Things You Probably Did Not Know About Back To The Future

Back To The Future was not just a time travel movie. Even though many of the technological dreams it showed us in those years have still not fully come true, the film became one of the most unforgettable parts of our childhood. The DeLorean, Marty McFly, Doctor Brown, the clock tower, and the time portal opening at 88 miles per hour have all been carved into popular culture. But the film also opened the door to many fascinating paradoxes, making viewers question time, fate, cause and effect, and whether changing even one small moment in the past could reshape an entire future.  ( The Time Paradoxes And Theories We Saw In Back To The Future >> ) 

 

But behind the film, there are details that are at least as interesting as the movie itself. From casting changes to scenes that stayed in the film because of accidents during shooting, from Kubrick references to deleted scenes, Back To The Future contains many details you probably have not heard before.

Marty McFly Was Not Originally Played By Michael J. Fox

Today, when people think of Marty McFly, they immediately think of Michael J. Fox. But the role was first given to Eric Stoltz. In fact, around two weeks of filming were done with Eric Stoltz as Marty. However, when it was decided that Stoltz could not give the character the youthful energy and lightness needed for the role, Michael J. Fox took over.

The interesting part is that Eric Stoltz was not completely erased from the film. In the scene where the Libyans shoot at Marty and Marty jumps into the car, the person seen jumping is said to be Eric Stoltz. So even though he lost the role of Marty McFly, Stoltz still left a small trace in the movie.

There is another small coincidence about Eric Stoltz. Stoltz, who was first considered suitable for the role of Marty McFly, later played a character named Martin in the film The Fly.

The Time Machine Was Not Originally A DeLorean

Today, one of the first things that comes to mind when Back To The Future is mentioned is the DeLorean. But the idea of the time machine went through many changes during the script process. One of the first ideas was that the time machine would be a laser device placed inside a room.

Later, this idea turned into a laser device connected to a refrigerator. In that version, the refrigerator time machine was supposed to be taken to an atomic bomb test. In the next stage, the time machine became a DeLorean. But even in that version, there was still an idea that Marty would drive the DeLorean into an atomic bomb test to be sent to the future. 

The reason the refrigerator idea was abandoned was quite interesting. In an interview, Robert Zemeckis said that he and Steven Spielberg were worried children might try to climb into refrigerators after watching the film. Because of this, the idea of making the time machine a refrigerator was dropped.

 You can read them also :  ( Delorean: Why Did Back to the Future’s Legendary Car Fail In The Market >> ) and ( The Story Of The DeLorean DMC-12, The Dream Car Of Back To The Future >> )

The DeLorean Details Are More Interesting Than You Think

The DeLorean time machine in the film was registered and licensed in the state of California. In the movie, the license plate is seen as OUTATIME, but the car’s real license plate was 3CZV657.

For the DeLorean to travel through time, it had to reach 88 miles per hour. This number is also thought to have a symbolic side. Because when the number 8 is turned sideways, it resembles the infinity symbol. This creates a nice visual connection with the idea of time travel.

Another detail is the DeLorean’s stalling problem. This situation can be interpreted as the result of another DeLorean traveling through time at the same moment. The first stalling moment happens when Doctor Brown is outside town and surrounded by lightning. This takes place near the end of the second film, just before Marty receives the letter. Similarly, in 1985, while Marty is trying to save Doctor Brown, Einstein travels one minute forward in time at Twin Pines Mall.

Mr. Fusion Was Actually Made From A Coffee Grinder

The Mr. Fusion Home Energy Converter that Doctor Brown attaches to the car after returning from the future looks like futuristic technology in the film. But in reality, this part was made from a Krups coffee grinder.

This is actually one of the best things about Back To The Future. Even while showing the future, the film uses very simple everyday objects in creative ways. Taking a coffee grinder and turning it into the energy converter of a time machine shows the practical effects intelligence of the film very well.

Marty Hitting His Head On The Car Door Was Not In The Script

The moment where Marty hits his head on the car door was not actually written in the script. It happened during filming because of a problem with the door mechanism. But because the scene looked natural and funny, they used it in the film.

One of the reasons Back To The Future works so well is that these kinds of small accidents were absorbed into the movie. Some moments may not have been planned, but if they fit the character and the rhythm of the scene, they stayed in the film.

Hill Valley High And Twin Pines Mall Were Based On Real Locations

Hill Valley High in the film was actually Whittier High School, located in Whittier, California. This school is just outside Los Angeles.

The place where Doctor Brown meets Marty for the time machine experiment was called Twin Pines Mall in the film. In real life, this location was Puente Hills Mall in California.

The transformation of Twin Pines Mall inside the story is also a very clever detail. Doctor Brown says that old farmer Peabody once owned the whole area and grew pine trees there. When Marty goes back in time, he knocks down one of those pine trees. At the end of the film, when he returns to the same place, the mall’s name has changed to Lone Pine Mall. In other words, one small action Marty takes in the past even changes the name on a sign in the future.

The Main Street Was Also Used In Gremlins

The main street in Back To The Future was also used in another cult film. This street is the same set seen in Gremlins.

This kind of shared set use is common in Hollywood, but noticing the same location in a film as memorable as Back To The Future is especially fun. The small-town feeling of Hill Valley is one of the things that strengthens the nostalgic side of the movie.

There Are Stanley Kubrick References In The Film

The device Marty plugs his guitar into in Doctor Brown’s laboratory is called CRM 114. This name may look random, but it is actually a reference.

CRM 114 is the name of the message decoder in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. It is also connected to the serial number of the Jupiter spacecraft in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Both of these films were directed by Stanley Kubrick. So Back To The Future is not just a fun science fiction adventure. It also contains small nods to cinema history.

The Time Travel Dates Are Connected To Other Films

The date Marty travels through time, November 5, is also connected to other time travel films. This is the same date used for time travel in Time After Time.

Likewise, the date November 5, when Marty travels through time, is also used in Timerider: The Adventures of Lyle Swann.

It is also interesting that whenever time travel happens in the film, the characters arrive at the same time of day in the destination period. This may have been an automatic storytelling choice. But it also removes the time lag problem that could appear when traveling from night to day.

The News Anchor In The Opening Was A Familiar Name

The news anchor seen on the television at the beginning of the film was Deborah Harmon. Deborah Harmon had also appeared in Robert Zemeckis’s film Used Cars.

This can be seen as a small connection to the director’s own filmography. Back To The Future contains many small actor and reference details like this.

Even The RQ Magazine In Marty’s Room Was Not Random

The RQ magazine briefly seen near Marty’s bed is actually Reference Quarterly. This magazine was aimed specifically at professional librarians.

These kinds of details appear in the film only for a very short moment, but they show how full the set design was. Even if most viewers do not notice them, they add to the feeling of realism in the scene.

There Are Deleted Scenes Too

There are also some scenes that were removed from the film. One of them was the part where Lorraine says that in the future, she will allow her children to do whatever they want when they grow up. This scene did not appear in the final film.

In another deleted scene, Marty looks into a classroom and sees his mother cheating. That scene was also removed from the movie.

Another change was made to the scene where Marty asks whether he and Jennifer will become “assholes” in the future. This scene was reshot for television broadcasts.

Einstein’s Return Time And The 1.21 Gigawatt Detail

Doctor Brown’s dog Einstein returns from his short time travel trip at 1:21. The energy needed for the DeLorean to travel through time is also given as 1.21 gigawatts.

This small clock detail shows how playful the film is within its own structure. Back To The Future may look like a simple adventure film, but it is full of these kinds of small repetitions and numerical references.

Who Was Driving The Jeep At The Beginning Of The Film?

The person driving the jeep at the beginning of the film was Kevin Pike. Kevin Pike was the film’s special effects supervisor.

This is another example of people behind the camera sometimes appearing in small roles or brief moments within the film.

The Clock Tower Is Familiar From Another Time Travel Film

The clock tower in 1955 is also the same tower used in The Time Machine, the 1960 film based on the story by H. G. Wells. Robert Zemeckis also pays another tribute to the 1960 film The Time Machine. The director used a similar opening to that film at the beginning of Back To The Future.

One Of The Titles Considered For The Film Was The Atomic Kid

One of the titles considered for Back To The Future was The Atomic Kid. This title was not used, but it appears as a small reference in the third film.

In the third film, before Marty goes to the Old West, he wears a shirt with atomic energy images on it. This can be seen as a small reference both to the atomic bomb ideas from the first film and to the title The Atomic Kid.

The Scientists On Doctor Brown’s Office Wall Were Not Chosen Randomly

In Doctor Brown’s office in the 1950s, there are four photographs or drawings on the wall. These figures are Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein.

Isaac Newton is considered one of the first true scientists. Benjamin Franklin is known for his experiments with electricity during storms. Thomas Edison is associated with modern electrical technologies. Albert Einstein is the creator of the theory of relativity.

These four names were not chosen randomly. Modern physics, electric current, power generation, and time travel are the core points of the Back To The Future story.

The 1955 Oscar Detail

In 1955, the Academy Award for Best Picture was won by a film called Marty. This detail may not be entirely coincidental. The fact that the main character in Back To The Future is named Marty makes this small connection with the year 1955 even more fun.

The Actor Who Played George McFly Was Younger Than Michael J. Fox

Crispin Glover, who played Marty’s father George McFly, was three years younger than Michael J. Fox.

This is especially interesting because in the film, Crispin Glover plays Marty’s father. So the actor we see as the father on screen was actually younger in real life than Michael J. Fox, who played his son.

Lou’s Diner Became Lou’s Aerobic Center Over Time

The diner in 1955 was called Lou’s Diner. By 1985, the same place appears as Lou’s Aerobic Center. This shows that the film explains the passage of time not only through characters, but also through locations. Hill Valley is the same place, but as the years pass, social habits and the functions of places change.

Disney Rejected The Film

When Robert Zemeckis was trying to sell the film, one of the companies he met with was Disney. But Disney rejected the movie. The reason was that the story could be perceived as being about a mother falling in love with her own son. Disney found this idea too risky for the company’s image. Looking back today, this decision seems interesting. Because Back To The Future later became one of the most loved films in cinema history.

The Name Emmett Comes From The Word Time

Doctor Brown’s first name, Emmett, is associated with the word “time” being read as reversed syllables. In other words, the pronunciation em-it connects to “time” as a small wordplay. These kinds of details strengthen the character’s connection with the concept of time. Doctor Brown is not only the person who builds the time machine. Even his name is connected to the idea of time.

The Three Gunshots Detail In The Libyan Scenes

When the Libyans chase Marty and Doctor Brown, Doctor Brown takes his gun and fires three times. But the gun is empty. A similar detail appears in the third film as well. When Marty goes to 1885, Doctor Brown fires three times again. These repetitions show the rhythm that the Back To The Future trilogy builds within itself. The same actions return in different time periods.

Conclusion: Back To The Future Is A Film That Lives Through Details

The reason Back To The Future is loved so much is not just the idea of time travel. The film builds a world that lives through small details. The transformation of Twin Pines Mall into Lone Pine Mall, the 1.21 gigawatt and 1:21 clock detail, the connection between 88 miles per hour and the infinity symbol, Kubrick references, deleted scenes, real locations, and casting changes all make the film even more interesting.

If Back To The Future is still being talked about today, the reason is not nostalgia alone. The film is a popular culture machine built so carefully that you can catch a new detail every time you watch it again.