Well, the BBC did a TV mini-series of the first three books many years ago. So would this be technically a "remake"?

Mos Deaf was in The Italian Job (the explosives guy). He had a single funny line in the movie (Dammit ... I'm deaf?). It remains to be seen what he can do with Ford Prefect.

The BBC version certainly had the right spirit, but that's the best I can say for it. The digital effects looked like they were done on an Atari, which captures the wacky, wierd style of the books. But other than that, it was painful to watch.

Let's hope for the best.

I can't wait.

Speaking of Zaphod Beeblebrox, there is one public figure, an entrepreneur, who reminds me of that character every time I see him. Anyone care to guess?

Ace,

Obviously you're a geek, and HHG will be news. What I'm surprised about is your Confederacy of Dunces literacy. Most impresses. And pleased.

One of the few books that ever made my cry (while laughing).

... THEN I saw the IMDB synopsis.

That fat queer (if you've seen him, you know that word is perfectly apt) guy from Hollywood squares would make a better Ignatius J. than Will Farrel.

Ugh. My hopes have been dashed.

No way such a clown like Farrell can play such a fat, self-absorbed, fully serious and committed buffoon like Riley. I'm going to read my Boethius.

I have confidence in Will Ferrel.

I don't see him as Ignatius, but then, I didn't see him as George Bush, either... until he NAILED IT.

Speaking of Zaphod Beeblebrox, there is one public figure, an entrepreneur, who reminds me of that character every time I see him

No idea. I can't think of anyone with two heads and three arms.

I would say Hunter S. Thomson on a lark, but he's not an entrepreneur.

ace, you do remember Ignatius was quite corpulent?

How's Farrell going to pull that off in any way, shape, or form? It's like having Kramer from Seinfeld play Ignatius. Sure, he's a funny guy, but just wrong for the part. In fact, it's like having Colin Farrell play Alexander the Great or something. oh, wait...

And Ignaius wasn't spastic like Farrell, he was delusional and grandiose.

Farrell simply lacks the gravitas all around, man.

That said, Farrell does make a funny W.

Have you ever heard of gaining weight for a role, or wearing a fat-suit?

Ignatius was corpulent, but he wasn't enormously fat. Eddie Murphy convincingly played enormously fat in The Nutty Professor and the Klumps, so I think Ferrell can pull off corpulent.

"And Ignaius wasn't spastic like Farrell, he was delusional and grandiose. "

"I can't believe these are prostitutes I am witnessing!"

He was a spaz.

Oliver Platt.

Jack Black.

Those are two that were mentioned at IMDB that I wouldn't immediately reject.

Seriously, I see the Hollywood Squares guy as a sexless, preening, overwrought Ignatius more than Will Farrell.

But that's because he (what's that weirdo's name?) wouldn't have to act, just learn a good vocabulary.

How many hot dogs did Ignatius put away?

He was hugely fat in my mind. Almost Moore-esque.

Jack Black is great, but he always plays Jack Black. I haven't really seen him play any other role except Jack Black.

Oliver Platt is good, but he 1) can't open a picture, and thus always has to be in a supporting role, and 2) yes, he's heavier than Ferrell, but he's simply not as funny.

Funny, yes. Funny enough to carry a picture? No.

Ah, well, it's all the same, anyway.

We'll see if the Curse of the Confederacy strikes Farrell.

They've only cast fat men in the past, but apparently they all died shortly after being cast (Belushi, Candy, Farley).

I might shed a tear if Ferrell kicks the bucket, but not if he makes a mess of Confederacy first.

I have a feeling Ferrell will hardly be recognizable by the time the SFX folks are done with him.

In some ways I think Platt's a great choice, but isn't he just a little old for Ignatius?

Have you seen Mos Def in the HBO movie Something God Made? Totally non-rapper styling, dramatic acting. Mos Def is definitely a capable actor.

The trailer is also in theatres, btw. Saw it there on Saturday night. I grew up reading Hitchhiker's stuff. When I saw the trailer with the Earth blowing up, and the "Don't Panic" came up I thought "Could it really be?" When I saw the thumb, I knew it could only be HHGTTG.

I sat in stunned disbelief, trying to absorb the idea that the movie was actually coming out. Of course the girlfriend had no idea what I was so excited about, and was all like "What are you talking about? Oh, that's nice. I guess." She's very cute and Asian though, so I forgave her. Of course she had no idea of the decades we've been waiting.

I picked up the omnbus "Trilogy" and read a few chapters last month. Considering how long ago it was written, HHGTTG still reads very well, unlike many works written during the same time.

I'll have to pick up Dunces. Never read that one.

I do recall reading a few months ago that the "Confederacy of Dunces" project was cancelled, alas... here's a link that sort of confirms that (see July 2004 update). That's if you believe what you read on the web.

But will they keep Riley's "Crusade for Moorish Dignity" in the movie? That was one of the best parts of the book, but it might be a little too un-PC for today's audiences. Or the letter he writes on Levy's behalf to Abelman's Dry Goods: "If you bother me again, you will feel the sting of the lash on your pitiful shoulders. Yours in Anger, Gus Levy."

I'm an attorney, and I eagerly await the day I can sign professional correspondence "yours in anger."

i actually caught a screenplay reading of Confederacy of Dunces with the full cast at the nantucket film festival in 2003. will ferrell totally nailed the role, with a pretty hilarious affected voice, earflap hat and mustache. the other standouts in the cast were mos def and paul rudd (dude from clueless). others in it were rosie perez, alan cumming, the father from clueless, alotta vagina from austin powers and natasha leone (who was fucking wasted at the after party).

i'm looking forward to the movie.

I just finished reading CoD for the billionth time this morning. Trixie is referred to as Mother Commerce.

Rod Dreher at NRO seems to be obsessed with Phillip Seymour Hoffman getting the Ignatius role.

Looking at the cast at IMDB, the only one that clicks for me is Olympia Dukakis as Santa. No idea why, but I always imagined Santa looking like that. Lily Tomlin as Mrs. Reilly? Hrm, dunno.

Wasn't it La Dame de La Commercia, or something?

I always wanted John Candy for the lead in "Dunces."

Alas, 'twill never be so...

No idea. I can't think of anyone with two heads and three arms.

Richard Branson--personality-wise. I'd love to see him play Zaphod.

Quick-- name another actor who does explosive anger and crazed obsessiveness better than Ferrell.

The Heart of Gold is "... a huge starship, one hundred ad fifty meters long, shaped like a sleek running shoe, perfectly white and mind-bogglingly beautiful." In other words, no, not a sphere, unless you have rather unusal feet.

I probably will not be seeing this movie, because I love the books far too much. Although I give the filmmakers credit for staying away from big name stars in the key roles, there's no way Hollywood will be able to make this movie without doing all sorts of horrible things to the story line (see LOTR).

For some strange reason, the Willie Wonka remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, seems oddly interesting to me.

And Johnny Depp looks pretty darn creepy, too.

Ace, check out a Q&A with the directors of the movie (questions from obvious h2gt2g fans:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/hitchhikersguidenews.php?id=7903

and an interview with Kerry Kirkpatrick (chicken run - don't panic) who finished Adamm's script.

http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/movienews/interview.html

I truely believe (pray) they've done this one right. It would be a crime if it were a dud.

time is an illusion - lunchtime doubly so

'Well, the BBC did a TV mini-series of the first three books many years ago. So would this be technically a "remake"?'

I HATES remakes.

The heart of gold was shaped like a running shoe in the book. Guess that would have looked too dumb in a movie, hmm?