1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die- Back to the Future

#756- Back to the Future (1985)
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis


Plot Summary: In 1985, Dr. Emmett Brown (also known as "Doc") invents a time machine out of a DeLorean and his young friend, Marty McFly, accidentally uses the car and travels back in time to 1955. Marty accidentally interacts with his parents and actually prevents them from meeting and falling in love. Now Marty has two objectives, to help his parents fall in love (because if they don't, he will never be born and be erased from existence) and to find the 1955 version of Doc to help him get back to 1985. 


With over 1000 movies on this list, it is hard to pick a movie to start with. So I decided to start with one I was already comfortable with. I first saw Back to the Future when I was 9. My grandmother got the trilogy for me on VHS for Christmas in 2002. Since then, I have seen this movie dozens of times and have grown a deeper appreciation for it every time I see it, with my most recent viewing of the film being no exception. 

One of the main reasons to check out Back to the Future is for the characters. Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, and Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, are a great on-screen duo. Despite their character differences (with one being a typical '80s high school student and the other being a wild eyed scientist), Fox and Lloyd have no problem convincing the audience that Marty and Doc are great friends. Even if they are a great duo, both characters are very enjoyable on their own as well. Marty is a very relatable character who has confidence, but also has doubts and fears of his own. Doc is intelligent but also neurotic, which the audience can understand once they've seen the numerous gadgets that Doc has invented as well as his brilliant but quirky behavior.

Another great highlight of the film is Biff Tannen, played by Thomas F. Wilson. Biff is often considered as the greatest on-screen bully and it is easy to see why. While he is not the smartest guy in school, Biff is still an obstacle for Marty because of his size and power. In fact, he is an obstacle to Marty's parents as well, played by Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson, as he picks on George McFly (Glover) and is always trying to hit on Lorraine Baines (Thompson). Biff is comedic, yet intimidating, which makes for an antagonist that the audience loves to hate.

When looking at the overall concept, Back to the Future takes an idea that has much more thought to it than simply going into the future, or going to a time period like the Wild West (which is by no means a knock at Back to the Future Part II and Part III). Instead of a "popular" time traveling scenario, you are stuck in a time period where you go to high school with your parents, and see what they did when they were your age. Marty's journey helps him see his parents in a different light that he and the audience are both used to based on how they were introduced in 1985. He is also able to figure out that high school can be an issue no matter what time period you are in.

Another reason to see Back to the Future is the effective use of pop culture. This film captures essences of both the '50s and the '80s. Through setting, props, costumes and even dialogue, the audience is taken in by the '80s atmosphere, then is transported into the '50s environment that they are unfamiliar with, making them feel just as much out of their comfort zone as Marty is. A good example is when Marty tells the '50s Doc that the President in 1985 is Ronald Regan, who was an actor in '50s, to which Doc asks if Jerry Lewis is the Vice President. Back to the Future also has an impact on modern pop culture. Thoughts of Back to the Future always come into my head whenever I see a DeLorean driving down the street, or even from just hearing "The Power of Love" in a public place. Many people still are able to remember scenes and quotes from Back to the Future almost 30 years later.

When looking at movies that I would consider to be some of my top favorites, Back to the Future might be a choice that surprises some people. After seeing it another time, I realize why I enjoy the film so much, because it isn't JUST a movie about time travel. It has elements of science fiction, romance, comedy and action throughout the entire film. The plot, characters and overall cultural impact are proof that Back to the Future is truly a movie that has stood the test of time (pun intended).


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Back to the Future is a movie that I feel I can recommend to almost anybody as it really does have something to offer for everyone. Not only would I recommend seeing it, but I would also recommend owning it in your movie collection.
 
Comment below to share your thoughts on the movie or to discuss a topic that I left out of my review

Back to the Future and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures