Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy the Movie

Let’s face it the Hitchhikers movie has some issues – that said we loved it. The challenge with hitchhikers is it doesn’t fit into any kind of three act structure, it starts bounces around and ends. The characters haven’t really learned anything (well arthur has learned how hard it is to get tea in outer […]

Let’s face it the Hitchhikers movie has some issues – that said we loved it. The challenge with hitchhikers is it doesn’t fit into any kind of three act structure, it starts bounces around and ends. The characters haven’t really learned anything (well arthur has learned how hard it is to get tea in outer space) and there isn’t a clear resolution or something to achieve. The solution to the lack of a three act structure would be a) try and shoehorn in a story or b) go with the road movie theme and make the journey fun.

We ended up somewhere between a) and b) and this is where the movie falls down.

In the years since Mostly Harmless and Douglas’s death there hasn’t been a clear way to take Hitchhikers forward. That to me is in no small part due to the fact that it was a radio play without a plan. The idea took off but Douglas was never one to hold onto an idea for too long before some other idea overtook him.

I enjoyed the movie, but it’s time to put Hitchhikers to bed. That is not to say it should go away, but Douglas lived his life exploring the universe and right now, we are obsessed with closer to home. I think the works of Douglas would be better served treated like the works of HG Wells – they stand the test of time and serve to inspire new writers.