Context: I saw the first instalment a few months back, and the second last week (and posted about it on here). I did not grow up with these movies, so there's no nostalgia tied to them for me.
Part III had a much slower pace than II, which made the movie a lot more enjoyable (my main gripe with II was that too much was crammed in). Honestly I was not looking forward to III that much because of the Western setting, but it far exceeded my expectations. It surprisingly didn't lean too heavily on Marty being completely out of place and went back to the friendship between him and Doc, which was also an improvement on II. I'm also glad Seamus didn't get much screen time...I'm pretty sick of Michael J. Fox playing all his relatives!
The main bit that stood out for me was the ending. Doc and Clara trying to get back on the train was actually a bit nerve-wracking - I thought she was going to fall in the ravine, because of how it had been talked about earlier in the movie, but then as they reached the end of the track, I figured they'd leap onto the train at the last minute. It was such a brilliant, bittersweet moment when they both let go of the train in each others arms, with Marty thinking that he would never see Doc again but knowing that he was happy. And then of course, Doc briefly stopped by in 1985, and said:
> Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.
Dude, what an awesome quote! And what a brilliant way for Doc to say goodbye to Marty; the quirky mentor has now taught the kid everything he needs to know. While neither of the two sequels were a patch on the original (1>3>2, for sure), Back To The Future is an amazing trilogy, and that unexpectedly poignant moment was the perfect way to finish it all off.
Now, if you guys could do me a favour...please recommend more classic movies like this!! I'm looking for some to add to my 2018 bucket list :)
This is really short, but in the beginning, Marty travelled back in time two days before Doc was supposed to be shot by Biff's ancestor "Mad Dog" Tannen. But I can't help but wonder this: it's that why not go back in time the day that Doc arrived! Literally, he never would've found Clara and got attached to this land, and then Marty would've been like "Hey Doc, your going to be shot in seven months, so come in here, will ya?" Why didn't he do that? So that it would create suspense in the whole plot! Due!
One deleted scene have been masterfully reintegrated into the movie adding one more minute of footage. (kind of contradicts the title doesn't it?)
CUTLIST:
- Regraded film to reduce red tint overall
- Cropped 2 shots where a crewperson and a lighting rig were in frame (32:37 and 1:24:04)
- Added deleted scene of Mad Dog killing Marshall Strickland
BONUS FEATURES (included in Google Drive)
Alternate Audio Tracks
- 1993 NBC TV Safe Dub
- Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Writer Bob Gale
- Scene-by-Scene Commentary with Writer Bob Gale and Producer Neil Canton
Extra Bits
- Commentary on Deleted Scene with Bob Gale
- Alternate Takes and Deleted Trailer Shots
- TV Safe Dub vs Theatrical Cut Comparison
I've found my ranking of the Back to the Future trilogy has shifted over time.
As a kid, my ranking was 2 > 1 > 3 (with 3 far, far behind). I enjoyed BTTF2 the most (because holographic sharks and hover boards). I disliked Clara and the western theme of BTTF3. BTTF 1 was just a solid movie and filled with many jokes that preteen me didn't get.
Now as an adult, my ranking is 1 > 3 > 2. BTTF1 has great flow, callbacks and neatly highlights 50s and 80s culture. BTTF3 does a nice job converting the tropes of the other movies into the 1880s and shifts focus from Marty to Doc for a nice change of pace. The alternate 1908s in BTTF2 feels way longer than I remembered. Although the alternate 2015 has the kitschiness of movies like Demolition Man now.
Rewatching BTTF3 just now, I realize I'd never noticed how awesome Tom Wilson is going from Biff to Buford. His shift to western outlaw conceals his Biffness and as a kid I don't think I ever realized it was the same actor (particularly the saloon scene with "...'specially not some duded-up, egg-suckin' gutter trash."). It's a bit weird having Lea Thompson as Maggie McFly, but every 80s movie would benefit from more Lea Thompson.
Not only is it the best Back to the Future movie, it's the best western movie.
I had this argument a short while ago with a friend of mine, he said it was The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly but I can't agree.
Back to the Future Part III bases itself on all it's spaghetti western predecessors, which makes it the best, because it has everything and nails every western trope to a tee.
Because of this it also makes it the best in the series, all of the previous movies to this one lead to this fantastical cowboy adventure, so completely different from parts I and II, but still the same.
