Comments on: RIP Douglas Noel Adams

By: Making History » Needlessly Messianic

Making History » Needlessly Messianic — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:24:24 +0000

[...] book-reading public, so I decided to review a book by him today. How did I find out about him? Why, Douglas Adams of course! Stephen Fry was a good friend of Douglas Adams; he voiced audiobook versions of books [...]

By: Ankur

Ankur — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:48:06 +0000

@Ashwan: On the contrary, I would like to rather believe the filmmakers, simply because of the fact that a series like h2g2 has a BIG fan following – and they would be far more scared about disappointing them. Yes, the final movie script wasn’t written by Douglas which is why it doesn’t gel together on the whole, but I do think the idea was his. Just that the final scriptwriters three years later didn’t weren’t as witty as him. The movie doesn’t work as a full unit, and has the cheap production which is quite evident. However, if you look beyond that, it’s mostly situational humor – and good ones at that. I love the PJs.

No, I haven’t read the Salmon of Doubt, not fully, that is. I *have* read snatches of it (have its ebook), but I haven’t read any bit about him not wanting to bring characters back to life. However, I *have* read interviews where he stated that the fifth book was far too depressing as he had had a lousy year, and want to write a sixth book which would end the series on a happier note. Personally, I like the news series’ ending. h2g2 was never about coherence between its different versions – and I would find it quite boring to go through the SAME story in different formats. I would place the episodes in the last three phases at par with Primary Phase. Secondary Phase sucks big time.

By: Ashwan

Ashwan — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:10:27 +0000

Ankur, we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.

All we have is the word of the filmmaker’s that those ideas were indeed Adams’. I didn’t see any notes written in his hand, did you? Also since 3 years passed between his death and the start of production, I have my doubts.

And as you’ve already pointed out he didn’t write the specific ending in the radio series and I don’t it’s one he would have liked since he never intended to bring the characters back to life. (Or did you not read Salmon of Doubt?)

By: Ankur

Ankur — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:43:27 +0000

@Ashwan: Most of the radio and the movie WAS Adams’ work. If you’re talking of the Viltvoodle VI bit, Humma Kavula, the POV Gun, Questular Rontok and the Arthur-Trillian romance, all of them were penned down by Adams.

Similarly, Adams has also said that after writing Mostly Harmless he found the ending very depressing, and wanted to write a sixth book to amend that. Sadly, he died before that happened. He didn’t write the specific ending in the radio series, but it was something the writers of the new series thought Adams would have wanted.

I rather the think the new series is better actually. I really don’t like the Secondary Phase that much, among the ‘original’ series.

By: Ashwan

Ashwan — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:03:49 +0000

Sure they’re all different but in a good way. The game still stuck to the same humour as the radio series and books. Mostly because it was all Adams’ work.

I think the new radio series is also quite bad. Especially the end which I shall not reveal here. Suffice it to say that they tampered with Adams’ original ideas.

The movie suffers for exactly the same reason.

By: Ankur

Ankur — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:51:30 +0000

@Ashwan: Oops! Made a boo boo on that wife one. Meant that, but wrote the other way round by mistake. Thanks for pointing out! :) I never try to compare the book to the radio etc etc, because that’s what I like about them – they’re all different. Even the game is different, so well, I don’t consider it that way. The movie, yes, I didn’t like it the first time I saw it too; but since then, I have seen LOADS of time, and I like it now! Especially some one-liners, which have me ROFL. IMO, the DC Comic sucks, but it’s far worse than the movie.
So…you’re a South Park fan too, right?

By: Ashwan

Ashwan — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:51:10 +0000

it was through Dawkins that Adams met his future wife.

It’s the other way around actually. Dawkins met his second wife, Lalla Ward, through Douglas Adams.

Incidentally, the movie version is such a goddamn travesty. I hated it. Even the campy TV series from the 80s was better (and truer to the radio series and books.)

DC comics also brought out a comic book version which while quite crap on its own is still miles better than the movie.

By: Ankur

Ankur — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:17:02 +0000

@Prateek: Thanks! :)

@Agrim: Yes, of course I’m going to celebrate Towel Day. :) Plus, I’ve to make up for the sin of forgetting it last year.

By: Agrim Singh

Agrim Singh — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:09:36 +0000

u celebrating towel day??? m going to roam about with my towel ‘All Day’

By: Prateek Vijayavargia

Prateek Vijayavargia — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:07:38 +0000

That was quite a knowledgeable post on DNA, Ankur. Many interesting nuggets from his life Thanks for that!