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Comment by Adaptive | Hacker News Reader

For those that remember the original tv series (based on the books, of course, which were in fact originally a radio play), you will remember the shockingly bad special effects (themselves outdone only by Tom Baker era Dr. Who effects in terms of sheer awful). The one exception to the BBC standard guy-in-a-bad-rubber-suit effects in terms of quality was the animation of the HHGG screens. I was shocked to find out that they were, in fact, all animated by hand.

I've seen a doc about this, can't find it online now. Here's a brief clip of an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uynMCvdkp0M#t=2m20s

By hand... Reverse-Skueomorphism before it was cool.

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Hmm, really?

I remember the original TV series mainly as being completely, utterly, awesome.

The effects weren't particularly sophisticated, but they fit well enough, and never detracted. You didn't really notice them.

This is more than just a good story distracting one from the visuals, I think; the effects guys did a pretty good job with their limited means, and often those primitive effects really managed to communicate the atmosphere and feeling intended. They did this much better than Dr Who's effects ever did, in my experience: With Dr Who, one almost always had the feeling "ok, this is some guys on a soundstage", but with HHGttG, often it somehow really did seem like they were stowed away on a Vogon spaceship. I'm not really sure how they managed to pull it off as well as they did, though I suppose even in the category of "low budget BBC SF efx" there's a range of budgets...

.. and the hand-drawn "computer" animations were great. Together with the incredible music, they were a real highlight.

There were some lowlights, of course; I remember the scenes on the Heart of Gold as being pretty bad.

[Watching your clip really brings back the memories of the complete bliss of watching that on TV way back when... just hearing the music sends chills down my spine... :]

(Biggest orig HHGG / Tom Baker era Dr. Who fan ever, here.)

Looking back, those effects were bad (like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uynMCvdkp0M#t=2m10s ), but I'll agree with you on this: back then, I never cared or noticed; the whole thing was just pure joy as far as I was concerned.

And in a way these effects just offset the glorious, labor of love animations.

Totally agree about the music. In fact I was just telling someone last night that Justice's "Civilization" always makes me think of the HHGG tv theme music (this comparison fell on deaf ears). One of the best ever intro tracks.

And the opening title sequence with the GOLD ASTRONAUT? Genius. A low budget effect but nicely executed. (for the uninitiated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywKilWkX4jA )

You have swayed my opinion. I hereby revised my previous comment to confirm that these BBC folks really deserve a geek hero's medal for their work. I suspect you are right that it was often scrounging sets/etc. and it shaped my taste to this day. Much love to those unnamed fx teams.

If you loved the music, have a listen to The Eagles' "Journey of the Sorcerer"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rOMGIbY-9s

Thanks for the link...

[This song completely changed the way I thought of the banjo! :]

My understanding is that Douglas hated the TV series. I think he had issues with the lazy and arrogant attitude that the director had.

The Vogon spaceship interior was a reused set from Alien.

I have a lovely babel fish graphic from this awaiting framing. The artist, Rod Lord, was selling the original artwork on eBay a few years ago.

Looks like you can still buy prints: http://www.rodlord.com/H2G2PRINTS/PAGES/prints1.htm

This appears to be the animator, Rod Lord talking about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPS4GohlRn4

I think that was intentional. You can see some of the same pattern in the 2000s movie (most of the setting was decent but just look at the Vogons)

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