Back to the Future (1985)

Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale

Stars:

Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Top Rated Movies #42 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 25 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael J. Fox	...	Marty McFly
Christopher Lloyd	...	Dr. Emmett Brown
Lea Thompson	...	Lorraine Baines
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

Storyline

Marty McFly, a typical American teenager of the Eighties, is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered DeLorean "time machine" invented by a slightly mad scientist. During his often hysterical, always amazing trip back in time, Marty must make certain his teenage parents-to-be meet and fall in love - so he can get back to the future.

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Plot Keywords:

time travel | delorean | time travel comedy | time machine | future | 

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Taglines:

He was never in time for his classes... He wasn't in time for his dinner... Then one day... he wasn't in his time at all.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 July 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Back to the Future

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,332,134, 7 July 1985, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$210,609,762

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$381,109,762

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,Amblin Entertainment,U-Drive Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints) (as Dolby Stereo)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Producer Neil Canton offered the role of Doc Brown to Christopher Lloyd after having worked together on The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). Lloyd originally turned it down, but changed his mind after his wife convinced him to take the role. He improvised some of his lines.

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Goofs

When he finds that his machine gun is ineffective in stopping the DeLorean, the terrorist gunner is shown leaning down and speaking through the open sunroof to someone else in the back of the van, telling him to help him get out the grenade launcher. Yet in the other close-up shots of the van, just the gunner's legs are visible inside the van, there is nobody else visible in the van besides the driver.

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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. That's Statler Toyota in downtown Hill Valley.

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Crazy Credits

For the video release, "To Be Continued" was added before the closing credits. This title has disappeared from the DVD release.

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Alternate Versions

Digital-era home video releases of the trilogy have some different audio in places, compared to the original VHS/LaserDiscs. One notable difference in the first movie is in Doc Brown's first on-screen line, "Marty, you made it!" It was shouted on those early versions, but is more subdued and calm on DVD and Blu-ray. The original releases were the original theatrical mix, the DVD/Blu-ray features a new 5.1 remix.

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Connections

Referenced in QI: The Future (2009)

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Soundtracks

BACK IN TIME
(1985)
Performed by Huey Lewis & The News (as Huey Lewis and The News)
Courtesy of Chrysalis Records, Inc.
Written by Huey Lewis and Chris Hayes
Published by Hulex Music, Administered by Red Admiral Music, Inc.

User Reviews

Time Travel Movies Are Always Brilliant

Time travel movies never disappoint-that is because the concept of time travel is a very interesting one which most people must have thought about at one time or another. What would happen if you went back in time and an innocuous act changed the course of history for better or worse? It's something to think about.

I won't reveal any plot details for this movie because it will spoil it for those who haven't seen it. Let's just say that Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly ends up back in 1955 where a sequence of events inadvertently orchestrated by Marty threaten his very existence. He is aided by Doc Brown played brilliantly by Christopher Lloyd who tries to get him back to 1985 without causing any damage to the fabric of time.

The movie is great-and I feel it can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their individual tastes in film genres. In fact, I find it hard to believe anyone could dislike a film like this. It has action, adventure, plenty of humour and some cool moments. All the actors involved in the movie play their parts great.

Anyone who watches this movie will love it.