<<Movies of My Childhood list
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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