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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
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 3.5
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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
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  DVD Picture Information

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  DVD Sound Information

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  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