series. I have two audiobooks read by him, the entire BBC radio series, and even the BBC *TV* series. Douglas Adams definitely went before his time.

[Ryan Joseph]

the entire BBC radio series

Hey, do you know anywhere where this can be purchased (or downloaded for free) anywhere on the web? I'd love to get it.

[carphead]

I know that the bbc shop &amp; amazon uk had/have the Radio series on their website.

[bjornkeizers]

Yes, the BBC sells them and you can find them on Amazon or similar sites.

IIRC, they sell several versions of all three 'phases' (each phase is 6 episodes). You can get regular audio CD's as well as MP3 CD's, but I heard the quality of the latter is rather bad.

I found the episodes through the usual P2P services though.

[Ryan Joseph]

I found the episodes through the usual P2P services though.

Yeah, I figured I could try that. But I wanted to know of any other options first. Thanks!

Speaking of H2G2, have you guys all seen the new movie? It's awesome!

[bjornkeizers]

I'm not into going to cinemas - far too expensive and too many annoying people for my taste these days. And since it won't be in Dutch cinemas until August anyway, I'm just going to pick up the DVD version instead. I hope there's going to be a special edition!

[Ryan Joseph]

And since it won't be in Dutch cinemas until August anyway...

Geeze, why so long? That's rough. Well, you can look forward to it. The movie stuck amazingly well to the book. Even the little things like when Ford and Arthur were thrown into the airlock on the Vogan ship and Ford goes, "Yes, this is it, we're going to die...no, wait...what's this? This! This...this is nothing, yep we're going to die." Even that's in the movie! It was great!

[bjornkeizers]

Geeze, why so long?

I ask myself that at least once a week. Take the Sony PSP for example - the US has had it for a while now, but it won't be out here until late summer (August is going to be one awesome month :D ) Same with movies: I'm a big Star Trek fan, and Nemesis came out in cinemas six months after the US release. In fact, the DVD version was released here the same week :roll:

Well, you can look forward to it. (..) It was great!

So I heard! I've seen the screens and previews, and it certainly looks Adamsy :D

[Phoenix]

I saw the movie this last weekend - I had high hopes for the film - and although there were a few interesting and funny parts, overall I thought the movie was awful!

I think there are some books that simply cannot handle the transition from text to film. For example, Stephen King is a great writer, but I remember his book 'Dreamcatcher' was made into a movie and the movie was horrendous!

Granted, there's only so much that a person can take from a book and put into a movie, otherwise a single movie would be ten hours long or more, but IMO, the best book to movie effort was the LOTR trilogy. (Now if PJ would only make 'The Hobbit' :) ).

[Darius Wey]

I'm not into going to cinemas - far too expensive...

Heh... I've opted to go on Tuesdays now. Cheap A$5 tickets. :D

[ctmagnus]

I only go on Tuesdays as well. But I pay $4CAD, which beats A$5 by 20%. :mrgreen:

but then, our local cinema isn't exactly the best one around and we tend to get movies three of four weeks after they're released in larger centres

[bjornkeizers]

Heh... I've opted to go on Tuesdays now. Cheap A$5 tickets. :D

Lucky you - I live in the Euro zone, so everything is soooo expensive. If I go on say... monday, I already pay 6 euro (A$ 9,90) for a ticket; tuesday through thursday, I pay 7,50 (A$ 11,54), and if I wanted to see a movie during the weekend, I pay ***8,50*** (A$ 13,20)

Now, add some popcorn and travel during the weekend (the theater is outside the city, a 5 minute train ride) - I could pay as much as 15 euro for a night out. By comparison, a DVD generally costs between 15 and 20 euros. Obviously, I'm not going to cinemas.

[Darius Wey]

but then, our local cinema isn't exactly the best one around and we tend to get movies three of four weeks after they're released in larger centres

And there lies the difference. A$5 for what they call here, "The Senstadium". Movies come out the day they're meant to. :mrgreen:

Now, add some popcorn and travel during the weekend (the theater is outside the city, a 5 minute train ride) - I could pay as much as 15 euro for a night out. By comparison, a DVD generally costs between 15 and 20 euros. Obviously, I'm not going to cinemas.

Eeek. 8O

[Ryan Joseph]

I saw the movie this last weekend - I had high hopes for the film - and although there were a few interesting and funny parts, overall I thought the movie was awful!

Why did you think it was bad? I thought they did an amazing job sticking to the book. Some parts were added and others deleted, but that has to be done for movies. I'm curious what you thought was bad about it.