The original BBC Radio Broadcasts are very good.
Honestly, I’ve grappled with this question – Zaphod is one of those literary characters “too large” for life, or any living interpretation thereof. ("…just zis guy, you know?") I cannot think of a single film or television talent who could pull off the grandiosity and epic-scale ego-centrism of Beeblebrox in anything close to what Adams had penned. It’s not a matter of ham-acting, because in that vein, Jim Carrey would never be able to combine the aloofness with the absurdity in a fair balance without going too far one way or the other. And don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen Carrey do justice to some literary characters, but even as Count Olaf, it was the “goofy guy” show, and certainly not the same character from the book by a long shot.
This is actually a really interesting point, and one I think could spark some heated – ah, stimulating – debate. Have at it, hive mind!
Jim Carrey as one head, Jack Black as the other.
OMGs!, Jim Carrey/John Black, that would be awesome.
I’ve always been fond of this version of Hitchhiker’s. (but the Zaphod in it, isn’t my favorite. Ford and Aurther on the other hand, perfectly cast and acted.
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_Hitchhiker_s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy/60022509?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=802697176_1_0
Holy craap. I just discoverd that can be played directly from Netflix—that means I can watch it directly from TiVo for free (well, free cuz I have Netflix and TiVo).
Yeah!
Whoah. Just realized that the BBC 'cast I had was only the first of many. Halfway through the lot now, and realizing just how many ideas were swapped around for the books. You should all get copies of these.
Sweet I have had trouble finding these in the past.
Oh, yay! Was just about to ask where one could listen to it, and bam! You guys are fast. Thanks!
Yep. I don’t think there is anyone who can play Zaphod, hence rendering any movie versions of the book almost always inferior to the books.
Jim Carrey and Jack Black as Zaphod? Hm. I can’t imagine them being the best bang since the big one. There’s that Baltar-esque quality of him that neither Carrey or Black possess.
I think I’ve posted it before, but the (infamous) H2G2 game is online, courtesy of the Beeb.
People who aren’t fans of insanely difficult text adventure games may just want to read the WikiP article.
Yeah, the further I go into the radio plays, the more of a stoner Zaphod seems. I’m thinking Neil from The Young Ones should be one of the heads now.
Evil! 
I took a stab at playing earlier today, and I died a zillion times at the beginning before I realized I needed to lie down before some stupid brick smacks me on the head. Then I stopped trying when I got stuck in the dark in the Volon ship. I couldn’t move or do anything, and it totally pissed me off. Looks like a fun game, but seems really difficult. Perhaps it means I really need to reread the book again or something. It’s pretty specific.
The odd bit is that reading the books helps with some parts (e.g., lying down at the right time) and is counter-productive at other times. So, it’s a net push to have read the books or not.
I finally finished all the BBC radio plays, and they’re great. It’s funny how the stories are jumbled about a bit compared to the books (e.g., Millways shows up in the first series, but the towel bit doesn’t show up 'til the second) but it’s pretty much all in there. My sole complaint is that I really hate Tricia MacMillian in the last one. But that’s it.
Well, Mr. Pitt could pull off the dashing, smarmy how’s-your-father qualities of Zaphod in one head, and has proven the ability to keep insanity just under the skin (Jeffrey in 12 Monkeys, etc.). But he lacks the brimming bravado to complete the character on his own…
The biggest kick I get out of the original radio plays is that you can really see how the idea went from radio play to books to everything else. I have the first TV show on DVD, but am not the biggest fan. I really wish I’d had the opportunity to see the play – regardless of how miserable everyone (including DNA) said it was. And I very much enjoyed the movie (again regardless of all detractors).
I was, of course, one of six people who showed up opening night with my towel. (I knew four of the others.)
These books were so important to me in my formative years, helping me to both have an open mind about my reading and to develop a sense of humor about everything. I think more than any other author/actor/celebrity, I truly wish I could’ve met Adams.
As a side trip from the H2G2 track, but wholly enjoyable for anyone who has done even the remotest bit of traveling, be sure to pick up Last Chance to See. Adams was so under-appreciated for his versatility in and out of fiction material, I shudder to think what else he could have done given sufficient time on this Earth.
I just finished the first ‘book’ of the radio show. They’re so addictive, so I just want to thank you again for posting those links up. AWESOME!! I think part of why it works well is that given the guide is really one of the main characters in the books, I’m guessing it is much easier to interject in a radio show(or in book form) with the voice of the guidebook than say a film or a tv show. Anyway, I think he’s my favourite voice in the show.
Perhaps I should give the movie a try afterall. But I’ll do that after I finish these bbc audio first.
Btw, having just watched Doctor Who’s xmas special and listened up on this, I’m suddenly wondering - in a general sense - how UK sci fi differs from US sci fi. There’s this bit of campiness (like the kooky Daleks and the Volons) that seems decidely UK-ish and something that would be completely out of place say in Star Trek of BSG. Though, I suppose it’s more of the particular tone (given DW and HH2G are basically much more kid friendly than either ST or BSG)?
I think the series, and especially the first entry, is wonderful. Quirky, strange, surreal - all the things I go for in humor.
But I have to admit that the later books get so convoluted as to be unenjoyable. I don’t see that in Hitchhiker’s but some of the ohters are almost tiresome in their complexity and cleverness. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still funny, I just don’t see the later entries as having as much value to reread as the first book.
Just my two cents.
I think part of it has been budget, BBC shows weren’t as well funded as Hollywood shows.
Did you know that Stephen Fry is currently working on a documentary for the BBC traveling to those places and searching out the endangered species Adams wrote about? It will air sometime in 2009. I follow Stephen Fry on twitter and he was constantly tweeting updates from Madagascar and Brazil and posting tons of pictures on twitpic.
Alas, I have tried to read this book. I jsut can’t get into it. 