The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

[Alice]

The UK 2-Disc Set Release Here

Buena Vista Home Entertainment has announced the release of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for the 5th of Septemeber, priced at around £22.99. The two-disc set will feature a UK exclusive 'Don't Crash: The Making of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' featurette, behind the scenes interviews from the cast and crew, a 'Babelfish Guide Entry' feature, deleted scenes, 'really' deleted scenes, a 'So Long & Thanks for All the Fish' sing-along feature, audio commentaries and 'Marvin's Hangman' set-top game. We hope to bring you the official, high quality artwork shortly, but for now here's what it might look like.

[2099net]

Here's the UK Cover



DisneyKid, you forgot the UK has an exclusive special feauture Don't Crash on the making of the film. This alone, if it is a significant run-time could bump the UK disc count to 2. (Remember the UK Die Another Day DVD had an exclusive 50 minute documentary, so it's not unheard of... especially as the subject is a lot closer to British hearts than Americans')

Amazon's pricing of the UK disc (£22.99 rrp) seems to agree it will be 2 discs over here, based on BVHE UK's pricing.

[Disneykid]

DisneyKid, you forgot the UK has an exclusive special feauture Don't Crash on the making of the film

I didn't forget. I only posted the specs that will almost surely be on the Region 1 disc. Since the documentary is a UK exclusive, I didn't feel the need to post it since I was trying to prove that we'll be getting a single disc release. I wonder how long that documentary must be to make the DVD 2-discs. Plus, I bet there are other specs that play.com hasn't mentioned, yet, that would make an extra disc of supplements seem more logical.

[Mr. Toad]

The kiss of death - the critic nobody has ever heard of.

[Luke]

Not crazy about the US cover art (it's really just a reworking of the okay poster art), but that UK cover is fairly lame. I'm really hoping it's a 2-disc set with extras of substance. From long since the production was first launched, there's been talk of special stuff being filmed just for the DVD, so I don't think it should be any stretch, unless the studio is just holding back material for a later re-release or future format (both frustrating practices).

While it would never get the marketing department's OK, we need just a space background with the Hitchhiker's logo on it. Maybe on the slipcover that this apparently isn't getting. Might as well switch it over to the Disney label too, since having it not be Disney didn't seem to help much at the box office.

[Pasta67]

GARHHH!!!!!! What does a DVD having/not having a slipcover have any influence on whether you buy a DVD or not. I only get slipcovers for disney movies, but don't care about non-disney movies.

Both covers are pretty meh to me. Not very dynamic, but not too bad. I like the US's better, though.

[SofaKing381222]

While it would never get the marketing department's OK, we need just a space background with the Hitchhiker's logo on it. Maybe on the slipcover that this apparently isn't getting. Might as well switch it over to the Disney label too, since having it not be Disney didn't seem to help much at the box office.

they should just add the Disney logo to it. And maybe it will have a cool slipcover like this:



or if the 42 and Don't Panic is too much, more like this:



is that better?

[Luke]

That's perfect!

Can't believe how quickly this one fizzled at the box office. It had mixed but fairly strong reviews and yet it could only get back its production budget. Hope it finds an audience on DVD. I know I'm looking forward to seeing it again.

[Alan]

GARHHH!!!!!! What does a DVD having/not having a slipcover have any influence on whether you buy a DVD or not. I only get slipcovers for disney movies, but don't care about non-disney movies.

You just totally contradicted yourself... Oh well...

I said the only slipcovers I care about are disney ones. I don't care if non-disney DVDs have slipcovers or not

[Luke]

I said the only slipcovers I care about are disney ones. I don't care if non-disney DVDs have slipcovers or not

And you also said:

What does a DVD having/not having a slipcover have any influence on whether you buy a DVD or not.

So when DisneyFan 2000 said...

You just totally contradicted yourself...

I would have to agree using the traditional English defintion of the word "contradict" meaning "To be contrary to; be inconsistent with." You can't understand how a DVD having or not having a slipcover influences buying a DVD...and yet you claim to believe in the same litmus test for Disney DVDs.

This is historic forum post #159,999!

[Pasta67]

I would have to agree using the traditional English defintion of the word "contradict" meaning "To be contrary to; be inconsistent with." You can't understand how a DVD having or not having a slipcover influences buying a DVD...and yet you claim to believe in the same litmus test for Disney DVDs.

Alan, Luke just went dictionarial on you! That's the worst kind of served!

SofaKing381222, that's a good cover. The background is so big it kinda looks empty, but I bet that if they added the widescreen banner and the critic review on the bottom, it would look a lot better.

[Alan]

Alan, Luke just went dictionarial on you! That's the worst kind of served!

sorry, but I don't feel like I was "served" in your sense. In fact, I'm not even offended and don't really care....

I like the US cover. The UK cover is too busy for my liking.

[Pasta67]

sorry, but I don't feel like I was "served" in your sense. In fact, I'm not even offended and don't really care....

Nobody can probably tell from my post, but I was joking. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Dictionarial isn't even a real word anyway. I just felt kinda humorous when I read Luke's post and felt like joking about it.

EDIT: For the sake of staying on topic, I think most DVD covers or movie posters would look better if they weren't busy at all. Think about it: picture the DVD cover of Aladdin with just a picture of the genie's lamp with some smoke coming out. Add the movie title and the Platinum Edition banner to that, and I think you have a better cover. It makes it look more "epic". I feel the same way for other movies. I'll make some Disney movie examples:
Beauty & the Beast: Just the rose on a table with some petals beside it.
Treasure Planet: Just a picture of the R.L.S. Legacy
The Lion King: Pride Rock with no characters on it.

The HGttG cover would look much better if it only had the design that Sofaking381222 provided.

[SofaKing381222]

[quote="Luke"
SofaKing381222, that's a good cover. The background is so big it kinda looks empty, but I bet that if they added the widescreen banner and the critic review on the bottom, it would look a lot better.

You think on my cover I should add a critic review and a "widescreen" banner?

I hate when the put critic reviews, and the widescreen banner yould make it look to much like a DVD, I was going for an endless space look. Like a decent slipcover, not cover. But making it a cover wouldnt be too bad either...

[Pasta67]

I hate when they put critic reviews, and the widescreen banner yould make it look to much like a DVD, I was going for an endless space look. Like a decent slipcover, not cover. But making it a cover wouldnt be too bad either...

For a slipcover, your design would be perfect. For a cover, if you don't like the widescreen banner or the critic review, you could put a few cast names or the tagline on it. If you want to keep just the endless space look, it still looks great. I'm just throwing out stuff that I normally see on DVDs.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but it looks really fun!

I think the cover art it pretty good, not the best but there certaintly are worse!

AND WOW WHAT A SURPRISE! ALAN WANTS A SLIPCOVER!!!

[Pasta67]

AND WOW WHAT A SURPRISE! ALAN WANTS A SLIPCOVER!!!

Nope, he protested against it this time. Good Job Alan!
You don't like slipcovers

I haven't seen the movie either. I'll be renting this to see why everybody likes it.

[pinkrenata]

<center><b><u>A Mind-Boggling Ride of Cosmically Funny Proportions</u>

<font face="Impact">THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE
TO THE GALAXY</font>

<i>Never-Before-Seen Bonus Features Include Deleted Scenes,
Making-of Feature, Audio Commentaries, and More</i>

<u>Arrives On DVD and UMD September 13</u></b></center>

BURBANK, Calif., June 27, 2005 – Touchstone Home Entertainment presents <b>THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE
TO THE GALAXY</b>, the hilarious comedy-adventure movie based on the world-wide best-selling book by Douglas
Adams, available on DVD and on UMD™ (Universal Media Disc) video format that plays on the new PSP™
(PlayStation® Portable) handheld entertainment system, on September 13. Twenty years in the making, <b>THE
HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY</b> is a dazzling cinematic mix of science fiction, comedy, adventure
and philosophy that became the nation’s #1 box-office winner during its first week of release. On DVD, this
enormously entertaining adventure will include never-before-seen bonus features, including deleted scenes, deleted
scenes spoofs, a making-of featurette, audio commentaries, “Marvin’s Hangman” game, and hilarious sing along.

The unforgettable characters that Douglas Adams created come to life through the work of an outstanding ensemble
cast. Sam Rockwell (“<i>Confessions of a Dangerous Mind</i>”), Mos Def (“<i>The Italian Job</i>,” “<i>Something The Lord
Made</i>”) Zooey Deschanel (“Elf</i>”), Martin Freeman (“<i>Shaun of the Dead</i>,” “<i>The Office</i>”), Bill Nighy (“<i>Love
Actually</i>”), Warwick Davis (“<i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</i>”), Anna Chancellor (“<i>The Dreamers</i>”),
Alan Rickman (“<i>Harry Potter</i>” series), Helen Mirren (“<i>Prime Suspect</i>”), Stephen Fry (“<i>Harry Potter and the
Prisoner of Azkaban</i>”) and John Malkovich (“<i>Being John Malkovich</i>”) all contribute stellar performances.

<b>THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY</b> will be available on DVD and UMD for PSP at $29.99
(S.R.P.). Available on DVD in both widescreen and fullscreen formats.

<center><b><u>BONUS DVD FEATURES:</center></b></u>

• <b>THE MAKING OF THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY</b>

• <b>ADDITIONAL GUIDE ENTRY</b>
An extra entry from the “Guidebook” seen in the film

• <b>DELETED SCENES</b>

• <b>FAKE DELETED SCENES</b>

• <b>SING ALONG</b>
“So Long & Thanks For All The Fish”

• <b>AUDIO COMMENTARIES</b>
Commentary by Executive Producer Robbie Stamp and Douglas Adams colleague Sean Solle.
Commentary by Director Garth Jennings, Producer Nick Goldsmith and Actors Martin Freeman and Bill
Nighy.

• <b>MARVIN’S HANGMAN</b>
A word game using the lovably depressed Marvin the Robot as the hangman.

In <b>THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY</b>, it all begins with Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), a
typical guy having a very bad day. Arthur’s house is about to be bulldozed, his best friend Ford Prefect (Mos Def)
turns out to be an alien and, to top things off, it appears that Planet Earth will be demolished in mere minutes to
make way for a hyperspace freeway. When Ford hitches a ride on a passing spacecraft, he takes Arthur along and a
great adventure begins.

Jetting off into the complete unknown, Arthur makes some major discoveries about the true nature of the universe.
Among them, he learns that a towel is the most massively useful thing a person can carry, and that Vogons are
ridiculous-looking bureaucrats who are good at absolutely nothing except destroying the Earth in the name of
progress.

Armed with a handy copy of the book <u>The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy</u>, Arthur finds his way to the
spaceship Heart of Gold and meets the two-faced President of the Galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell),
beautiful former Earth girl Trillian (Zooey Deschanel) and their hilariously depressed robot Marvin (voiced by Alan
Rickman). As they trek across the universe, they meet such characters as the giant computer Deep Thought (voiced
by Helen Mirren), the planet builder Slartibartfast (Bill Nighy) and the off-beat intergalactic preacher Humma
Kavula (John Malkovich).

While searching for the meaning of life and a good cup of tea, Arthur discovers such wonders as the Pan Galactic
Gargle Blaster, the Infinite Improbability Drive, and the hilarious Point of View Gun. But with Trillion he
discovers that the most powerful force in the universe may be love.

Based on the book by Douglas Adams. Screenplay by Douglas Adams and Karey Kirkpatrick. Directed by Garth
Jennings.

<b><u>STREET DATE: September 13, 2005</b></u>
<u>Direct prebook</u>: July 19, 2005
<u>Distributor prebook</u>: August 2, 2005
<u>Suggested retail price</u>: $29.99 (DVD); $29.99 (UMD)
<u>Rated</u>: “PG” For Thematic Elements, Action And Mild Language
Bonus materials not rated and subject to change.
<u>Feature running time</u>: Approximately 109 minutes.
<u>DVD aspect ratio</u>: 2.35:1 enhanced for 16x9 TV screens
and, separately
1.33:1 formatted 4x3
<u>DVD Sound</u>: Dolby® Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound
THX Certified
<u>DVD Language</u>: English, French, Spanish audio
French, Spanish subtitles

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... vemz"><img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000A ... ZZZZZZ.jpg">
Order <b>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</b> DVD from Amazon.com (43% off)</a>

<a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/hitchhikers.html">Read our <b>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</b> DVD Review</a>

Touchstone Home Entertainment is distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., a recognized industry
leader. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney,
Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

[magicalwands]

I think I will be getting this even though I've never seen it. Just another movie to watch together with my cousins.

[Disneykid]

I hope the featurette is more than just EPK fluff. The filmmakers were saying that a ton of behind-the-scenes footage was shot on set, so here's hoping this is fairly lengthy. I'm looking forward to the fake deleted scenes since they were made specifically for fans of the book.