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Back to the Future (1985) The first 30 minutes or there abouts.

19/8/2012

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Back to the Future (1985) The first 30 minutes or there abouts.
Adventure/Comedy/Sci-Fi

One of my favorite movies. All three of them are good, but this one is definitely the best.

At 30 seconds into the movie when the Back to the Future title comes over the black screen, we get the sound of a ticking clock in the background. Very appropriate as this movie is about time travel.

Again, great opening scene with all the clocks. This movie is about time.

At 1 minute 54 seconds, a bit of foreshadowing with the news anchor woman talking about the missing plutonium. Setting this up for later.
At 2 minutes in to the movie, we get to see all the crazy inventions that work around the clocks. The toaster, the dog food opener and dispenser. The person who lives here is really into inventing stuff!

And the dog's called Einstein. Haha.

At 2 minutes or so, we're introduced to Marty McFly (Michael J Fox), probably one of my favorite characters he's played in a movie.
At 3 minutes 10 seconds, Marty back kicks his skateboard and it ends up hitting the Plutonium hidden under the table. Now we know who took the plutonium. But why?
At 4 minutes 10 seconds Marty doesn't have much success playing his electric guitar.

At 4 minutes 30 seconds the phone rings. Doc tells him to meet up at the mall. He also finds out that he's late for school.

Marty arrives at school at around 6 minutes 30 seconds.

He meets his love interest, Jennifer Parker (Claudia Wells) who tells him that Mr. Strickland is looking for him.

Marty and Jennifer bump into Strickland, bit of conflict here. Strickland tells Marty that no McFly has ever amounted to anything. Tells him he's just like his father George McFly.

Marty auditions with his band at around 7 minutes 40 seconds. I'm pretty sure that's Huey Lewis playing the judge. Things don't go well. This is probably the only scene that's a bit odd. Because you never hear any more about the band.

The judges aren't impressed and Marty gets kicked off the stage. Maybe Mr. Strickland is right?

A little bit of foreshadowing with the posters of Mayor Goldie Wilson on the van at around 8 minutes 35 seconds.

Nice set up with the four by four and the lady handing out the leaflets about the clock being struck by lightning at around 10 minutes. Great set up here. Marty's just about to kiss Jennifer and the woman shoves the collection tin in their faces.
'Save the clock tower.'

She gives Marty a flier. Another important set up that will come into play later on.

Marty arrives home at around 11 minutes 30 seconds to some bad news. The car's been totalled.

We're introduced to George McFly and Biff Tannen.

BIFF TANNEN
What are you looking at, butthead?

Great introduction to the whole family at around 14 minutes. Lea Thompson as Lorraine Baines or is it Lorraine McFly?

Nice line from the Mom about girls chasing boys. A bit of foreshadowing here. Of course, she never did this.

LORRAINE MCFLY
'When I was your age I never chased a
boy or called a boy or sat in a parked car
with a boy.'

I hope I've quoted that correctly.

Good bit of foreshadowing again when the mom says that if grandpa hadn't hit George wih the car, none of them would've been born. Which is exactly what happens.

Another set up at around 16 minutes 10 seconds when she talks about the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance and explains that's where they kissed for the first time.

Doc Brown rings Marty at around 17 minutes and reminds him about the Mall.

The Delorean time machine is introduced at around 18 minutes. Not bad if you can get one. We finally get to meet Doc Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd). With his crazy hair.

All the dialogue in this movie is spot on and this line at around 20 minutes 10 seconds is about as good as it gets.

DR. EMMETT BROWN
If my calculations are correct, when
this baby hits 88 miles per hour... you're
gonna see some serious shit.

Marty's not convinced as he starts walking away from Doc and Doc gives him the evil eye.

MART MCFLY
Ah, Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ, Doc, you disintegrated Einstein!

We see the Delorean in action at around 21 minutes.

Doc gives Marty a very important piece of information about the date when he came up with the idea for the Flux Capicator at around 24 minutes. This will be important when he travels back in time to NOV O5 1955.

At around 25 minutes 15 seconds, important information about the plutonium.

Marty McFly
Are you telling me that this sucker is nuclear?

Just gone 27 minutes the Libyans turn up.

The action kicks in at around 29 minutes when the Libyans chase after Marty in the Delorean.

At 30 minutes 10 seconds, Marty heads back to the past. 1955.

And that's where I'll leave it. Lots of set ups and foreshadowing in those first 30 minutes.

One of the best movies in this genre. The best of the three in my opinion. The sequels are good, but not as good as this one. The only time travel film I can say I honestly like. Doesn't take itself too seriously.

Great cast.
Great soundtrack.
Great screenplay.

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

10/10

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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RUSSELL'S FEATURE SPECS
    • THE STATUE IN THE PARK
    • SANTA'S WISH LIST
    • THE MAGIC CANVAS
  • CONTACT
    • EXTRA