Back to the Future
What is it about Back to
the Future that makes it so popular? Is it the whole concept of time travel?
The fact it was made in the radical eighties? The perfect casting of Michael J.
Fox and Christopher Lloyd and their brilliant chemistry together? Or is it the
idea of going back to the time when you’re parents were young, seeing how they
met and being a part of that historic event?
I think it’s all of those
things and more. I felt that including this classic film (the first in one of
the all time great movie trilogies) in the list of “Movies of My Childhood” was
absolutely necessary. Given it came out when I was little, and I would go on to
watch it many times, it was a movie that helped me to understand what movies
meant. The story wasn’t delivered in a completely straight forward way, because
Back to the Future likes to treat its audience with respect, and as if they’re
intelligent. It’s a film where you have to pay attention to the small details
and keep an eye on what’s happening on screen. Of course, this would be
amplified in “Back to the Future Part II” which was a whole paradox of the
first film, the future and an alternate 1985 (review for that coming soon), so
even thought Part I wasn’t as confusing as it’s first sequel, it’s still a film
that garners your attention. And it rewards your attention with an ingenious,
heartfelt, funny and exciting story about a teenager who travels through time.
Michael J. Fox was one of
the incomparable stars of the 1980’s, with the huge success of the classic TV
show “Family Ties”, Fox showed an acting ability far beyond his years. A star
was made when they chose him to play Marty McFly, and thank God they did after
they started filming with another actor in the lead role (Eric Stoltz) who got
a few scenes done, but wasn’t making it work, so was unfortunately given the
boot. Fox was brought in, and embodied the character of Marty McFly perfectly.
The kid from Hill Valley, who rides his skateboards while hanging onto the backs of cars and
says the words “This is heavy” over and over, was brought to life brilliantly
by Fox who would never shake off the mantle of this character. Certainly his
best performance not just in this film, but over the whole trilogy.
Of course the other
winning element of this classic film was the performance of Christopher Lloyd
as Doctor Emmet M. Brown, or as Marty comes to call him, “The Doc”. Channelling
a character that was both a brilliant genius but a babbling crackpot, he’s the
one to take Marty on a journey like no other – into the past, but not on
purpose of course. Marty uses the time machine, a modified DeLorean, to escape
some trouble and ends up in 1955, thirty years prior to his time. Luckily, he
meets up with the Doc from 1955, who hasn't even invented time travel yet.
Marty has to convince him who he is and that the Doc will invent time travel
one day. He's the only one who can help Marty get back to the future.
Ending up in an era where
he hadn’t even been born, Marty comes to work out he has the opportunity to
change history, after he accidentally interferes with the chance encounter that
brought his parents together. Taking his fathers place, Marty finds himself the
object of his mother’s affection. Although this is weird, for both Marty and
the audience, it’s done in a harmless and funny way. If he doesn’t fix things,
Marty won’t exist so sets out to make sure his parents meet like they were
supposed to, kiss and live happily ever after – or else he will never be born.
Of course this proves difficult when his own mum has the hots for him and his
dad is a shy, insecure loner.
There are so many
memorable and original elements to Back to the Future. Firstly, it took the
fascination with time travel to a whole new level, taking a kid who could be
you as a teenager, and sending him back three decades. Secondly, the time
machine itself; a DeLorean with a circuit board that allows you to enter any
date and travel back or forward there once you reach 88 miles per hour is such
a cool concept to let your imagination run away with. If you were sitting in
the seat of that car, were would you go? Thirdly, this film has one of the best
movie scores ever composed. Created by Alan Silvestri, who would also go on to
make memorable scores to films like “Forrest Gump” and “Contact”, its instantly
recognisable and totally unforgettable. Each part of the diverse score
perfectly matches it’s scene in the film. Mystical, adventurous, suspenseful
and inspiring, the score to this movie just stands out as one of the best ever
made. You know it as soon as you hear it, and it brings back a flood of
memories of this excellent film.
Back to the Future is a
movie that stays with you long after the credits have rolled. You feel better
for having watched it, as it reinforces your faith in how good movies can be.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, it
comes from a time where movies were made just for the love of it. The well of
original ideas and true creativity were at their peak in the 1980’s, and BttF
is a prime example of this. It’s full of pure imagination, clever wit, sly
humour, inventive special effects, rollicking music and classic character
development. You can just watch this film and lose yourself in every scene from
start to end. It sparked my imagination when I was kid, and still does to this
day.
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