• Login
    • Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    WSR Detailed DVD Review
    Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, The
    Genre: Science Fiction

    Reviewed In Issue 100 (Sep 2005) Of Widescreen Review®

    Stars:
    Sam Rockwell, Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Warwick Davis

    WSR Review Scores
    WSR Picture Rating: 4
    DD Sound Rating: 5
    DTS Sound Rating: 5
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score: 3.5
    Internet Links


    Special Features
    Special features include a 19-minute Making Of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, an additional Guide Entry to the Guidebook that explains how the Babelfish explains the nonexistance of God, three (real) Deleted Scenes, and two (fake) Really Deleted Scenes, a three minute sing along to Earth's dolphin's song, "So Long And Thanks For All The Fish," and Marvin's Hangman game, where you must guess the four letter word before Marvin is disassembled. There is no prize given for guessing the correct word. Two audio commentaries are included, one with Director Garth Jennings, Producer Nick Goldsmith, and Actors Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy, and the other with Executive Producer Robbie Stamp and Douglas Adams' colleague Sean Solle. There is also an Improbability Drive button that will randomly activate one of the DVD's menus or special features.


     DVD General Information

    (Studio/Distributor): Touchstone Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): 37952
    (MPAA Rating): PG
    (Rating Reason):

    		 For thematic elements, action and mild language.
    (Retail Price): $29.99
    (DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
    (Widescreen Edition): Yes
    (Full Screen Edition): Yes
    (Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
    (Running Time In Minutes): 109
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Regional Coding): 1
    (Theatrical Year): 2005
    (Theatrical Release): Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release): No
    (DVD Release Date): 09/13/05
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

     Credits Information

    (Director): Garth Jennings
    (Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
    (Story): Subscribe Now!
    (Music): Subscribe Now!
    (Director Of Photography): Subscribe Now!
    (Production Designer): Subscribe Now!
    (Visual Effects): Subscribe Now!
    (Costume Designer): Subscribe Now!
    (Editor): Subscribe Now!
    (Supervising Sound Editors): Subscribe Now!
    (Re-Recording Mixers): Subscribe Now!
    (Executive Producers): Subscribe Now!
    (Co-Producers): Subscribe Now!
    (Producers): Subscribe Now!
    (Academy Awards): Subscribe Now!

      DVD Picture Information

    (Principal Photography): Subscribe Now!
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
    (Measured DVD Anamorphic Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
    (Measured DVD Letterbox Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!

      DVD Sound Information

    (DVD Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
    (Theatrical Sound): Subscribe Now!
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
    (DTS Bit Rate): Subscribe Now!
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate): Subscribe Now!
    (Additional Languages): Subscribe Now!
    (Subtitles): Subscribe Now!
    (WSR Superb Sound Qualities): Subscribe Now!

      WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    The unforgettable characters created by Douglas Adams come to life in The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. When plans to demolish planet Earth to make way for a hyperspace freeway send Arthur Dent (Freeman) and his buddy Ford Perfect (Def) hitching a ride into the galaxy. Along the way, they meet characters like the two-faced (literally) president of the galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox (Rockwell) and learn invaluable bits of information...like the most useful object a person can have on hand is a towel. (Suzanne Hodges)

    DVD Picture:
    The anamorphically enhanced 2.40:1 DVD picture looks quite good, with satisfying sharpness and detail. Some scenes can be amazingly textured and defined, but there are other scenes that can look a bit hazy or smeared (or at times, plugged-up). Cololrs are well balanced, with accurate fleshtones, solid hues, and deep blacks. There is some pixel breakup noticed at times, as well as the occasional shimmering detail. Very rarely is there an edge halo noticed. (Suzanne Hodges)

    Soundtrack:
    Both the Dolby

    Reason #53 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:

    There was little in the way of reading material to bridge the gap between the broadcast-level technical and the common consumer. Most of the generic publications were too simplistic with not enough meat. As the DVDs’ popularity developed beyond everyone’s wildest dreams, it became painfully obvious that there was a serious lack of credible printed matter to support the medium. And with HDTV in the wings, even less to draw from. Or so I thought, until I came upon Widescreen Review at a newsstand while on one of those proverbial business trips. I couldn't believe my eyes! Here's the kind of magazine I was looking for. But then, thinking that this was just a one-off issue, which just happened to contain an abundance of knowledge in an occasional issue, I decided to temper my enthusiasm and become a newsstand reader to see if the articles and features held up consistently. Well, that was all many issues ago and I'm now a dyed-in-the-wool reader of Widescreen Review. To their credit, the magazine has and continues to improve upon their expertise in the field. It's truly a one-stop resource when it comes to the latest in the ever-evolving world of audio/video integration for the consumer. Pixel on!

    Wayne J Mastel
    26864 Mandelieu Drive, Murrieta, CA 92562 • Phone: 951 676 4914 • Fax: 951 693 2960
    Copyright © Information • All Rights Reserved • www.widescreenreview.com • Web Site Established In 1995 • Privacy Policy • Partners