Analyzing The Movie 'Back To The Future'

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‘Back to the Future’ is the first instalment in a comedy - science fiction film trilogy directed by Robert Zemeckis. Released in 1985, it is arguably one of the biggest films of the science fiction genre. The film explores the life of Marty McFly after being sent back to 1955 wherein his parents were his age. To successfully return back to his reality (1985) he has to make sure that no major changes happen in the ‘space-time continuum’ as this will drastically affect the state of his life in 1985. The sequence showcases the second confrontation between Marty and the films’ antagonist, Biff. Before the actual chase, the audience is shown Biff attacking George Mcfly (Marty’s dad). However, due to Marty’s hatred towards Biff (as well as preventing …show more content…

An example is the use of a low angle, mid shot showcasing Marty and his skateboard and the rear of Biff’s truck (figure three). This suggests to the audience that Biff is of superior status of the two as Marty’s skateboard comes across as inferior to the two vehicles surrounding him. However, as the scene is anchored with a lively and ‘heroic’ orchestral score, we are led to believe that the protagonist will be able to outwit his opponents
Having seen the rest of the trilogy, I also think that this frame is of great importance as it gives allude to one of the franchise’s most iconographic props; the hoverboard. This emphasis on the skateboard is similar to an earlier part in the sequence (figure four). The filmmakers bring light to its importance not only through the use of a tight close up shot, but also through the use of pleonastic sound (of the sound caused by the board’s wheels). As an audience, we can also interpret this as the filmmaker’s play on both action and science fiction conventions and verisimilitude, as well as highlighting Marty’s
‘futuristic’ technological advances over his opponents and 1955 in …show more content…

Showcasing this shot highlights the consequences of the chase as well as hinting at the future events in the film wherein we can imply that Biff will be looking for vengeance. The audience is intended to feel excited for the next part of the film, however a more modern audience would also link this to a similar scene in Back to the Future III. Doing such parallels highlights the films’ theme of time travel. Before the rubble falls on the truck, the filmmakers once again use silence (the soundtrack is briefly faded out too) to emphasise the turning point and ‘moment of realisation’ for Biff and his

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