8.5/10
1,025,124
1,199 user 246 critic

Back to the Future (1985)

Trailer
1:21 | Trailer
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 eccentric scientist Doc Brown.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis
Popularity
115 ( 17)
Top Rated Movies #36 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 25 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

Photos

Edit

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

Celebrating 35 Years of 'Back to the Future'

In celebration of the 35th anniversary of Back to the Future, we take a look back at Robert Zemeckis's fan-favorite film.

Watch the video

Learn more

More Like This 

Certificate: PG Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

After visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985...without interfering with his first trip.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
Star Wars (1977)
Certificate: 14 Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.6/10 X  

Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.

Director: George Lucas
Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Certificate: PG Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

Stranded in 1955, Marty McFly learns about the death of Doc Brown in 1885 and must travel back in time to save him. With no fuel readily available for the DeLorean, the two must figure how to escape the Old West before Emmett is murdered.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen
Certificate: G Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.7/10 X  

After the Rebels are brutally overpowered by the Empire on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader and a bounty hunter named Boba Fett all over the galaxy.

Director: Irvin Kershner
Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
The Matrix (1999)
Certificate: 14A Action | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.7/10 X  

A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.

Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Certificate: 14A Action | Sci-Fi
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.5/10 X  

A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced and powerful cyborg.

Director: James Cameron
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong
Forrest Gump (1994)
Certificate: PG Drama | Romance
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.8/10 X  

The presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the events of Vietnam, Watergate and other historical events unfold through the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, whose only desire is to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise
Certificate: 14A Action | Adventure | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.8/10 X  

A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.

Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Certificate: 16+ Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.9/10 X  

The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson
Certificate: 18+ Crime | Drama | Thriller
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.6/10 X  

A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.

Director: Jonathan Demme
Stars: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney
Certificate: PA Action | Adventure | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.7/10 X  

While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.

Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
Gladiator (2000)
Certificate: 18 Action | Adventure | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.5/10 X  

A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.

Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
Edit

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. Written by Robert Lynch <docrlynch@yahoo.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

He's the only kid ever to get into trouble before he was born. [UK] See more »


Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Wendie Jo Sperber, who played Linda McFly, was three years older than Lea Thompson, who played her mother, and six years older than Crispin Glover, who played her father. See more »

Goofs

Marty tears out a page from the cafe's phone book and the proprietor sees him holding the ripped page, yet he doesn't say anything. In the real world of 1955, he would have been upset. See more »

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.
See more »

Crazy Credits

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

Alternate Versions

TV versions that aired shortly after the World Trade Center Attack in September 2001 featured certain alterations to the Libyan terrorists subplot. When Marty reads aloud his warning letter for Doc, he says "You will be shot," instead of "You will be shot by terrorists," and the "by terrorists" area of the letter is digitally erased. The most recent TV airing edits the scene where Doc is shot by the Libyans, as well as the scene where Marty is almost shot. It instead cuts to the scene of Doc running off, Marty diving into the DeLorean and noticing Doc slain. However when Marty returns to 1985 and witnesses these events re-occurring, the shooting scenes are intact. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Cinematic Excrement: Howard the Duck (2019) See more »

Soundtracks

THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT
(1954)
Music by George Bruns (uncredited)
Lyrics by Thomas W. Blackburn (uncredited)
Performed by Fess Parker
Courtesy of Disneyland-Vista Records
See more »

User Reviews

 
Great movie
28 November 2004 | by mm-39See all my reviews

One of the last movies I went with sister to see back in 86. The film blew my mind. My friends never wanted to see this one. I was happy I went. Many year's latter, I bought "Back to the Future" at Mc Donalds for $2.99 or for some other low price with a meal. The film ages well, and I love it just the same. The director and screen writer mixes science fiction, humor, and action perfectly. A big component of the script is time line theory which drives the story. Marty has many problems to fix, and finds out more than anyone wants to know about their parents. Michael J Fox and Christopher Loyd were excellently casted. Marty and Doc what a chemistry. With the film series one see the many dualities with time travel, that become a constant with the movie. The town clock, being awoke in a strange place, and letters. Keep this in mind when watching the 2 other sequels. The theory that time repeats itself is evident. What a time machine, the Delorian adds to this movie. Worth watch over again. 10 out of 10! Thank you TBS for showing all 3 films.


161 of 186 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 1,199 user reviews »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook | Official site | See more »

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 July 1985 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Retour vers le futur See more »

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA See more »

Edit

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,152,500, 7 July 1985

Gross USA:

$211,266,762

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$388,632,128
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)| Dolby Digital | Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »

Contribute to This Page

Your Next Binge Watch Awaits

Looking for something to watch? Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show.



Recently Viewed