Online Encyclopedia
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 film by Robert Zemeckis, written by Robert Zemeckis and Robert Gale , and starring Michael J. Fox. The movie opened on July 3, 1985 with artist Drew Struzan creating the film series' distinctive artwork used on movie posters and in other marketing. After the success of the film, its two sequels were filmed together, Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III, forming a trilogy. Back to the Future grossed $210 million dollars at the US box office, making it the highest grossing film of 1985. On December 17th 2002 Universal Home Video released Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy on DVD and VHS. The box sets did very well when released. Back to the Future celebrates its 20th anniversary in July 2005.
Plot synopsis
Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) helps out his friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), and ends up being taken back in time by Doc's time-machine which is a modified De Lorean automobile. Stranded in 1955, Marty accidentally interferes with the first meeting of his parents George McFly (Crispin Glover) and Lorraine Baines McFly (Lea Thompson). Marty has to find Doc Brown's 1955 counterpart, repair the time machine and get his parents to fall in love to set straight the damage his presence has done to the events of the past.
Main Cast
- Marty McFly .... Michael J. Fox
- Doc Brown .... Christopher Lloyd
- Biff Tannen .... Thomas F. Wilson
- Lorraine Baines McFly .... Lea Thompson
- George McFly .... Crispin Glover
- Jennifer Jane Parker ... Claudia Wells
The series was very popular in the 1980s, even making fans out of celebrities like ZZ Top (who appeared in the third film) and President Ronald Reagan, who used the movie's title as a catch phrase in his speeches and considered accepting a role in the third film as the 1885 mayor of Hill Valley.
Production of the film began on November 26, 1984 with actor Eric Stoltz portraying "Marty McFly", because Fox's schedule with Family Ties initially prevented Fox from accepting the role. After filming began, the filmmakers realized that Stoltz was not right for the part and they needed to try again to cast Fox. By that time, Fox's schedule allowed him to sign on. Shooting was completed on April 20, 1985.
A Universal Studios executive nearly retitled the film Space Man from Pluto, because he didn't think that anyone would care to see a movie about time travel. Zemeckis contacted Steven Spielberg for help, who wrote the executive a letter. Spielberg's letter thanked the executive for the joke and said that they all really had a good laugh about it, knowing that the executive would be too proud to admit that he was serious. The issue was then dropped and never brought up again.
See Also: List of movies - List of actors - List of directors - List of Hollywood movie studios
External links
- Official site advertising the trilogy on DVD. Movie scripts, short clips from the films.
- Fan website. Filming locations, plot timeline, fan fiction, discussion board.
- IMDb: Back to the Future