Jump to content

Back to the Future Part III

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the film. For the video game, seeBack to the Future Part III(video game).

Back to the Future Part III
Theatrical release poster byDrew Struzan
Directed byRobert Zemeckis
Screenplay byBob Gale
Story by
  • Robert Zemeckis
  • Bob Gale
Based on
Characters
by
  • Robert Zemeckis
  • Bob Gale
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDean Cundey
Edited by
Music byAlan Silvestri
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures[1]
Release date
  • May 25, 1990(1990-05-25)
Running time
118 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40 million[3]
Box office$245.1 million[3]

Back to the Future Part IIIis a 1990 Americanscience fictionWestern filmand the third installment of theBack to the Futuretrilogy.The film was directed byRobert Zemeckis,and starsMichael J. Fox,Christopher Lloyd,Mary Steenburgen,Thomas F. Wilson,andLea Thompson.The film continues immediately followingBack to the Future Part II(1989); while stranded in 1955 during his time travel adventures,Marty McFly(Fox) discovers that his friendDr. Emmett "Doc" Brown(Lloyd), trapped in 1885, was killed byBuford "Mad Dog" Tannen(Wilson),Biff's great-grandfather. Marty travels to 1885 to rescue Doc and return once again to 1985, but matters are complicated when Doc falls in love withClara Clayton(Steenburgen).

Back to the Future Part IIIwas filmed inCaliforniaandArizona,and was produced on a $40 million budgetback-to-backwithPart II.Part IIIwas released in the United States on May 25, 1990, six months after the previous installment, and grossed $245 million worldwide during its initial run, making it thesixth-highest-grossing film of 1990.[4]The film received a positive response from critics, who noted it as an improvement overPart II.

Plot

[edit]

In November 1955, moments after witnessingEmmett "Doc" Browndisappear in hisDeLorean,Marty McFlylearns that Doc was sent 70 years in the past to 1885.[N 1]Using information from Doc's 1885 letter, Marty and the 1955 Doc find and repair the DeLorean so Marty can return to 1985. However, after finding it, Marty comes across a tombstone with Doc's name, with the inscription stating that Doc was shot byBiff Tannen's great-grandfather, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen, six days after writing the letter.

Despite the letter's warning, Marty travels back to 1885 to save Doc, arriving in the middle of acavalrypursuit ofNative Americans,but the car's fuel line is damaged in the process. Chased by abear,he is knocked out and found by hisIrish-borngreat-great-grandparentsSeamus and Maggie McFly,who allow him to stay for the night. The next morning, under the aliasClint Eastwood,Marty arrives in a newly-foundedHill Valley,but runs afoul of Buford and his gang. Buford tries hanging Marty, but fails when Doc rescues him. Doc agrees to leave 1885 after learning his fate, but without gasoline, the DeLorean cannot reach its required 88 miles per hour (142 kilometers per hour). He thus proposes using asteam locomotiveto push the DeLorean to that speed.

While inspecting arail spur,Doc saves the town’s new schoolteacherClara Claytonfrom falling into the ravine, averting her death from the original timeline. They fall in love at first sight and form a close relationship. At a town festival for the courthouse, Buford tries shooting Doc, but Marty thwarts him. Buford then challenges him to a showdown in two days by calling him "yellow";an angry Marty accepts, believing that he and Doc would have left by then. Doc urges Marty not to react to provocation, letting slip that Marty has a life changing accident in the future.

Although he is reluctant to return to 1985, Doc eventually visits Clara to end their relationship and bid her goodbye. However, feeling insulted, she dismisses his story about being from the future. Despondent, he goes for abinge.In the morning, Buford arrives for Marty, who sees his alias appear in the photograph of the tombstone and refuses to duel. Doc passes out after downing just one shot; he is eventually revived, but is captured by Buford's gang, forcing Marty into the duel. Marty fools Buford into believing that he was fatally shot and knocks him into a wagon ofmanure.Buford and his gang are promptly arrested for an earlier robbery.

On the train toSan Francisco,Clara learns how heartbroken Doc is and runs back to town. She finds the model of the time machine at his shop. Realizing that Doc was telling the truth, she heads back to meet him. Using a stolen locomotive named Greyhound, Doc and Marty push the DeLorean along the spur line. Clara boards the locomotive and, attempting to reach Doc, nearly falls off. Marty, in the DeLorean, passes hishoverboardto Doc, and he uses it to save Clara and carry her to safety. Marty hits 88 mph and vanishes as the overheated Greyhound falls off the unfinished bridge.

Arriving back in 1985, Marty escapes from the powerless DeLorean just before an oncoming freight train destroys it. Reuniting with his girlfriendJennifer Parker,Marty declines a street race with Douglas J. Needles, thus avoiding the future accident Doc warned him about. Jennifer opens the fax message she kept from 2015 and watches as the text regarding Marty's firing disappears.

As Marty and Jennifer examine the DeLorean wreckage, a steam locomotive suddenly appears, operated by Doc, Clara, andtheir children.Doc gives Marty a photo of them standing next to the town clock in 1885. When Jennifer asks Doc about the blank fax, he says that it means that their future has not yet been written and encourages them to make it a good one. Doc and his family bid farewell and fly off in the locomotive to an unknown time.

Cast

[edit]
See also:List ofBack to the Futurecharacters
A photograph of Michael J Fox
A photograph of Christopher Lloyd
Michael J. Foxin 2020 (left) andChristopher Lloydin 2015

Returning actors from previous films includeElisabeth ShueandFleaas Jennifer Parker and Douglas J. Needles, as well asMarc McClure,Wendie Jo SperberandJeffrey Weissmanas Dave, Linda and George McFly, respectively.James Tolkan,who played Mr. Strickland in the first two films, plays his ancestor Marshal James Strickland.

Buford's gang in 1885 is portrayed by Christopher Wynne, Sean Gregory Sullivan, and Mike Watson. Wynne also plays a member of Needles' gang in 1985, alongsideJ. J. CohenandRicky Dean Logan,who played Skinhead and Data, respectively, in previous films.

Chester the bartender is played byMatt Clark,and three elderly patrons of the saloon are played by veteran Western film actorsPat Buttram,Harry Carey, Jr.andDub Taylor.Hugh Gillin,Burton Gilliam,Donovan ScottandBill McKinneyportray Hill Valley's mayor, a gun salesman, Strickland's deputy, and an engineer respectively. Todd Cameron Brown and Dannel Evans play Doc and Clara's sons Jules and Verne Brown.Frank Beard,Billy GibbonsandDusty HillofZZ Topcameo as the band at the Festival.

Production

[edit]
One of the DeLorean vehicles used in the film

The origins of the western theme forBack to the Future Part IIIlay in the production of the original film. During filming for the original, director Zemeckis asked Michael J. Fox what time period he would like to see. Fox replied that he wanted to visit theOld Westand meetcowboys.Zemeckis and writer/producerBob Galewere intrigued by the idea, but held it off untilPart III.[5]Rather than use existing sets, the filmmakers built the 1885 Hill Valley from scratch.[5]The western scenes were filmed on location inOak Park, CaliforniaandMonument Valley.[6]Some of the location shooting for the 1885 Hill Valley was done inJamestown, California,and on a purpose-built set at the Red Hills Ranch nearSonora, California.[6]Some of the train scenes were filmed atRailtown 1897 State Historic Park,[7][8]aheritage linein Jamestown.

The shooting of theBack to the Futuresequels, which were shotback-to-backthroughout 1989, reunited much of the crew of the original.[9]The films were shot over the course of eleven months, save for a three-week hiatus between filming ofParts IIandIII,and concluded in January 1990. The most grueling part was editingPart IIwhile filmingPart III,and Zemeckis bore the brunt of the process over a three-week period. While Zemeckis was shooting most of the train sequences in Sonora, Gale was in Los Angeles supervising the final dub ofPart II.[9]Zemeckis would wrap photography and board a private plane toBurbank,where Gale and engineers would greet him on the dubbing stage with dinner. He would oversee the reels completed that day, and make changes where needed.[9]Afterwards, he would retire to theSheratonUniversal Hotel for the night. The following morning, Zemeckis would drive to theBurbank Airport,board a flight back to the set in Northern California, and continue to shoot the film.[9]

Although the schedule for most of the personnel involved was grueling, the actors found the remote location forPart IIIrela xing, compared to shooting its predecessor.[9]

The role of Clara Clayton was written with Mary Steenburgen in mind. When she received the script, however, she was reluctant to commit to the film until her children, who had lovedthe first film,"hounded" her.[9]

The Hill Valley Festival Dance scene proved to be the most dangerous for Lloyd and Steenburgen; overzealous dancing left Steenburgen with a torn ligament in her foot.[5]

The film also featured cameos from veteranWesternfilm actorsPat Buttram,Harry Carey Jr.andDub Tayloras three "saloon old timers".[10]The inclusion of these noticeable Western actors was promoted in several documentaries about the film, as well as the behind-the-scenes documentary of the DVD and in the obituary of one of the actors.[11]Zemeckis considered havingRonald Reaganplay the part of the Mayor of Hill Valley in 1885. Reagan, who in 1989 had just recently finished his second term as president, had appeared in several Westerns during his earlier career as an actor. Zemeckis contacted Reagan's agent,Lew Wasserman,to gauge the ex-president's interest in the role, to which Reagan declined.[12]

Shooting a film set in the Old West was appealing to thestuntmen,who were all experienced horse riders. Gale recalled in 2002 that many stuntmen in Hollywood wanted to work onPart III.[9]Thomas F. Wilson, who played Buford Tannen, chose to perform his own stunts and spent a great deal of time learning to ride a horse and throw hislariat.Filming was paused when Fox's father died, and when his son was born.[5]

Alan Silvestrireturned to compose thescoreforBack to the Future Part III,continuing his longtime collaboration with Zemeckis. Rather than dictate how the music should sound, Zemeckis directed Silvestri as he would an actor, seeking to evoke emotion and treating every piece of music like a character.[9]The musicians of the Old West-style band in the film were played by American rock bandZZ Top.

The photography inPart IIIwas a "dream" for cinematographerDean Cundey,who shared with much of the crew his excitement to shoot a Western. Zemeckis wished to create a spectacular climax to the film. He coordinated the actors, a live 4-6-0 ten wheelersteam locomotive(theSierra Railway 3[13][14]),pyrotechnics,and special effects, and countless technicians all at once.[9]As they had done with the previous two films in the trilogy, the visual effects forPart IIIwere managed by effects companyIndustrial Light & Magic;the head of its animation department,Wes Takahashi,returned to once again animate the DeLorean's time travel sequences.[15][16]

Home media and music

[edit]
Main article:Back to the Future Part III(soundtrack)

On November 8, 1990,MCA/Universal Home VideoreleasedBack to the Future Part IIIon VHS and on December 17, 2002, on DVD.[17]It debuted onBlu-rayin 2010 for the film's 20th anniversary, followed by a secondBlu-rayremaster in 2015 for the film's 25th anniversary and a4K Blu-rayremaster in 2020 for the film's 30th anniversary.[18][19][20]

The soundtrack was released underVarèse Sarabandeon May 29, 1990, and features most of the score by Alan Silvestri and the orchestral version of the song "Doubleback"performed at the festival in 1885 during the film.[21]A two-disc special edition was released on October 12, 2015, in commemoration of the film's 25th anniversary, which includes the original score (26 tracks) on disc one and an arrangement of alternate cues and source music on a second disc.[22]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

The film grossed $23 million in its first weekend of U.S. release and $87.6 million altogether in U.S. box office receipts (or about $180.7 million adjusted as of 2023[23]) – $246 million worldwide.[24][25][26]

Critical response

[edit]

On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,81% of 47 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Back to the Future Part IIIdraws the trilogy to a satisfying close with a simpler, sweeter round of time-travel antics. "[27]Metacritic,which uses aweighted average,assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[28]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, same as the second installment.[29]

Kim NewmanofEmpiregave the film four out of five stars, saying that the film "restores heart interest of the first film and has a satisfying complete storyline". He praised Michael J. Fox for "keeping the plot on the move" and mentioned that Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen's romance was "funny". He said that the film's ending was the "neatest of all" and it "features one of the best time machines in the cinema, promising that this is indeed the very last in the series and neatly wrapping it up for everybody".[30]

Leonard Maltinpreferred the film to the first two, giving it three-and-a-half stars out of four, praising the film as great fun, special effects and imagination, also saying that the movie magic works in the film.[31]Michael McWhertor of the websitePolygonwrote that while the film was not better than the original entry in the series, it is nonetheless "leagues better than the second"; he praised the film's comedic and romantic elements, and commended Thomas F. Wilson's performance as "Mad Dog" Tannen.[32]

Roger Ebertof theChicago Sun-Timesgave the film two-and-a-half out of four stars. He said that the film's western motifs are "a sitcom version that looks exactly as if it were built on aback lotsomewhere ".[33]AlthoughVincent CanbyofThe New York Timespraised Christopher Lloyd's performance in the film, he also said that the film "looks as if it could be the beginning of a continuing television series". He complained that the film is "so sweet-natured and bland that it is almost instantly forgettable".[34]

Commentators noticed parallels betweenPart IIIand the filmTime After Time(1979).[35]Mary Steenburgen has said:

Actually, I've played the same scene in that film [Time After Time] and in [Back to the Future Part III]…. I've had a man from a different time period tell me that he's in love with me, but he has to go back to his own time. My response in both cases is, of course, disbelief, and I order them out of my life. Afterwards, I find out I was wrong and that, in fact, the man is indeed from another time, and I go after him (them) to profess my love. It's a pretty strange feeling to find yourself doing the same scene, so many years apart, for the second time in your career.[36]

The casting of Steenburgen forBack to the Future Part IIIappears to be deliberately intended to mirror the earlier role.[37][38]InTime After Time,the woman lives in the 20th century and the time traveler is from the 19th. InBack to the Future Part III,the woman inhabits the 19th century and the time traveler is from the 20th.[38]

Accolades

[edit]

In 1990, the film won aSaturn Award for Best MusicforAlan Silvestriand aBest Supporting Actor awardfor Thomas F. Wilson.[39]In 2003, it received an AOL Movies DVD Premiere Award for Best Special Edition of the Year, an award based on consumer online voting.[40]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^As depicted at the end ofBack to the Future Part II(1989).

References

[edit]
  1. ^abc"Back to the Future Part III".AFI Catalog of Feature Films.Archivedfrom the original on July 9, 2017.RetrievedJuly 9,2017.
  2. ^"Back to the Future Part III (PG)".British Board of Film Classification.June 4, 1990.Archivedfrom the original on June 22, 2015.RetrievedJune 21,2015.
  3. ^ab"Back to the Future III (1990)".Box Office Mojo.Archivedfrom the original on February 18, 2020.RetrievedDecember 31,2016.
  4. ^"1990 Worldwide Box Office".Box Office Mojo.IMDb.Archivedfrom the original on May 15, 2020.RetrievedMarch 7,2020.
  5. ^abcdBob Gale, Robert Zemeckis et al. (2002).Back to the FuturePart III.Special Features: The Making ofBack to the Future Part III(DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
  6. ^abBack to the Future 2002 DVD Feature: Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale Q&A recorded at theUniversity of Southern California
  7. ^"Railtown 1897 State Historic Park Film Credits".railtown1897.org.Archived fromthe originalon December 3, 2010.RetrievedOctober 4,2014.
  8. ^Jensen, Larry (2018).Hollywood's Railroads: Sierra Railroad.Vol. Two. Sequim, Washington: Cochetopa Press. pp. 61–64.ISBN978-0-692-06472-6.Archivedfrom the original on May 7, 2022.RetrievedMay 8,2022.
  9. ^abcdefghiBob Gale, Robert Zemeckis et al. (2002).Back to the Future Part III.Special Features: Making the Trilogy: Chapter Three(DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
  10. ^Fhlainn, Sorcha Ní,ed. (May 12, 2010).The Worlds of Back to the Future: Critical Essays on the Films.McFarland.ISBN978-0-7864-5765-6.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2021.RetrievedNovember 14,2016.
  11. ^"soentertain.me".soentertain.me.Archived fromthe originalon February 22, 2014.RetrievedNovember 14,2016.
  12. ^Weinberg, Mark (2018).Movie Nights with the Reagans.Simon & Schuster. p. 151.ISBN978-1-5011-3399-2.
  13. ^The Providence Journal (March 10, 2012)."Train needs makeover before next Hollywood close-up - ScrippsNews".scrippsnews.Archived fromthe originalon March 10, 2012.RetrievedNovember 16,2022.
  14. ^"Movies".Sierra DinnerTrain.November 8, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon November 8, 2014.RetrievedNovember 16,2022.
  15. ^Failes, Ian (October 21, 2015)."The future is today: how ILM made time travel possible".FXGuide.Archivedfrom the original on July 1, 2016.RetrievedJune 17,2016.
  16. ^"Digital Arts Faculty".International Technological University. Archived fromthe originalon August 12, 2016.RetrievedJune 17,2016.
  17. ^"Amazon: Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy".Amazon.Archivedfrom the original on February 6, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 25,2016.
  18. ^"Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy [Blu-ray] – Amazon".Amazon.Archivedfrom the original on September 17, 2021.RetrievedJuly 13,2021.
  19. ^"Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Trilogy [Blu-ray] – Amazon".Amazon.Archivedfrom the original on September 17, 2021.RetrievedJuly 13,2021.
  20. ^"Back to the Future™ Trilogy – One of the Biggest Motion Picture Trilogies Comes to 4K Ultra HD for the First Time Ever".Back to the Future™ Trilogy.Archivedfrom the original on August 3, 2020.RetrievedAugust 3,2020.
  21. ^"Back to the Future Part III (1990) – Soundtracks".IMDB.Archivedfrom the original on August 25, 2021.RetrievedJuly 13,2021.
  22. ^"Back to the Future Part III: 25th Anniversary Edition (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Amazon".Amazon.Archivedfrom the original on July 29, 2021.RetrievedJuly 13,2021.
  23. ^Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023)."What Was the U.S. GDP Then?".MeasuringWorth.RetrievedNovember 30,2023.United StatesGross Domestic Product deflatorfigures follow theMeasuringWorthseries.
  24. ^Broeske, Pat H. (May 30, 1990)."'Back to Future III' a Fast Draw Against 'Fire Birds' Movies: Memorial weekend opening is no contest. 'Future III' takes $23.7 million, while 'Birds' takes $6.3 million ".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on July 9, 2012.RetrievedNovember 16,2010.
  25. ^"Box Office History for Back to the Future Movies".The Numbers.Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2012.RetrievedNovember 28,2010.
  26. ^"'Recall' Totally Outdistances 'Future' in Box-Office Race Movies: Schwarzenegger's sci-fi flick opens with $25.5 million. But it only just edges the 'Turtles' ' $25.3-million record ".Los Angeles Times.March 15, 1993.Archivedfrom the original on November 4, 2012.RetrievedNovember 30,2010.
  27. ^"Back to the Future Part III".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.RetrievedApril 28,2022.Edit this at Wikidata
  28. ^"Back to the Future Part III".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 17,2020.
  29. ^"Find CinemaScore"(Type "Back to the Future" in the search box).CinemaScore.Archivedfrom the original on January 2, 2018.RetrievedFebruary 17,2020.
  30. ^Newman, Kim."Back to the Future: Part III".Empire.Archivedfrom the original on September 25, 2014.RetrievedAugust 30,2012.
  31. ^Maltin, Leonard (2008), p. 78.Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide.Signet Books.
  32. ^McWhertor, Michael (October 21, 2015)."Back to the Future Part 3 is perfect (and better than Part 2)".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on June 8, 2016.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  33. ^Ebert, Roger(May 25, 1990)."Back to the Future Part III review".Chicago Sun-Times.Archivedfrom the original on September 28, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 28,2022.
  34. ^Canby, Vincent(May 25, 1990)."A Trilogy Whose Future Has Passed".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 30,2012.
  35. ^Spencer Bennett (November 2, 2015)."What Ties These Five Time-Travel Movies Together? – [Video]".mix979fm.Archivedfrom the original on February 20, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 20,2019.I was noticing the time-traveling ties between 'Time After Time' (1979) and another movie 'Back to the Future III' (1990), a film also starring Mary Steenburgen. In 'Time After Time', she played Amy Robbins, a 20th Century woman who falls in love with a time traveller, H.G. Wells (played by Malcolm McDowell) from the 19th Century.... In Back to the Future Part III (1990), she played Clara Clayton, a 19th Century woman who falls in love with a time traveller, (played by Christopher Lloyd) from the 20th Century.
  36. ^"Mary Steenburgen (" Clara Clayton Brown ")".backtothefuture.Archived fromthe originalon February 20, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 20,2019.
  37. ^Christopher Campbell (October 21, 2015)."10 Movies to Watch After You See Back to the Future Part III".filmschoolrejects.Archivedfrom the original on February 20, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 20,2019.Steenburgen was sought to play Clara in part based on her role in this movie where she plays the love interest of another time traveller. Instead of a man from the future who is a fan of a famed 19th century sci-fi and fantasy author, her leading man is from the past and an actual famed 19th century sci-fi and fantasy author, H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell)... he brings Steenburgen's character back to his own time period, just as Doc does with Clara.
  38. ^ab"Ultimate Facts: back to the Future Part III".thefilmbox.org.Archived fromthe originalon August 18, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 20,2019.The role of Clara Clayton was written specifically for Mary Steenburgen. – In the film, Clara Clayton is a 19th Century woman who falls in love with a time traveler from the 20th Century. In Time After Time (1979), Mary Steenburgen played Amy Robbins, a 20th Century woman who falls in love with a time traveler from the 19th Century.Century.
  39. ^"Past Saturn Awards".The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.Archived fromthe originalon April 4, 2007.RetrievedNovember 28,2010.
  40. ^"Back to the Future awards".IMDb.Archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2004.RetrievedNovember 28,2010.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toBack to the Future Part III.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forBack to the Future Part III.
Wikiquote has quotations related toBack to the Future Part III.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Back_to_the_Future_Part_III&oldid=1252343885"