Back to the Future

:This article is about the first Back to the Future movie. For information about the trilogy in general, see Back to the Future trilogy.

Popularity

The series was very popular in the 1980s, even making fans out of celebrities like ZZ Top (who appeared in the third film) and President Ronald Reagan, who referred to the movie in his 1986 State of the Union address when he said, "Never has there been a more exciting time to be alive, a time of rousing wonder and heroic achievement. As they said in the film Back to the Future, 'Where we're going, we don't need roads.'" He also considered accepting a role in the third film as the 1885 mayor of Hill Valley but eventually declined. The hip, upbeat soundtrack, featuring two new songs by Huey Lewis and the News, contributed to the film's popularity. Lewis' "The Power of Love" became the band's first song to hit Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Related Topics:
1980s - ZZ Top - President - Ronald Reagan - 1986 - State of the Union - 1885 - Hill Valley - Huey Lewis and the News - Billboard Hot 100 - Academy Award

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Sequels were not planned; the "To Be Continued..." caption, according to Zemeckis, was not added until the film was released to video at which time plans for a sequel (eventually two sequels) had been announced. Unfortunately, the sequels did not fare quite as well at the box office. While the first installment grossed $218 million (making it the biggest-earning movie of 1985), Parts II (fall of 1989) and III (summer of 1990) made roughly $125 million and $90 million, respectively (still making the movies hits, but not major hits). The makers assume that people were put off by Part II and hence III as well because they had not expected for II to continue for yet another episode. Thus the Part II cliffhanger came about, and people did not want to buy a ticket to see a movie without an ending. This is blamed for the (somewhat) disappointing box office. While the producers wanted to market Parts II and III together as a trilogy, Universal Studios preferred it the other way round.

Related Topics:
1989 - 1990 - Universal Studios

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As producers were scouting locations on a residential street in Pasadena, Michael J. Fox was elsewhere on that street, filming what was to have been his first starring feature role, Teen Wolf. Production of the film began on November 26, 1984 with actor Eric Stoltz portraying "Marty McFly", because Fox's schedule with Family Ties initially prevented Fox from accepting the role. After filming began, the filmmakers realized that Stoltz was not right for the part. It is believed that they had, at that point, filmed about one third of the completed movie. By that time, Fox's schedule allowed him to sign on. Shooting was completed on April 20, 1985, less than three months before its release.

Related Topics:
Teen Wolf - November 26 - 1984 - Eric Stoltz - Family Ties - April 20 - 1985

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