back to the future in the future

[orangerful]

We watched Back to the Future tonight because after finally watching a few episodes of Phineas and Ferb, the amount of references/homages to the movie just left me with a craving to see it. Plus, Syl hadn't see it so I wanted to show it to her.

When it was all over, Tim pointed out that 1985 to Syl felt as far away as 1955 felt to us when we originally saw the movie.

And I know I felt a bit weird when Marty pulled out his walkman and JVC VHS camera, realizing that these objects might be totally foreign to an 11 year old in 2013.

Then I started to ponder what a BTTF reboot would look like. It would have to be a teen from 2013 being sent back to 1983. And as much as I cringe at the idea, I sorta...think it might work.

I've got a few of the little things: replace Marty's camera and walkman with an iPhone and...well, an iPhone. Instead of the references to African-American civil right issues, reference LGBT issues.

Though music would be hard to do with so much retro sounding stuff being popular right now.

Then again, is it even necessary? Yes, a lot of the gags in the first movie relied on Marty trying to use 80s dialogue and products in a 1950s world (will there ever be as good a punchline as Ronald Reagan is the president?) but the core of the movie is about how our parents influence us, how our parents used to be teens too (and we all make stupid mistakes at that age) and how, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. Is it worth risking a reboot of such a well put together movie for something as trivial as updating the technology?

I feel like I need to do some kind of study. I want to get a grant from a film institute to show people younger than me the first 'Back to the Future' film and see what they think. Being a child of the 80s/90s, the idea of redoing these films is blasphemous because you will never find another Michael J. Fox or Christopher Lloyd. But a child of the 2000 would probably care less.

(Let's not even discuss the second movie, which takes place in 2015...only two years away. My flying car better be here soon dammit!)

Thoughts?

Comments

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I really don't see a need for a reboot of it. Unless there was something new to say or they could find another Michael J. Fox, which is doubtful.

I just watched the trilogy recently and I joked with my boyfriend about it almost being 2015 and wishing the flying cars thing had come true.

Stacey

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I feel like when Nov 5 2015 happens it will be a geeky celebration and a day of "WTF THIS FUTURE IS LAME!" posts haha.

I thought we weren't going to need roads?!?!?!

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

There will probably be lots of geek gatherings that day.

LOL. At least the movie got the Florida Marlins winning a World Series right. (Even though it was a different team name.:))

Stacey

[moon-blitz.livejournal.com]

The Back to the Future movies are a favourite of mine, so I don't see the need to do a reboot of them. But if Hollywood did decide to do it, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are still alive, so it would be neat to have cameos of them somehow.

I'd rather a hoverboard than a flying car, mostly because I don't drive.

Actually, I'd rather they do the reboot/sequel to The Last Starfighter that has been rumoured about for years. As much as I love it, that movie could really use an update.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I don't want to see a reboot either, especially the way Hollywood has been doing reboots where the references to the originals overshadow the actual movie. But I feel like if someone who loved the movies did it...it could work.

OMG Last Starfighter...it would take a bit of tweaking, but I'm sure an update of that would be easier to devise than BTTF. Though there is something so sweet and innocent about that movie...I feel like it would be hard to capture again. But the fact that all the game systems are hooked up to the Internet now wouldn't make it too hard for the aliens to monitor the scores (and I bet secretly every gamer imagines they are being watched by a higher power LOL)

[moon-blitz.livejournal.com]

The Last Starfighter does have an air of innocence about it, but the 3D graphics are also really dated (it always takes me a few minutes to get used to seeing them, even when I know what's coming), but a reboot/sequel plot could be easily done with today's technology.

[vertigozooropa.livejournal.com]

Arnold Schwarzenegger would almost make the joke. He left office in 2011, and Conan the Barbarian was in theatres in 1982. He wouldn't have been all that famous before then. Not famous enough for the joke to work. If you went back 25 years, then you'd have the guy from Predator running California. That's way crazier than Reagan in office.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Well, BTTF did take place is California so at least they have a reason to mention him...though who the heck would ask "who is the governor?" when trying to understand the future?

It's the best we've got though!

[skindyedindigo.livejournal.com]

One of the reasons I love Phineas and Ferb is because of all the geeky references. :D

I think that if done right a BTTF reboot could work, but it would be tricky. But also, it seems almost impossible to make something better than the original, because of the meaning behind it. Like you said, updating technology for the sake of the younger generation and potentially ruining the franchise... Just not worth it. Not right now at least.

Also, yes, flying cars. NAOW.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was cracking up during 'Phineas and Ferb' and I'm sure Syl didn't get half the jokes I did. And, wow, the music on that show is actually pretty darn good!

[ekaterin24.livejournal.com]

I am thinking that a BTTF remake just might be in the works, Hollywood is remaking everything else that did well the first time. Although there might be issues with whoever owns the rights to the original that's keeping it from happening.

I'd much rather you did it than just about anyone in Hollywood, you wouldn't screw it up to death. I must say I'd love to see it done with "Marty" as a teenage GIRL. (Yes, I liked the third Karate Kid)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Hm...actually a female Marty would totally work...especially with them traveling back to the 80s...

[impalalove]

And reboots lately have either been a hit or a miss.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

yeah, and I'd say the "miss" box has more tallys right now.

[impalalove]

Agreed!

[elizalavelle.livejournal.com]

I think kids today still can appreciate the BTTF series but it would be interesting to see how much the 80's references throw them off of the story or if they're able to figure most of it out just fine...

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there was a run of jokes in the middle that were dated when I saw it (when Marty is in the diner and tries to order a Tab and then asks for a Pepsi Free, and of course the Ronald Reagan reference) and obviously flew right over the 11 year old I was watching it with. But I think the core is strong enough that those throw away one-liners are easy to overlook.

[http://users.livejournal.com/unnecessary_/]

Awe, LJ ate my comment.

Basically what I said in my first attempt at commenting was: it would be awesome to show the 80's to a 2013 teenager. I'm not a teenager anymore but I don't even understand the 80's that well. lol.

Also, the writer of the reboot would have to be really crafty and careful about the incesty storyline so that it gets written as an uncomfortable comedic thing, like the original movie, and not like a creepy off-putting thing.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I think part of BTTF charm was that we tend to think of the 1950s with this Donna Reed kind of innocence, that everything was swell, and all the kids were good and then when Marty goes back to that time he finds out that teens are teens so that it's exactly the same. But I don't feel like anyone has that rosy an impression of the 1980s, which are usually associated with excess and drugs etc. Punk rock and big hair LOL. And there were cultural shifts but...I dunno if they are as revered as those of the 1950s-60s.

And, oh yes, that whole incest-y storyline LOL. Takes a very careful hand to guide that in the right direction...

[http://users.livejournal.com/unnecessary_/]

Maybe they can do the opposite this time! Maybe they can show that the 80's seem wild and crazy and then the main character goes back in time and sees that kids are kids everywhere, who worry about zits and their parents and etc.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Actually, that could work. Maybe the teen assumes their parents were wild and out of control and then is sent back to find they were actually just normal...maybe even geekier than expected. I mean, heck, that was the age of Atari and the original Nintendo, yeah?

GAH maybe I should write something...hm...this might work if I force myself to do NaNoWriMo this year...remind me in November when I start complaining about how I never have any good ideas...

[http://users.livejournal.com/unnecessary_/]

I would love that if that were the new plot! Someone from Hollywood should come talk to us about this. lmao.

OR YOU COULD WRITE THIS PLOT FOR NANOWRIMO.