Classic Movie Flashback 'Back to the Future' 1985 with Michael J. Fox

BACK TO THE FUTURE distributed by UNIVERSAL pictures (1985). Director Robert Zemeckis had gotten this sci-fi film after the success of his "Romancing the Stone" with Michael Douglas (1984). The production budget for "Future" climbed to $19 million and grossed $388 million worldwide. It was the biggest hit movie of that year.

Michael J. Fox was a current TV star with the show, "Family Ties" (NBC 1982-89). Zemeckis wanted Fox but he was filming a special "Ties" episode. Eric Stolz was hired and then later replaced by Fox.

The story is simple. Marty McFly (Fox) is sent back to 1955 in a time machine (Delorean car). He meets his teen parents and his fate is compromised. His parents lose the opportunity to meet and later marry. Marty hatches a plan to get them together. Then, he has to find a way back to the future 1985.

For some strange reason. I missed this in movie theaters. My brother kept raging about it. I waited for the film to reach VHS home video rentals. It had the nostalgia factor in spades. It was fun going back to 1955 and meeting your parents as teens.

"Future" spawned two sequels also focusing on a time machine. They weren't as successful as the original but made some money. The film won an Oscar as Best Sound Effects Editing (Charles L. Campbell and Robert Rutledge). It received three other Oscar nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Original Song.

Below. Back in 1985. There was no Internet. If you wanted to see a movie. You called your local theater or searched for showtimes in newspaper ads. Those were the days.

A Philadelphia newspaper.

Below. Movie studios don't do this anymore. Theater Lobby Cards to entice moviegoers into the theaters. Haha... They had black and white cards in 1985.

A scene from "Future" where Marty McFly meets his teen parents.