I haven’t read the books since high school and barely remember them, but I’m sure I will see this anyway. Martin Freeman was very good as Tim, the only sympathetic character on The Office, and Sam Rockwell is an excellent actor from Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Matchstick Men. (I was hoping they’d cast Bruce Campbell for Zaphod, though.) Have some faith in Mos Def–he is an excellent rapper (not that Ford ever raps) and a surprisingly good actor. You can see him in the recent remake of The Italian Job, and he is very charismatic.
Ugh. Suddenly I have serious misgivings about this project.
I think I’ll have to get a lot more info before I decide whether this looks worth the trouble of seeing it or not.
As for Marvin - an interesting look I guess; for some reason I always pictured him looking very like Crow from MST3K.
I may just be an optimist - although I think everyone I’ve ever met would fall over laughing if I said that to them - but come on. I’m looking forward to the thing, and getting frustrated or scared or giving up based on the look of the damn robot? Geez.
i hope the H.O.G. isn’t that “Death Star with a riceboy wing on it” thing in the pictures section of the promo website, that is so unlike the H.O.G it’s not even funny, what was wrong with updating the model from the TV series…
i think that the fan expectations for this movie are going to be unbelievably high and hard to satisfy, you thought Tolkein fans were picky?, you ain’t seen nothing yet…
i have a feeling the hardcore fans (of which i count myself) are going to tear this film to shreds if it isn’t perfect (and be fair, what film can be perfect? )
on second viewing, the mystery ship could be a Vogon Constructor Ship, after all, there does appear to be a rather insignificant little Blue-Green planet in the background, and the front aperture of that ship does look like it could emit a planet killing Destruct-O-Ray™
still, doesn’t mesh with the wedgelike Vogon ships seen in the TV series, even if it hangs in the air the same way that bricks don’t, it still won’t look right doing so
Yeah, I think they may have spruced by the Vogon Constructor Fleet with that pic… shame really.
Hope all you want but this doesn’t look promising.
The thing about the TV series is that everything about it looked wrong. Spectacularly wrong. Not “The BBC has limited funds” wrong, but rather “The art department didn’t bother to familiarize themselves with the radio series or the books” wrong.
still, the TV HOG looked more like a running shoe than the prototype movie HOG
…assuming we’re referring to running shoes worn by carbon-based ape decended lifeforms, that could be what running shoes look like for the Jatrivartids or small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri, not all lifeforms are humanoid in shape…
and we all know that Hoolovoo’s probably can’t wear running shoes
Please, let the HOG not be a riceboy death-star, at least keep the “Type-R” and “VTEC” stickers off it… 
I think I’ve figured out what’s going on with that HOG mockup.
Whoever is responsible with that mockup didn’t stop with the bridge!
I like Marvin’s look. I’ve always imagined Marvin to be a short little 'bot anyway, and the oversized morose head fits him to a T.
Concering the HOG, perhaps that Death Star-esque thing is actually the bubble/sphere that Zaph uses to climb up the cliffs with. Sure, non-transparent and you can’t see the red couch, but still easier to believe that then believe it to be the HOG.
I thought their Marvin looked almost exactly as I had pictured him. I think this picture is the first one I saw, and I liked the fact that he looks plenty mechanical, but his posture makes him look appropriately depressed.
I’m looking forward to it. I think Sam Rockwell is perfect for Zaphod, and my theory is that Mos Def is such an odd choice for Ford that he has to work or they wouldn’t have picked him. I think they know that the main audience for this is going to be the people who are fans already, so I don’t think they’re going to piss on us. (I could, of course, be proven wrong.)
Hmm, looking at the other concept art, it does seem that the sphere is the HOG. The other picture shows two missiles coming for the ship. Interesting vision for the ship.
If it’s not funny, it doesn’t matter how close to the books or radio show it is. And vice versa. I won’t make any judgements until I see it.
Well, the two pics of the sphere ship from DoctorJ’s link state that it is the Heart Of Gold.
As for anticipating the flick, hell, I’m excited. Until I see the finished product and find fault with it, I’m keeping my hopes up.
It appears Alan Rickman is to be the voice of Marvin. (see 4th Jan entry)
I think I’d be happier if his voice wasn’t so recognisable.
Alan Rickman as Marvin? AWESOME! Absolutely fan-freaking-tastic! Perfect! This just put a huge grin on my face 
.
This cast decision is so cool, you could store meat in it. Why, not too long ago, I remember several dopers including Alan Rickman in a list of actors that should do Marvin. I seem to remember most people agreeing that him doing the voice would be very fitting. I’m so stoked he’s actually been casted as Marvin.