Back to the Future (1985)

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Robert Zemeckis (written by) &
Bob Gale (written by)

Release Date:

3 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

He's the only kid ever to get into trouble before he was born. [UK]

Plot:

In 1985, Doc Brown invents time travel; in 1955, Marty McFly accidentally prevents his parents from meeting, putting his own existence at stake.

Plot Keywords:

1955 | Time Machine | 1985 | Time Travel | High School

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 13 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Michael J. Fox	...	Marty McFly
Christopher Lloyd	...	Dr. Emmett Brown
Lea Thompson	...	Lorraine Baines McFly
Crispin Glover	...	George McFly
Thomas F. Wilson	...	Biff Tannen
Claudia Wells	...	Jennifer Parker
Marc McClure	...	Dave McFly
Wendie Jo Sperber	...	Linda McFly
George DiCenzo	...	Sam Baines
Frances Lee McCain	...	Stella Baines
James Tolkan	...	Mr. Strickland
J.J. Cohen	...	Skinhead (as Jeffrey Jay Cohen)
Casey Siemaszko	...	3-D
Billy Zane	...	Match
Harry Waters Jr.	...	Marvin Berry

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Ireland:PG | USA:PG | Netherlands:MG6 (DVD rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Portugal:M/6 | Australia:M | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Spain:T | Canada:G (Quebec) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Iceland:L | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #27831) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

1711 Bushnell Avenue, South Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Michael J. Fox had always been the first choice for Marty, but he was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts with his work on "Family Ties" (1982). Eric Stoltz was cast as Marty but he disagreed with the rest of the cast and crew about the tone of the film. After a few weeks of filming, Fox was asked to replace Stoltz. Fox worked out a schedule to fulfill his commitment to both projects. Every day during production, he drove straight to the movie set after taping of the show was finished every day and averaged about one or two hours of sleep. The bulk of the production was filmed from 6pm to 6am, with the daylight scenes filmed on weekends.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Marty completes the improvised guitar ending for "Johnny B. Goode," he kicks over the guitar amplifier. The amplifier makes the electronic "splash" sound like a guitar amplifier that has a reverb tank. Guitarist Dick Dale and Leo Fender developed the first prototype reverb unit in 1961. Fender's Fender Musical Instruments Corp. introduced the first reverb units in 1962, seven years after the dance, which takes place in 1955.

Quotes:

[first lines]
1985 radio announcer: October is inventory time, so right now, Statler Toyota is making the best deals of the year on all 1985 model Toyotas. You won't find a better car at a better price with better service anywhere in Hill Valley...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Brooklyn Rules (2007)

Soundtrack:

JOHNNY B. GOODE

Gotta get back in time! Get back Marty!

BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985) **** Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, Marc McClure, Wendy Jo Sperber. This generation's "It's a Wonderful Life"? Think about it. Very popular and very entertaining sci-fi comedy that made Fox a movie star after success with tv's "Family Ties", casting him, after Eric Stoltz was dropped, as Marty McFly who winds up in a nuclear-powered DeLorean time-machine and is sent back in time to 1955 by his quintessentially eccentric friend Dr. Emmet Brown (Lloyd doing a fine Art Carney). There he meets up with his parents to be and realizes his chance encounters have changed his future and he must see history repeat itself or perish. High-concept hilarity and some truly ingenious schematics thanks to screenwriter Bob Gale and director Bob Zemeckis. Wondering what it would be like to never be born and/or what it would be like if things were different...see what I mean. Oscar-nominated song "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis (who has a fun cameo) fuels this dynamo gem of a film. Classic.