Synopsis:

This edit is intended to satisfy fans who weren’t happy with the film. It’s still not 100% faithful to the book, but it’s as close as it’s going to get.

Intentions:

To create a version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy that’s as close to the book as possible.

Change List:

- Added some title cards at the beginning - Moved the title sequence to the beginning, followed by Arthur at home - So long and thanks, but no thanks for the cheesy musical number - removed the flashback to Arthur and Trillian at the costume party and Arthur whining to Ford about her - The Answer no longer gets revealed 42 minutes into the movie. You win some, you lose some. - rearranged and cut scenes on the Heart of Gold to remove a lot of Zaphod’s silliness and tone down the love triangle aspect - removed the Vogons chasing the Heart of Gold - removed the trips to Viltvodle VI and Vogsphere - moved the Guide entry on dolphins to approximately where it is in the book - removed Zaphod, Ford and Trillian’s encounter with Deep Thought in Magrathea and the Point of View Gun bit. They go through the portal and we don’t see them again until Arthur’s coming home party - removed Arthur’s rant about whether Trillian was “the one” or not - removed the standoff with the Vogons at the end, the recreation of the Earth and everything after Arthur kills the mice except a couple of lines of dialogue - removed Marvin’s lame joke at the very end. Marvin gets left on Magrathea - the original Journey of the Sorcerer plays over the end credits Did not remove/change, but also not in the book: - Arthur and Ford’s initial meeting (Ford’s line about cars being the dominant life form is in the book. Close enough) - Arthur tells Trillian that the Earth was destroyed (in the book she figures it out for herself) - Trillian surprised by the mice in her bag (in the book she brought them with her. Again, close enough) - the Deep Thought entry from the Magrathean archives takes place on the Heart of Gold, not Magrathea (no biggie) - After they engage the Infinite Improbability Drive to travel to Magrathea, Zaphod’s and Trillian’s clothes change and Zaphod has an odd helmet on his head. Must’ve been a strange effect of engaging the Drive. - Arthur killing the mice (not in the book, but you need some kind of end to the story) Those are the major ones. There are various other minor elements that were not in the book, but retained in the edit.

Additional Notes:

-

Other Sources:

Journey of the Sorcerer by The Eagles (plays over the end credits).

Special Thanks: