Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 film and is the second part of a trilogy, coming after Back to the Future and followed by Back to the Future Part III. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. The second and third parts of the trilogy were filmed at the same time and released six months apart.

Trivia

Replacement of Crispin Glover

Actor Crispin Glover was asked to portray the part of George McFly in this film, but he declined, saying he was not offered enough money for his part. During all new scenes with George McFly in both this film and Back to the Future III he is played by Jeffrey Weissman and seen wearing sunglasses, from the back, upside-down or in the background out of focus. This was to prevent audiences from realising that George McFly was a different actor. However, producers recycled various scenes from the original Back to the Future that included Crispin Glover's portrayal of George McFly. Glover sued Universal for compensation, on grounds that his contract for the first film did not allow subsequent uses of his portrayal of George McFly. Universal settled, and new Hollywood rules were written regarding the derivative use of actors' works.

Related Topics:
Crispin Glover - Back to the Future - Hollywood

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rumours and urban legends

During an interview, director Robert Zemeckis jokingly said that the hoverboards (flying skateboards) used in the movie were real. A surprising number of people thought he was telling the truth and demanded them at toy stores. After the release of Part III, Robert had the opportunity to explain in another interview that all of the flying scenes were accomplished using special effects.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During one scene, Marty watches a holographic sports news broadcast that states the outcome of the 2015 World Series, in which the Chicago Cubs have defeated a team from Miami. A significant number of people believe this scene correctly predicted the outcome of the 1997 and 2003 World Series, in which the Florida Marlins (based in Miami) were victors, and that this is especially remarkable because Miami did not have a baseball team the year this movie was made. This is obviously a case of selective memory; the movie deals with the year 2015 and not any other year, the Miami team lost the fictional World Series, and in the event that the Chicago Cubs did win a World Series, it would not come against the Marlins, as both teams are in the National League. It was also meant as a joke, since the Chicago Cubs had not won the World Series since 1908. It can also be noted that in 1989, Miami was the largest metropolitan area without a major league baseball team, so the notion that they would have one by 2015 was not at all far-fetched; indeed, the Marlins played their first game less than four years later. However, in the movie, a logo is shown of an alligator, which is likely a guess at Miami's team, given its proximity to the Everglades.

Related Topics:
Holographic - 2015 - World Series - Chicago Cubs - Miami - 1997 - 2003 - Florida Marlins - 1908 - Everglades

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Inconsistencies and explanations

There is one apparent flaw with the story, and that is the fact that if Biff stole the time machine from 2015, went back to 1955 and changed history, then he would have instantly changed the timeline and would have had to return the time machine to an alternate 2015, where he is corrupt and powerful, and not the real one where Marty and Doc were. The producers suggest that Marty and Doc were instantaneously put in the alternate time line, in much the same way Jennifer and Einstein were when they were left in the alternate 1985, but did not notice. Doc and Jennifer actually leave the 2015 McFly household before Biff returns so, any changes there would not have been observed. This does not explain, however, why the old Biff seems ill as he leaves the DeLorean. This is explained in the Special Edition DVD, in which deleted footage shows old Biff slump against a garbage bin and then begin to disappear, much as Marty did when his own existence was being erased in the first movie. The implication was that Biff had altered the past, and thus his own life. However, this scene was not included in the final cut of the movie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In addition, when "young" Jennifer sees "old" Jennifer, this should NOT be a surprise to "old" Jennifer. "Old" Jennifer should have the memory that someday she will run into her "young" self, and that while maybe a slight surprise, should not be enough to cause her to faint. Old Jennifer fainted because her other self (Young Jennifer) fainted. An explanation that meets the trilogy's established "rules" for time travel is, all in all, fairly simple; nothing happens until it happens. This "rule" is most often expressed through the use of photographs and newspaper headlines; when Marty and Doc prevent or incite events that change future history, the relevant documents change to reflect their success. When Old Jennifer and Young Jennifer meet, it is truly their first encounter with each other in both regards and neither one is subject to previous knowledge of the meeting because it hadn't happened yet.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~