The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981 | BBC)

[Fnord Prefect]

Goes without saying at least one of the discs will be a DVD, almost definitely a simple port of the original DVD release's second disc.

Originally Posted by grim_tales

I like the VHS style art (reminds me of the older DVD cover) - is that limited? Just wondering if the normal release also comes with a booklet etc (don't want to pay extra for different art)

I hope they do a good restoration (this will sound strange at NTSC/film speed).

It'll be 50i so it'll play at the correct speed and pitch.

[grim_tales]

I'll get the new set too (which one, I'm not sure). The "VHS style" art looks cool and reminds me of the DVD art, but did VHS tapes come in cardboard cases then? I don't think so I mean, because of how beat up it looks...

[Agent Kay]

Love that vhs version

[Salamurai]

Originally Posted by UncleBuckWild

Release Date: October 1, 2018



The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Special Edition)


The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Retro VHS-style | Collector's Edition)

US release has a date of Nov 13, no actual cover image yet:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FDJY3VB

The UK cover evokes the style of the original series but isn't in line with the new trade dress for the upcoming reissues of the radio shows, which I see as a kind of missed opportunity, but it's not like they're being produced by the same companies.

[Millibar]

Originally Posted by grim_tales

” but did VHS tapes come in cardboard cases then?” ..

Yep

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by Millibar

Yep

Certainly not BBC tapes, or for that matter at least 98%+ of other releases.

[HippieDalek]

The only tapes I ever saw in cardboard sleeves in the UK were for home taping. I remember going to the USA and thinking all their tapes looked so cheap in their cardboard sleeves.

[Millibar]

Originally Posted by HippieDalek

The only tapes I ever saw in cardboard sleeves in the UK were for home taping. I remember going to the USA and thinking all their tapes looked so cheap in their cardboard sleeves.

Oops yes that’s all I remember sorry

[UncleBuckWild]

Special Features

• Mostly Hand-Drawn (HD animation feature): Animator Rod Lord’s BAFTA award-winning graphic sequences from the TV series are presented in HD for the first time, allowing a more detailed appreciation of Babel Fish guts, Deep Thought’s equations and Vogon sex.

• Life, the Universe and Clapperboards (HD Live action): Elements of the main series now available in HD.

• Recorded at the End of the Universe: Unique behind-the-scenes footage from the rehearsal rooms and the studio floor, showing the cast and crew grappling with the scenery, the props and the text of the Hitchhiker TV series.

• Writing Hitchhiker’s: The story of Hitchhiker’s difficult birth, taken from exclusive interviews conducted in 2007 and 2012. Douglas’ brother James shares personal memories of his big brother back in ‘77, struggling to write at the family home in Dorset. Nick Webb, a witty, avuncular friend of Douglas’ who later became his official biographer, was also the publisher who in 1978 commissioned the best-selling novel, upon hearing the original radio broadcasts.

• Trailer for Radio Times: The Radio Times magazine announced their first and only Hitchhiker cover article in this televised trailer for the second radio series, featuring a super-intelligent shade of the colour blue, plus unique narration by Peter Jones.

• Open Door - The Sound of Love (1980): The earliest known filmed interview with Douglas Adams, talking about his awkward childhood.

• Douglas Adams on Nationwide (1980): The first public glimpse of the new TV series was during this Nationwide clip when presenter Sue Cook interviewed Douglas Adams.

• Marvin on Blue Peter (1981): The Paranoid Android launched his 1981 bid for pop stardom on the Children’s TV favourite Blue Peter and then told the presenters how he didn’t even want to talk about it.

• Douglas Adams on Paperbacks (1981): A quaint book programme where host Robert Kee makes plain directly to Douglas Adams’ face, his obvious disregard for the author’s second novel.

• The Sound of Sypher (1980): BBC Engineering film - The proto-digital world of audio production is examined here in a technical explanation of the BBC’s latest SYPHER dubbing suite, featuring the BAFTA-winning sound supervisor Mike McCarthy at work on Hitchhiker.

• Saturday Review: Douglas Adams explains to Minnette Marin his ideas for interactive CD-Rom audio drama, while in Birmingham, the fans gather for a Hitchhiker-themed games convention.

• Douglas Adams on Micro Live: Douglas Adams talks about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Game on BBC 2's Micro Live. Originally broadcast on 8th March 1985.

• Simon Jones on BBC Breakfast (2012): BBC Breakfast welcomed Arthur Dent (Simon Jones) to their sofa on Towel Day 2012 to plug the theatrical summer tour of The Hitchhiker’s Guide Radio Show Live.

• Ten Short Films: From the personal archives of producer, Kevin Davies, featuring Douglas Adams and imagery from the TV series and elsewhere. Includes two exclusive reports on the movie from the World premiere in Leicester Square.

• Tertiary Phase Trailer: The surviving members of the radio cast re-assembled in 2003 for the long overdue radio adaptation of the third Hitchhiker book, Life, The Universe And Everything.

• The Hexagonal Phase: Online trailer for Radio 4 - the latest (and possibly final series ever) of Hitchhiker in its original medium, is based on the 2009 novel by Eoin Colfer with snippets of unpublished material from Douglas Adams’ archives. The surviving members of the original cast plus guests such as Lenny Henry and Ed Byrne, gathered in October 2017 to record the series which premiered in March 2018 on Radio 4.

• Marvin and Zem: The inimitable original voice of Marvin was brought back to life by Stephen Moore for the Tertiary Phase in 2003, when he shared swamp duties with a mattress called Zem.

• Q-Phases: A star-studded trailer for the Quandary and Quintessential Phases radio series based on the fourth and fifth Hitchhiker novels.

• Original DVD extras: The Making of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy Don’t Panic! Communicate! Behind the Scenes Peter Jones Introduction Pebble Mill at One (Alan Bell & Rod Lord) Tomorrow’s World Sequence Deleted Scene (ep2) Out-takes Trailer Easter Eggs.

[grim_tales]

Looks like a fantastic set of extras.

[Patient-X]

Originally Posted by HippieDalek

The only tapes I ever saw in cardboard sleeves in the UK were for home taping. I remember going to the USA and thinking all their tapes looked so cheap in their cardboard sleeves.

Quite a few 'adult home entertainment' tapes came in cardboard sleeves too...... apparently

[CouncilSpectre]

Originally Posted by Patient-X

Quite a few 'adult home entertainment' tapes came in cardboard sleeves too...... apparently

Can't you just get up into your loft and check for us....?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

Can't you just get up into your loft and check for us....?

We'll also need to see pictures of said collection of smut.

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by UncleBuckWild

Special Features

• Douglas Adams on Paperbacks (1981): A quaint book programme where host Robert Kee makes plain directly to Douglas Adams’ face, his obvious disregard for the author’s second novel.

Robert Kee's a dick, The Restaurant At the End of the Universe is the best of the "trilogy of five"

What a great looking set of extras. Will pick this up at some point.

[Patient-X]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

Can't you just get up into your loft and check for us....?

Originally Posted by chip75

We'll also need to see pictures of said collection of smut.

They all went to the tip years ago. The saddest day of my life but also the guy at the tips happiest

[88mph]

Do you think they will include the original sound mix as well as new 5.1? I really hope so.

[HotRats]

Don't like the "VHS" pack, it would have been nicer to have done a replica of the Guide prop used in the TV series or a steelbook with the astronaut from the opening titles and Don't Panic in large friendly letters

[reason108]

Originally Posted by UncleBuckWild

Release Date: October 1, 2018



The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Special Edition)


The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Retro VHS-style | Collector's Edition)

According to how this is listed on Amazon`s site, the booklet and art cards are only available on the higher priced VHS styled release. That`s a shame as I really like the art on the lower cost release. But, not sure the booklet and art cards are worth the extra $10 in difference. I pre-ordered the lower cost release but now I will also have to keep an eye out for the US release too to see if will contain the same extras or booklet/art cards, etc. Hopefully, there will be a little more info coming before the 1st.

[UncleBuckWild]

Today BBC Studios is pleased to announce that the 1981 TV adaption of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will be re-released on the 1st October 2018 on DVD and Blu-ray, remastered and up-scaled and with a wealth of new bonus content for fans to enjoy.

• The audio for the boxset includes original mono, 1981 Stereo, 2018 Stereo and 5.1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/bb...axy-dvd-bluray

The release comes in two formats, the first a Special Edition in both Blu-ray and DVD, and the second a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray that comes in retro VHS-style packaging and includes a collector’s art card as well as a 24-page behind-the-scenes booklet written by producer Kevin Jon Davies. Both formats contain a wealth of new bonus content listed below.

In 1978, Douglas Adams united the worlds of science fiction and comedy when BBC Radio broadcast The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Three years later BBC Two aired the television adaption which starred some of the original radio cast, including Simon Jones (Arthur Dent), Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod), Stephen Moore (Marvin) and Peter Jones (The Book).

The title is now available to pre-order from Amazon, HMV, Zoom and Zavvi.

BFI Southbank will host a special fan screening of this title on Saturday 22nd September.

[HippieDalek]

• Mostly Hand-Drawn (HD animation feature)
Animator Rod Lord’s BAFTA award-winning graphic sequences from the TV series are presented in HD for the first time, allowing a more detailed appreciation of Babel Fish guts, Deep Thought’s equations and Vogon sex.

• Life, the Universe and Clapperboards (HD Live action)
Elements of the main series now available in HD.

The way that these two are phrased makes me worry that the sequences of the series that could be HD are included as special features rather than integrated into the upscaled series itself.