040 - Back To The Future (1985)

DVD Box

Back To The Future tells the story of Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc. Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Doc has spent the last 30 years of his life devising a time machine based on the now famous flux capacitor (allegedly thought up during a Eureka moment in the bath). Having demonstrated his Delorian-based machine to Marty by using his dog, Doc is shot by Libyans who he'd previously stolen plutonium from. Marty makes a run for it in the Delorian and, having reached the famous 88mph, ends up 30 years in the past. With no fuel to return to the future.

He hunts out Doc's past self in order to help him devise a plan to return Back To The Future.

Theatrical Poster

By now, Back To The Future is a cult classic. In fact, nowadays it's difficult to imagine that the 1980's even existed without the complete Back To The Future trilogy.

Boasting a large number of hits from both the 1980's and the 1950's, the appeal for the film was evident right away. Opening with The Power Of Love, the film stretches from the lazy Ballad Of Davy Crocket to the bouncy Johnny B. Goode which are all famous songs from their respecitve eras.

The casting was genius - the irreplaceable Christopher Lloyd's face of Doc is one of the most memorable in Hollywood, while Michael J. Fox does a stirling job to keep the lead role as Marty McFly when he could so easily have been overshadowed by his colleague.

Of course there are parts of the film that are unrealistic, and these are just airbrushed over in comedy that makes the film all the more amusing. If it took itself too seriously then it just wouldn't work. Luckily, director Robert Zemeckis' ability to know when to stop laughing at yourself and when to start telling a story helps to keep the story on track at all times.

A definite must-see.

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