Back To The Future Appreciation Thread, 35 year Anniversary

One of my favorite trivia about the movie is when Ronald Reagan saw the movie in the White House, he laughed so hard at the "Who is the President" line and he replies Ronald Reagan....and then, Doc says, the Actor? So I guess Jerry Lewis is Vice President.
Reagan laughed so hard, that he got the projectionist to stop the film and rewind it to watch it a second time.

 

Once Doc is saved, it prevents that timeline from repeating. There's no need to see the tombstone, because Doc won't be going back to 1885 again.

 

In one of the earlier drafts of the screenplay, there was actually a part at the very end where George realizes how much Marty resembles "Calvin Klein". George has one of those "Nah, couldn't be...!" moments and then the film ends.

 

That would’ve been cool, or even better, if Biff would’ve commented something like that when he was waxing the car at the end, since Calvin Klein wrecked his car. Biff should’ve recognized Marty too.

 

That's a good point. If anyone was going to remember Marty it would be Biff. He was responsible for wrecking his car, had a scuffle in the school cafeteria and punched him in the diner.

 

I'm pretty sure the yearbook would have pictures from the dance.

 

Yeah, in that version of the screenplay, I believe George was looking at a photograph in a yearbook or old newspaper clipping or something.

 

George and Lorraine, and presumably Biff in some capacity, watched Marty grow up from birth so their perspective is different. Marty's appearance at the end is, to them, just another Saturday morning, so it's unlikely that any of them would suddenly think, "Wait, he looks like that guy!" at that moment.

There's a scene in the novel where Marty asks his parents about his 1955 self and Lorraine says, "I don't remember ever telling you about him." I swear that I saw this in the theatre in 1985 but I suppose that's not possible. Was it even filmed?

 

that is plausible. But I also think there were certainly aspects of his behavior and mannerisms and things he said or did in 1955 they would cause them to remember Calvin Klein looking like Marty. Also, when Marty tells his parents at the end of the dance that if they ever have kids and their 8 year old accidentally sets the rug on fire, to go easy on him...
It was a passing comment but a strange request... not sure if his parents would remember the comment when 8 year old Marty sets fire to the rug. Fun to speculate nonetheless!

 

Did you ever realize this fact about the films -- for a few hours on November 12, 1955, there were four versions of the DeLorean in Hill Valley at the same time? They were:

#1 The one that brought Marty to 1955 during the first film.
#2 The one that Old Biff brought to 1955 to give his young self the Sports Almanac.
#3 The one that Old Doc and Marty came back in to get the Almanac back from Young Biff.
#4 the one that had been buried in the mine for 70 years that Young Doc and Marty would dig out in a few days.

 

Watching BTTF for the first time and seeing Marty blast himself across the room with that "power chord", I said to myself "This is gonna be a cool movie!"

 

I've given myself a headache pondering all the possibilities! I try my best to just run with it.

It's my favorite film.

 

About as close to perfect as any movie I can think of. Does it all - drama, comedy, adventure, action - and nails every one.

A great story is a great story, and that's hard to screw up, but this movie's casting is what puts it over the top, imo. Everyone seems to get what they are doing and the tone they are shooting for. I suppose I have to also credit the director for that, too.

I have nothing against Eric Stoltz, but when you look at the scenes that were shot with him, he just doesn't seem to get what the movie is supposed to be like.

 

I agree completely. It's perfection.

 

And all 4 DeLoreans are, in theory, the exact same car. So, if someone had dented the fender of car #1, then the dent would have instantly appeared in cars 2, 3 and 4. And if Doc & Marty had destroyed car #2 while in 1955, then car #3 would have faded away. One of the ironic aspects of the 2nd film is that Doc & Marty needed "Old Biff" to successfully return to 2015 so that the car would be available for them to travel back to 1955 to catch Biff in the first place.

 

It's way too gradual. If you had a son you lived with for that many years, you wouldn't be noticing a resemblance to some guy from decades ago.

 

True, but I think they would have noticed the first time he strapped on a guitar and played a Chuck Berry riff.

 

One of my most favorite movies of all time. This was playing in theatres when I was born in July 85. (Interesting note: my wife was born when back to the future 2 was in theaters in Dec 89)
All three films are all pure fun entertainment with great classic characters that you just love. No matter how many times you rewatch them they never lose their magic.

 

One thing I've wondered: does 1985 Lorraine know that Marty hangs with Doc Brown and, if so, does she recall meeting him in 1955? Would Lorraine ever ask her son to ask Doc whatever happened to his "nephew"?

Argh! Don't get me started!

 

Absolutely !
Really took me by surprise first time I saw that
One of the films of all time
Helps I'm heavily into anything dealing with time travel
Michael J Fox was perfect for Marty

 

Good points! I think we can all accept that any time-travel story is going to have paradoxes and plot holes, but it's fun to sniff them out.

 

Love the first film, the sequels not so much but ok, gimme the 4k versions already!

I think that Family Guy clip has it right, there's no way it would be unnoticed and suspicions not aroused!

I think the most iconic visual of the film, apart from the DeLorean itself, has to be the burning tyre tracks and best quote 'when this baby hits 88mph, you're gonna see some serious ****'

If you can, catch Crispin Glover in American Gods, totally off the wall.

 

There are always more questions.

Back to the Future / Headscratchers - TV Tropes