"Yeah, I like Earth, I got these boots there!"

I went to see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with a bunch of friends who are all fans of the book, from one-time readers to what you might call zealots. It was truly a joy. This movie was a love letter to the fans as well as to Douglas Adams. The makers of this movie took such care in its creation and had so much respect for the story and the author, it moved me beyond words.

How refreshing to have the protagonists tortured by bad poetry instead of physical pain. It has been a long time since I've seen a movie this absurd and full of whimsy. It is the first time I've ever felt smack dab in the middle of a target market; this movie was made for people like me.

I do not wish to spoil it for those who have not seen it, but I must say that I love what they did with Zaphod Beeblebrox. He is my new hero. Also, the way they handled the distruction of the earth was breathtaking in its simplicity. It was an amazing and frightening 12 seconds. It was frightening to behold because of the grain of possibility it held: that someone completely without regard for the life upon it could destroy it so easily.

My friend, Terry, who could not be with us, alerted me to the BBC's take on the movie, simply put: too bad it's not funny. They could hardly be further from the truth. It was funny, touching, absurd and delightful the whole way through. It paid homage to all the other iterations of the story as well as to its author, who is given executive producer credits and to whom the movie is dedicated. Look for cameos of Peter Jones, the theme song to the TV show, and the first incarnation of Marvin the Paranoid Android.

The Vogons were a work of art, so much so that my new career aspiration is "space bureaucrat." Working for a state institution, I am well familar with having things signed in triplicate. Seeing a possible future where bureaucrats are still bureaucrats was pleasing in a way I cannot quite put words to. It has made it easier for me, however, to see my own work in a new light by imaging the purchasing department as populated by Vogons.

The makers of this movie took the story to a whole new level the same way that Peter Jackson translated the Ring series. It was an improvement on the original. The makers were faithful to the story, but trimmed the excess in a very satisfying way. They also left room for a sequel, which I do hope they make. If they are as careful with the next one as they are with this one, I may reconsider my opinion of the sequel as a viable art form.

If you have read this book, see it on the big screen; it is worth it. If you haven't read the book, see the movie on a big screen; it is worth it. Douglas Adams was taken from us too soon, but this movie made me feel like he is still with us. It was his influence that stoked the fires of whimsy in me, that was instilled in me by my parents, but left me during that brief period in my life when my parents weren't cool. I hope to carry on, in some small way, his joy for wordplay, his cockeyed take on the world, and his zest for the ridiculous that he helped sustain in me to this very day.

So three cheers for Hitchhiker's Guide! Go see it; it's worth it.

Princess Greenpearl Stamp of Approval
SWAK
Signed in triplicate, initialed, cross-referenced.
Please keep the goldenrod copy and leave the rest with Roz.