Back to the Future

Time Travel Device: "Are you telling me you made a Time Machine... out of a a DeLorean?"

Time Travel Outcome/Purpose: Initially--prevent being killed by terrorists; eventually--save parents' marriage and self.

Coolness Factor: Comparisons between past and future town; Michael J. Fox; Christopher Lloyd

Flaws: One thing Spielberg proves with Back to the Future is that the rules don't have to make sense (88 mph) as long as they are consistent.

Paradox: Grandfather--if Marty prevents his parents' getting together, he will never exist to go back and stop them from getting together in the first place. To be fair, there is some predestination mixed in as well, as Marty inspires "Goldie" Wilson to run for mayor and inspires his parents to name a child "Marty." If this movie were made today, they'd have to go one way or another; you can't change your future while also inspiring your future to happen.

Trivia: The character name of Emmett comes from the word "time," spelled backwards and pronounced as syllables (em-it). His middle name is "Lathrop," which is "portal" backwards, with an extra "h" inserted in the middle. Also, 88 miles per hour was selected as the speed, as when you turn it sideways, it resembles "double infinity."

Mike says Great Scott! I love this movie. One of my earliest memories, and definitely my earliest theater memory (I was six, I guess) is the DeLorean taking off at the end of the movie. Since then, I've seen Back to the Future approximately a KAJILLION times. And I still enjoy it every time I see it.

In fact, this movie is among those I consider almost perfect. So to go back as an adult and review a golden standard is really hard!

The characters are all solid, with believable motivations and actions. Even if these are simple, they still work out. One of the things I love about this film is its lack of political correctness. Not that the movie is offensive; far from it. However, random terrorists are the bad guys and a bully without an in-depth back story of parental abuse are things you don't find in modern movies--today everyone has to be understood. Oh, how I miss the eighties.

The plot is really simple and and tight--there are a few holes, but they're few and far between. While I can pick some things apart as a long time sci-fi fan, for a family friendly sci-fi film, the movie is solid. Admittedly this is achieved by avoiding long explanations. The car travels in time, needs plutonium, and needs to reach 88 mph. Okay, GO! And a great movie follows.

I've got to say, this movie excels in many ways, but the music is truly fantastic. The score, Huey Lewis and the News, and some oldies (well, oldies where I'm from) all add up to really push the movie from cool to "WOW!"

The dialogue is fun and playful, and the jokes and one liners are great. And truly, is there another movie in history that ends with a cooler line? "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads."

Kate says I love the exuberance of this movie! Fox and Lloyd have great complementary energy.

And the film is really tight: the emotional problem is established early on. Multiple clues are provided for later entertainment (the mayor; Uncle Joey's parole; the parents' "first meeting" story).

In fact, the movie is the type that can be watched multiple times. I've seen it probably 8 or more times since it came out in 1985, and this is the first time I put together the "Brown estate" with Dr. Brown being independently wealthy. That's why he can afford to just do his experiments all the time!

One fuss made about Back to the Future when it first came out was the whole "violence begets positives" theme. I think this criticism is pretty ridiculous (and clueless). The fact is, violence does beget consequences, and realistically/mathematically speaking, sometimes those consequences will be positive. Hitting the bully might not result in long-term benefits but it could (presumably the dad kept standing up for himself after he learned to do it twice--this is implied by dialog at the end of the movie).

However, I think Spielberg et al. did a great job picking up on this particular criticism and then paying it off in the final film (without negating the first film).

It is great fun. I agree with Mike--the music really makes it work. There is something unabashedly FUN about Back to the Future--not to mention it is one of the few 3-parters I've seen where all 3 movies fit nicely together. I feel like the writer/director really cared about the story--not just about making sequels.