ScuzzBlog: Diaries January 2026
Entry 17th January 2026: Post 1: Hitchhikers Guide to a Pre-Digital Era.
Hitchhikers Guide to a Pre-Digital Era.
I recently acquired the DVD for Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Difficult to believe I didn't have this in the collection and only
dawned on me when I went to watch it the other night. Back to the
Bay and it was soon winging its way to me.
It was then that it struck me just how old this production was. It
had been first featured on Radio 4 in 1978 and then televised on
5th January 1981 ... wait for it, some 45 years ago. My goodness.
You could hardly critisise the special effects to a series that
predated not only the digital era but most of the video era too.
For my part I was first introduced to the Hitchhikers Guide whilst
at School of Architecture when the series first aired on Radio 4.
Much of the dialogue became cult as we recited lines in the voice
of Marvin the less than enthusiastic robot. Many was the night in
pubs we would discuss the episodes and the wider meaning of the
books... as you do being a giant nerd.
The story follows the journey through the galaxy of Arthur Dent
and Ford Prefect, following the destruction of Earth by the Vogons
to make way for some intergalactic space highway. They transport
to the Vogon ship only to get kicked out into space and rescued
by Zaphod Beeble Brox aboard the stolen ship Heart of Gold, which
was fitted with the improbability drive. They discover that Earth
was originally purchased by the mice and is currently being re-
constructed on Magrathea as advised by Slarty BartFarst. You get
the idea. Sorry.. spoiler alert.
Thing is this little gem was not created in a digital era. In fact
the production was for the most part filmed on 35mm and the special
effects actual hand built objects. The animated artwork was the
work of Rod Lord Pearce at the Animation Studio using traditional
cel animated techniques. Not a computer or video machine in sight.
The story seemed to struggle with portraying computers using bright
coloured boxes with punch tape spewing out of them. The controls
were often joysticks with no distinct arrangement of the computer
terminals. Not many examples of Ironman transparent computers in
1981.
This made me reflect on my own circumstances to which I taped this
programme, for tape it I did. Not in the way you may think and
like the actual presentation itself reflected a pre-digital and
pre-video era. It is difficult I guess today with hand helds more
powerful than the collected computer power of the era in question
to appreciate just what hoops we had to jump through in the time
to record our stuff. Second nature to anyone today but trust me
the one thing you noticed about life in the 70/80s was endless
cables... miles of the things.
There was no video in our house at the time and I had purchased
a small 5" TV to hook up to my large amplifier and reel-to-reel
tape recorder. Additionally my cassette deck and record deck sat
atop this little mountain. There were wires everywhere. And so
I would tune into the TV broadcast and flick the large knobs on
the SONY Reel-to-Reel and watch as the VU meters flicked back
and forth.
I would replay the episodes over my Sennheiser headphones with the
distinct yellow foam sponge ear pieces or my deadly GB3 speakers.
All this whilst I was busy producing my design work for both my
degree and diploma work at School of Architecture. I played the
stuff so much I could recite whole extracts of Hitchhikers, along
with every episode of Faulty Towers and The Shock of the New.
Music in those days was generally the recordings of the Paul
Gambaccini Saturday show listening to Steve Winwood and Christopher
Cross whilst playing records on the Akai. Posters on the walls were
acquired from Arena in Birmingham and featured works of Roger Dean.
Albums like Led 4, Topographic Oceans, Tubular Bells, Dark Side of
the Moon and Don't Shoot me.. Elton John littered the vacant bed
in the bedroom. By now my brothers had left home. I did have the
mandatory acoustic guitar and Hoffner electric with combo amp and
speaker, though not allowed to switch it on. I recorded my own
stuff on the ITT over screams from mum to shut the hell up.
With all that in mind the joys of music and comedy were still in
plentiful supply in 1981. Albeit a little black and white and or
sound only, though **ckin incredible sound. Nothing like playing
Trash by Roxy Music to make the house shake when parents were out.
Sure there was no video, smart phones, computers, wide screens
and insta access to all the latest. But, what you don't have or
know of could hardly make you miserable. I had plenty to do what
with tidying up the endless cables laying around the place.
As for Hitchhikers Guide, well I still have my tape copy, it's
on one of my many reel to reel tapes I have here. I generally do
have all my original kit with the exception of my Prinzsound
cassette deck and the GB3 speakers. Sadly I hadn't realised that
Bob my large white cat had taken to pissing on the speakers when
they sat on the floor. It was good to play the DVDs, even with
the crappy special effects. It made me reflect on a time when it
was pretty cool to order your drinks in the voice of Marvin the
Paranoid Android.
Hitchhikers Guide to a Pre-Digital Era.
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