Perhaps never before or since has there been a movie like Back to the Future, a slapstick comedy that combined enormous box office success with extremely high quality. Today, the film is dated only by its Huey Lewis soundtrack and the choice of a De Lorean as a time machine. Except for a needless scene in which a patently dubbed Michael J. Fox pretends he's both Chuck Berry and Jimi Hendrix, there's little to criticize, and much to admire.

It is impossible to make a time travel plot that stands up to analysis, unless the travelers are merely observers, like Scrooge from Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". For example, Marty pushes his father out of the path of an oncoming car, keeping his future parents from meeting. Since this changes his own existence in the future, Marty should immediately vanish. But he doesn't, and if he did, then he could never go back in time to prevent his parents from meeting. In which case, Marty would again exist.

Fortunately, there is little correlation between great cinema and the credibility of science fiction plot explanations. It would take incredible luck for Marty to coax the DeLorean past 88 miles an hour at the exact moment that it is struck by lightning. But Back to the Future is a comedy, and the mind-binding convolutions of past and present are all for fun. They're just a big wink to the audience.

The surprise is how cleverly the plot and script ties the past and present events together. Watching the film for a second or third time only adds to the pleasure, because references become clear that during a first viewing only seemed like idle dialogue.

The busy-body lady rudely interrupts Marty's embrace of Jennifer for a donation to the clock tower, followed by the unwelcome arrival of Jennifer's father. At first glance, the scene is only a typical sex comedy variation of 'red light, green light'. But the clock tower lady's flyer gives information that later proves crucial for Marty to return to the present. He only keeps the flyer because Jennifer has written a personal message on it, which she only does because her father compels their separation. The necessary plot device has been placed seamlessly into the film.

As good as the script and story is, what raises the film to greatness is the casting and direction. Biff Tannen (Thomas J. Wilson) seems to be the amalgamation of every high school bully that ever existed, and yet he's as funny as he is threatening. Crispin Glover is hilarious as George McFly, the slide rule geek whose awkwardness and cowardice drives Marty to disbelief and desperation. Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) soberly observes, "Maybe you were adopted."

Lloyd would play an even more bizarre character in a subsequent Spielberg-Zemeckis film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Lloyd rose to fame as an eccentric, befuddled cab driver on the sitcom "Taxi". It was as natural for him to play the bulging-eyed, wild-haired 'mad' scientist Emmett Brown, as it was for fellow sitcom star Michael J. Fox to apply his boy-next-door charm as Marty McFly. It seems inconceivable that Eric Stoltz once had the role instead, and in fact much of the footage had to be scrapped when executive producer Steven Spielberg pulled him. Stoltz (then of Mask fame) was too sensitive a presence for a screwball comedy.

But give Robert Zemeckis his due as well. Spielberg's most successful protege, Zemeckis directs his cast superlatively. Notice how Mr. Strickland (James Tolkan) is removed from a scene to ineffectually intimidate the pilot of an errant paper airplane. Exit stage right could hardly be done with more subtle humor or finesse.

Much of the fun is comparing the 1950s and the 1980s, as presented by the film. The 1955 era seems more colorful and vibrant than its bland, more capitalistic successor. It is more innocent as well: the main street theater shows a Ronald Reagan film instead of a porn flick, the town's state of decay is represented by the frozen clock tower.

But some things never change: Emmett Brown is still a lunatic, Strickland is still the high school's much-feared beat cop, Biff Tannen is still the lout tormenting the existence of George McFly. The big change from present to past is with Marty's mother Lorraine (Lea Thompson), transformed from an alcoholic champion of virginity into the most desirable beauty in town. Perhaps it was an encounter with Biff that changed her, which Biff refers to when he says, "Tell your mother I said Hi".

Spielberg's genius was further established when Back to the Future proved to be the biggest grossing film of the year, at more than two hundred million dollars. The success led to two lesser sequels, although Back to the Future, Part 3 is also very good.

The Academy Awards snubbed the blockbuster comedy, giving it nominations only for Best Song and the technical categories of Best Sound and Best Sound Effects. The Academy's praise instead fell upon Out of Africa, a David Lean-like historical epic whose exotic locale and rich cinematography stirred Academy voters. The British Academy Awards were less condescending, giving Back to the Future prestige nominations for Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Editing in addition to the requisite nod for special effects. (90/100)

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8