Classic 80s Movie: “Back to the Future”
Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from Mary Pocrnic.
Movie Title: Back To The Future
Year: 1985
Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Lead Actors: Michael J Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Plot Summary: A teenager is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, and must make sure his high-school-age parents unite in order to save his own existence.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 80s Movies: Not only is Back To The Future an 80s classic movie, it’s a classic for all time. The film encapsulates everything about what it should feel like going to the movies. It captures the imagination and makes the audience feel as though anything is possible. The film has sci-fi, action, adventure, and comedy. Now that may be a lot of genres for one film to do well, but BTTF does it perfectly. It blends all those genres seamlessly, and takes the audience on a ride through infinite possibilities. The movie invaded pop culture and almost 30 years later, moviegoers still remember Marty McFly and his red puffy vest, Doc Brown, “Hello, McFly,” and the flux capacitor. Why has it endured throughout the years? It has a near-perfect script (easy to ignore the paradoxes that time travel creates, and the icky factor of mother lusting after son), a talented cast, special effects that don’t look dated, and a kick-ass soundtrack, but the heart of it really does lie in its story; it’s an original story about life and death, and destiny. And who hasn’t fantasized about time traveling or to see what their parents were like as teenagers? Time Travel is a huge concept and can encompass the entire history of our civilization, but what makes the time travel work so well in BTTF is that the idea is narrowed, rooted in one character’s destiny, thus making it feel believable, and relatable.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie: The moment that stands out for me is when George finally stands up to Biff, punches him, and takes Lorraine’s hand and pulls her up off the ground, their hands touch and their eyes meet and bam! Love! The music swells and the lovers are on their way to reuniting!
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie: It’s all about the DeLorean and plutonium.
Marty McFly: Wait a minute, Doc. Ah… Are you telling me that you built a time machine… out of a DeLorean?
Dr. Emmett Brown: The way I see it, if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?
Dr. Emmett Brown: I’m sure that in 1985, plutonium is available in every corner drugstore, but in 1955, it’s a little hard to come by.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: The set ups and the payoffs. Act One is full of stuff that is brought back in Act Two: The set up of the clock tower, Uncle Joey in prison, Mayor Goldie Wilson, Marty’s guitar skills, Principal Strickland, big or small, it’s al there; in fact, the entire town of Hill Valley is a giant set up. Each scene is meticulous in making sure all the details are present. A newscast about Libyans in the background, which seems unimportant is connected to Doc Brown and the action packed ending of Act One. Every line of dialogue is either revealing character or pushing the plot forward. Look at the transitions from scene to scene. Everything is connected and flows with purpose. It’s not jarring. The film is in a constant state of motion. There’s literally a ticking clock that keeps the action fast paced and urgent. Also, keep an eye out for all the clock imagery and references to clocks. The movie is literally about time. And look at the obstacles. It’s one thing after the other that gets in the way, and just when you think Marty or Doc or even George have overcome an obstacle another one is thrown in their way. The stakes are high!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yosuvf7Unmg
Thanks, Mary! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
That’s it for the Classic 80s Movie series. I’ll have one more post with some analysis, but if you have some observations or insights from your immersion in movies from the 80s, please head to comments and share them with us. And again, special thanks to everyone who provided a guest column!
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