CHUCK, IT'S YOUR COUSIN MARVIN. MARVIN BERRY. YOU REMEMBER THAT NEW SOUND YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? WELL, LISTEN TO THIS: One of the most enjoyable, inventive films I've ever seen -- and one whose optimistic we-can-fix-it attitude is quintessentially American, even if it stars a Canadian -- Back to the Future was released in theaters twenty-five years ago today, July 3, 1985.
Related, from the archives: Miriam Paschal on the screenplay ("Marty is more an anti-hero than a real hero. Just like Dorothy, he travels to another time, or dimension, by accident, and his whole journey from there is just to get back home."); Steven Hyden on the power of "The Power of Love"; Chuck Klosterman on "Johnny B. Goode" and what it means to be "an oldie where I come from."
Trivia: John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum and Dudley Moore were all considered for the role of Doc Brown. (via IMDB)
ReplyDeleteI think he stole that guy's wallet.
ReplyDeleteIn 1985, I was a freshman in high school. Mom dropped me off at the mall that afternoon to hang out and see a movie. I got bored and watched the 7:15 show of "Back to the Future" instead of waiting for the later show. When I got out of the theater, I called my parents. Instead of picking me up, they joined me for the late show. I'll never forget the smile on my dad's face and his cackling. It became a private goal to hear him cackle again like that at a movie. (He had pretty much written off '80s comedies.) Two years later, "The Princess Bride" came out. Such a good sound...
ReplyDeleteOK Adam, I have to put you on the spot (in a friendly manner): what do you make of the movie's uncomfortable joke that Chuck Berry learned rock n' roll from Marty McFly, that it was really a white guy all along who invented the music? This has always bothered me a bit, even as comedy.
ReplyDeletePS: Day of the Dead (not very good, sadly, but plenty gory) was released on the same day as Back to the Future, I remember seeing them both on opening weekend.
But Marty himself learned it from Chuck Berry. I don't see the issue.
ReplyDeleteopening that same weekend: "The Emerald Forest" and "Day of the Dead." The following weekend was "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdme."
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know, the time travel loop explains everything...including this: http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/10/watch-this-if-marty-mcfly-couldnt-resist-his-mother-or-himsel/ (NSFW and maybe not even the home) Let us pursue this matter no further. Enjoy the holiday!
ReplyDeleteStill one of my favorite movies. My best friend and I watched this with her 11-year-old daughter last weekend. It was the first time the kid had seen it and impressive how the story holds up 25 years later.
ReplyDeleteBut did he? Marty never mentions Chuck Berry as the original artist, and, as we've seen, Marty's travel affected things. Isn't it entirely possible that in the original BTTF timeline, Chuck Berry never performed the song at all?
ReplyDeleteMy problem is solely in the paradox; if Marty learned it from Chuck, and Marvin passed on Marty's playing to Marvin, that's a paradox right there.
ReplyDelete@ Erin - ABC Famly showed all 3 movies a few weeks ago and I had my 7-year-old daughter watch the first one with me. It was really fun watching it with her. I hadn't seen it in ages and it does hold up well.
ReplyDeleteFor all we know, Chuck responded to Marvin, "Cousin, that's exactly what I'm working on."
ReplyDeleteFunny, just the other day we were debating whether our kids (almost 9 and 6) are ready for BTTF.
ReplyDeleteI remember sneaking into Day of the Dead (which was released unrated because of the juicy gore and thus was supposedly off limits to anyone under 18) with a good friend on opening weekend - although that was probably a few weeks later in July when it opened wide. Anyway, hard to believe that was 25 years ago. I'm freakin' old.
http://www.youtube.com/v/DZAaKH0FYO8&feature" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="170" height="140
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened, happened.
ReplyDeleteNO ONE will still be checking these comments, but Huey was just on TBS sitcom Hot in Cleveland and did a damn good job. Plus he looked amazing!
ReplyDelete