Back to the Future

[Farerb]

But did you notice that the standard is not in 4K?

[Ben]

There is a standard 4K set, which is what I’ve ordered.

[ShyViolet]

https://youtu.be/4m922KzDZQc

So awesome!!!!!!!!!

(This is basically in “must-watch” territory.)

[Daniel]

A review on the 4K.

Steelbook and Target edition unboxing:



Steelbook is blah, the other is actually pretty nifty! I liked the hoverboard when it was first shown, now seeing it in action I think I love it! So cool. I'm always a sucker for toys.

[Daniel]

"Save the Clocktower!" RIP Elsa Raven.

[ShyViolet]

OK, here’s another very random/weird argument, which may sound crazy at first: after watching Part 2 many many times, I definitely think there’s a theme woven into the film’s text which really hasn’t been explored: An unconscious part of Marty Mcfly actually wishes that Biff had been his father instead of George (and vice versa). Hear me out!

One aspect of the plot that suggests this is, believe it or not, the auto detailing matchboxes that “nice but resentful” 1985 Biff specifically wanted to show to Marty at the start of part 2. Why would Biff, who’s already bitter towards the Mcfly family in general, be so intent on showing one of their kids a trinket from his new business (which unfortunately lacks the prestige of George’s superstar author career)? It’s also quite significant how, after alternate-1985 criminal Biff sits Marty down to tell him how he obtained the Sports Almanac, Marty silently reaches for one of the “Biff’s” hotel matchboxes and stuffs it in his pocket. It’s never explained WHY Marty does this.

And yet, when one examines the less desirable aspects of Marty’s character (contrasting with his immense likability)—his buying the book in the first place, his constant motivation to be rich and not much else, his future self spoiling his son—it’s actually not unreasonable to surmise that Marty is quite impressed with Biff’s riches (and Biff’s “macho” personality from 1955) and thus takes the hotel matchbox as a “souvenir.” Strange, but if you look at Marty’s personality as a whole, not exactly out of the realm of possibility. When Marty finally burns the Almanac, he hesitates a few moments, (after all, Biff “stole his idea”), but then does as he’s told by the Doc. Then he takes out the hotel matchbox and watches as the last remaining memento of Alternate 1985 fades away and becomes Biff’s original auto detailing matchbox from the start of the film, thus bringing everything full circle.


BTTF 2 Marty’s embarrassment over 1955 George (at least before George punches Biff) isn’t that hard to prove. When Marty finds out George is dead he’s not only filled with grief and horror but also with guilt, because a part of him is STILL ashamed of his dad’s original wimp personality from 1955 and wishes he had a tougher father. Two scenes in part 2 support this: Marty’s embarrassed gaze of seeing his dad dancing alone in the Under the Sea dance right before George’s confrontation with Biff, and then seeing George and Lorraine once more kissing on the dance floor. Marty nods but doesn’t look overjoyed.

Biff’s feeling for Marty as a potential son (or stepson as in alternate-1985) is not only supported by part 2’s opening, but by Criminal Biff’s behavior. Even though we never actually see alternate Marty, we learn that he’s been thrown out of boarding schools because of his temper and frequently asks criminal Biff for cash. But criminal Biff does NOT kill “our” Marty as soon as he finds out that Marty knows about the book. He sits him down and tells him the whole story. Why? Does a part of Biff possibly consider Marty a son of sorts, as “stepson Marty” actually seems to share characteristics with criminal Biff? Is criminal Biff actually disappointed that his stepson turned out to be the kid with “the wild-eyed scientist” he’d known about for years? After all, he does say: “Funny…I never thought it would be you.”

[Ben]

"It's plot exposition, it has to go somewhere!"


Biff wants to show Marty the matchbox at the start so that they can set something up to be paid off later on. Marty takes the matchbox toward the end so that it can change when he and Doc set the timeline right at the end, just as the newspapers change. It’s visual shorthand storytelling, nothing more, nothing less.

They could have done the same newspaper trick with Biff, going from something like "local hero Biff Tannen sets new casino plans" to "local auto detailing salesman Biff Tannen has new matchbox promos", but then that kind of thing wouldn’t make a front page headline, right? Don’t forget that BTTF PII was retconned onto the end of BTTF. They also had to get something into that prologue that could be set up and paid off in 1985.

Marty remains proud of his Dad. Marty's "gaze" at the dance is acknowledgment that his Dad *is* a wimp, but that he knows "things are gonna change". The later nod is affirmation that things are back as they should be, but Marty's only just gone through this the first time just a couple of days before, so it's not "new" to him.

[ShyViolet]

Yeah, I gotcha. Maybe I read a little too deeply into the film. Still…you never know!

[EricJ]

"It's plot exposition, it has to go somewhere!"

First Cruella, and then BttF...We need to keep a running Ben-quotes-TGMC count by the end of the year.

[Ben]

I didn’t say it was a *good* suggestion!

[EricJ]

[checks to see what color his hands are now]

[Ben]

The consequences could be disastrous!!!

[ShyViolet]

Wow that’s great! Thanks Ben!

[EricJ]

OK, here’s another very random/weird argument, which may sound crazy at first: after watching Part 2 many many times, I definitely think there’s a theme woven into the film’s text which really hasn’t been explored: An unconscious part of Marty Mcfly actually wishes that Biff had been his father instead of George (and vice versa).

In the Netflix "The Movies That Made Us" documentary, they cover the director's disappointment with originally-cast Eric Stoltz taking the story way too seriously, and not picking up on the "comedy" vibe as much as experienced sitcom star Michael J. Fox.

Reportedly, as the cast was going through the first script read, and got to the ending of new alternate-universe George McFly being a confident successful author, Stoltz reacted "But, that's like a tragedy! Now Marty's trapped in this new world he can never escape, and he has to keep up this new pretense, knowing everything he grew up with until now is nothing but a lie! "
General "Umm..."'s across the table all around.

[Ben]

I know why, but it’s amazing it took six weeks of shooting before they were able to address that.