Conversation:

I somehow imagined him more streamlined, but walking with a limp due to the non-working diodes on the left side.

That's how he looked in the TV version, but in the illustrated edition released years later he was much more streamlined and lanky.

Before the TV adaptation, and that chunky kind of "Robbie the Robot" 1950's look for Marvin, my own suspicion was that Marvin's robotic form would resemble some sort of perfected ideal of the male physique, possibly an android version of Michaelangelo's David.

He'd have the best possible electronics, the best android body conceivable, and in theory he'd have it all going for him.

But (and this is the Sirius Cybernetics Corporatrion we're talking about here)all this physical and electronic perfection would be driven by a maladjusted depressive cyberbrain, making the gap between external substance and internalised cyberchondria("the terrible pain in all the diodes down my left side")all the more incongruous.

Disappointed in Marvin's film body, not at all what I had imagined.
I presume ther size of his head is due to his brain being the size of a planet, but he has GPP...surely there should have been a less "Star Wars" look to him!

More iPod than Star Wars, surely?

Star Wars...iPod; all the same to me...lol

Are we talking about the Marvin for the television series or the one for the recent film. I rather liked the one in the film, although I had always pictured him as a combination of the two. Incidentally, Marvin is my favorite charactor.

Forgot to mention this:
I have the t.v. series on DVD and on one of the special features Douglas says he never really had so much a picture of Marvin in his mind as he did what he would sound like.

The really interesting thing about Marvin in the new movie is that the two actors who bring him to life have been working together on the Harry Potter series of films. Warwick Davis(Professor Flitwick) wore the actual costume and Alan Rickman(Professor Snape) provides Marvin's voice. Mr. Rickman I think had the perfect voice for portrayng Marvin's state of depression.

Only just stumbled into this thread, a bit late really, but that's me all over!

I agree wholeheartedly about Alan Rickman - he was perfect. The line where, I believe it was Zaphod, shouted "Freeze!" to which Marvin replied, totally deadpan -
"Freeze? I'm a robot, not a refridgerator!" cracked me up!

Hmm, interestingly, that line was one that really jarred for me. The rest of the film, however, was marvellous.

I think I'm pretty much alone in thinking that although the costume was okay, Alan Rickman wasn't a good voice of Marvin. Possibly it was the lines that I didn't like though. All in all, Marvin was about the only character that I couldn't believe in. Hey ho.

Typical brain the size of planet, older than the universe itself and you didn't belief in him

I know, it's just not fair on the ol' hunk o' metal. *grin*

It was a good film though. This thread has just reminded me of how much I enjoyed it. Like the bit where they're on the Vogon planet and running through those things that slap them whenever they think... What a way to train your beaurocrats, eh.

I hope Michael Gove didn't see that bit or it will be his new stratagy for the children of those who can't afford to set up their own schools