9 Most Unforgettable Moments From the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy
As of October 21, the entire "BTTF" trilogy now takes place entirely in our past. In honor of this big milestone, here are our seven favorite moments from this epic saga of time travel, hoverboards and the power of love.
1. George Meets Darth Vader in ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
In order to scare his father into wooing his mother and restoring the future, Marty disguised himself as “Darth Vader from the planet Vulcan.” It worked, and that little visit wound up inspiring an older George to write his popular sci-fi novel, “A Match Made in Space.”
2. The Chase Scene in ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Marty learned the hard way that you don’t mess with Biff without paying a price. Ever the psychopath even as a teenager, Biff responded to a little public humiliation by rounding up his gang and chasing Marty down the streets of Hill Valley with the clear intent to murder. Luckily, Biff wound up with a busted truck and a faceful of manure instead. This exciting chase became a recurring motif throughout the trilogy.
3. George McFly vs. Biff in 'Back to the Future' (1985)
It was George's "density" to woo Lorraine on that fateful night. He just had to go through Biff first. After some literal arm twisting, George proved that he's a real man after all -- one with a hell of a right cross. Credit goes to all that chocolate milk he likes.
4. Marty Creates Rock and Roll in ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
“Hey, Chuck! It’s your cousin, Marvin!” And thus, the art of rock and roll was born. Sure, we could take umbrage at the idea of a suburban white kid getting all the credit, but we’re content to sit back and revel in Marty’s big moment as he cuts loose and gets the chance to be the rock star he never could in the more jaded world of the 1980’s.
5. Marty Goes Back to 1985 in ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Helping his parents fall in love and restoring the McFly bloodline was only half the battle for Marty. He still had to acquire 1.21 gigawatts of power and make it back home. The climax of the first movie is every bit as thrilling and suspenseful as we could have hoped for, with Doc Brown racing against the clock (literally) to complete his machine before the DeLorean broke 88 mph.
6. Marty Experiences 2015 in ‘Back to the Future Part II’ (1989)
Everything from hoverboards to self-lacing sneakers, to a holographic "Jaws" sequel, made the future seem like a tantalizing place to live. The great tragedy of modern life is that so few of these marvelous inventions actually came to pass.
7. That Hoverboard Chase From 'Back to the Future Part II' (1989)
Important safety tip: When being chased by 'roided out Biff and his shoulder pad enhanced-gang of d-bags, never take your hoverboard over a body of water. Unless you have power, obviously.
8. Doc Brown Cheats Death in ‘Back to the Future Part II’ (1989)
It’s pretty much a rule that every “Back to the Future” movie has to end with a suspense-filled race to return to the present. The second film looked like it was going to end on a tragic note, as Doc Brown and the DeLorean were apparently vaporized in a flash of lightning. But instead, a faithful courier clued Marty in to the fact that Doc had instead been sent back to 1885. Not only did this give the sequel a happier ending, it promised even more adventure to come.
9. Marty Goes Back to 1985 (Again) in ‘Back to the Future Part III’ (1990)
The trilogy capped off with the biggest and most dramatic time travel attempt yet, as Marty and Doc strapped the DeLorean to the front of a speeding locomotive. They were forced to rely on every trick in the book to get the train up to a seemingly impossible 88 mph. The real clincher, though, came when Doc was forced to choose between returning home or staying with the love of his life. We’d say he chose wisely.
