[WalterBlack]

Today is Back to The Future Day - October 21, 2015

Quote:

“Back to the Future" Day has finally arrived.

In "Back to the Future Part II," Marty McFly travels to October 21, 2015, to save his children, yet to be born in "Back to the Future's" 1985.

The plot gets tangled -- by fixing one thing, McFly and Doc Brown (and the villainous Biff Tannen) create a number of new messes -- but what remains is the film's vision of a year that was still more than a quarter-century away when the movie was shot and released in 1989. The entire trilogy is even being rereleased Wednesday, so you can see for yourself.

The film's record isn't bad, given that director Robert Zemeckis wasn't pleased with setting part of "Back to the Future II" in 2015.

"I always hated -- and I still don't like -- movies about the future," he says in a new book, "Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History." "I just think they're impossible, and somebody's always keeping score."

In the Internet age, Zemeckis has grounds for concern. Over the past few years, Photoshopped images of "Future's" DeLorean time machine have popped up on the Web, insisting that TODAY is "Back to the Future Day." And now that the day has actually arrived, there have been countless articles (like, frankly, this one) and videos about what the film and its screenwriter, Bob Gale, got right about 2015.

What did 'Back to the Future II' get right?

As with other movies dealing with the future, such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" (set in the early 2000s) or "Blade Runner" (set in 2019, which will be here before you know it), the predictions of "Back to the Future II" are hit or miss: big-screen TVs, yes, Mr. Fusion, no; virtual-reality goggles, yes, "Jaws 19," no.

The story behind the car that made time travel stylish

Coincidentally, perhaps the most important invention in the film is one behind the scenes: the VistaGlide motion-control system, a computer-operated camera operation that enabled Michael J. Fox to seamlessly share all those scenes with himself. The software was written by an Industrial Light & Magic developer, Bill Tondreau, specifically for the movie and was a milestone in moviemaking technology.

Still, it says something about the popularity of the trilogy that here we are, 26 years after the release of "Back to the Future II" (and 30 years after "Back to the Future"), and we care enough to "keep score." Even "Back to the Future" stars Fox and Christopher Lloyd discuss the topic in a new Toyota ad.

What do you guys think of this movie? It’s one of my favourites of all time.

[262]

Great movie trilogy. Despite them being about time travel, I think they ironically do a pretty good job of capturing the spirit of the America that I lived in during the mid to late 80s, at least as I remember it as a really young child - positive and hopeful.

[joost]

Special Message from Doc Brown:

[LeeEnfield303]

...and boy, is the reality disappointing.

[Sourcecode]

Considering, I'm in Korea.. I was technically in the future before you.

It's the 22nd here.

[RexImperator]

Great movie. I remember seeing it in the theater as a kid. One of the cool things about it was that it encouraged your parents to reminisce about the 1950's and share stories.

Interesting to see how some styles are back today: 1950's haircuts and 1980's sunglasses.

Had the soundtrack on tape. That and Sports were among the first albums I owned.

Hard to believe it's been 30 years.

[DrCotard]

Damn, I feel so old. I watched this movie (the two parts) for the first time 23 years ago recorded on two betamax tapes with TV comercials (I have those tapes today). By the way the movies were recorded on BIII speed by a maternal uncle. The time flies very fast.

I second RexImperator with his comment: "Hard to believe it's been 30 years."

[AnonymousBosch]

(10-21-2015 08:39 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

Great movie. I remember seeing it in the theater as a kid.

You want to feel really old? This is my second Back To The Future day. When I saw the first film (in August 1985), the events it depicted still hadn't happened yet (October 1985).

My sister was / is completely-obsessed with the damn film, and pointed it out to me when it came around 30 years ago.

[Paracelsus]

ONE POINT TWENTY ONE GIGAWATTSsorry. Don't know where that came from.

[teh_skeeze]

CUBBIES

BLOWN

THE

FUCK

OUT

Sorry, I'm a giddy Met fan. I had to.

[PapayaTapper]

(10-21-2015 08:18 PM)LeeEnfield303 Wrote:  

...and boy, is the reality disappointing.

Well in 1985 I hadn't yet blown a load down the throat of girls whose name I wouldn't remember after...so not everything is worse.

[NilNisiOptimum]

(10-21-2015 10:57 PM)teh_skeeze Wrote:  

CUBBIES

BLOWN

THE

FUCK

OUT

Sorry, I'm a giddy Met fan. I had to.

And now we all hate the Mets for ruining a great price of movie lore.

I always loved the idea of the future from BttF. I think it's mostly due to being at an impressionable age when the movies came out. Even to this day, there's something about "eighty eight miles per hour!" And "one point twenty one jigawatts?!" That makes me smile.

Also, anyone else ever own a pair of these?

[HighSpeed_LowDrag]

[The Black Knight]

I would dump a chick who says she doesn't like Back to the Future.

And by the way: SELF LACING NIKE SHOES ARE REAL NOW!!!!!!!!!!

There is a BTTF skit on the Oct 21st episode (same as the clip above) as well for those interested.

[RexImperator]

[Mercenary]