Back to Back to the Future

For those who have not seen, spoiler alert (shame on you)



I took the afternoon off to watch Back To The Future today. My local cinema tried to keep me away by only showing it during work hours so it could keep its sole screen free in the evening to show The Social Network (modern film about modern things - boo!), but I have a very understanding boss. It being the half term holiday I was a little worried loads of screaming kids to be in to see it (a poor prejudice), but there were only two child tickets sold, according to box office man. The rest of the audience was what you might call 'older children'. Like me, I guess.

I've seen the film countless times, so know the story as good as anybody in my generation. I wasn't old enough to appreciate it in 1985, but being the youngest of lots of siblings meant that it (along with the Star Wars films, Indiana Jones and Clint Eastwood's entire career) was a major part of my cultural education. Despite my familiarity with the film, I was struck by how clever and how funny it is. Cleverer and funnier than I could remember. When I was growing up, I was probably more impressed with the cool set pieces (the skateboarding, the guitar playing, etc) than with the comic drama being played out by the central characters Marty, his parents and Biff the school bully.

It's a comedy! I never realised! Obviously, I laughed at certain bits when I was younger, but always regarded it as a cool adventure film about time travel. It is, but that's not the important bit. It's a comedy. And like all good comedies it is about the main characters being stuck or trapped somewhere. Marty McFly is stuck with a family not fully in charge of their own destiny, with a father who's incessantly pushed around by Biff. And it seems to be heriditary, with Marty being written off as a 'slacker' by his teacher, just like his old man.

I often regard my English teacher as the man who introduced to me the magic of irony (yes, it is magic. Anything calling itself irony that isn't even slightly magical is usually something unpleasant, like sarcasm or plain old lying). But watching Back To The Future today has made me realise that in getting all those jokes in the film meant I understood what irony is, I just didn't know it yet. If the writing wasn't so sharp and neat and lean in this film, all the coincidences would come across as corny or stupid. But each one is met by a laugh or a wry smile of recognition from the viewer. There is nothing superfluous in the script. And there is nothing left out. It is perfect.

In the past I have argued that the two sequels are just as good as the first film, but now I am not so sure. They are entertaining romps, no doubt, but the stories are not so neat. I suspect that the coincidences will come across to me as a little corny and maybe a little stupid. The thing that will carry them through will be the warm performances of the central characters, a warmth just as prevalent in the original.

One thing I've always regarded as a plus for the second film is its darkness: I've argued that this darkness makes it a more interesting film. Wrong. It is an interesting film that happens to be very dark. Also, what that opinion implies is that the first film is without darkness. Wrong again. His mother fancies him! Doc Brown frequently refuses to listen to Marty's warnings about his terrible fate! Biff almost molests (or worse) Lorraine! The dance band smoke weed! How much darkness do you want?

Compare and contrast this with Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back is widely regarded as a better film than its predecessor. This has nothing to do with darkness and everything to do with writing. The first film is a corny matinee movie; blockbuster nonsense. There is nothing inherently wrong with that; it has its place. But Empire has plot. It has better drawn characters. It has a major twist. It has genuine tension and suspense. The first film is a mildly entertaining firework display. In comparison, Empire is a fucking bonfire. It has magnificent glowing embers.

Anyway, back to Back to the Future. If you've seen it a thousand times, see it again. On the big screen. Walking up to the cinema, I thought to myself: what am I doing? Paying to see a film I've seen so many times before? When I could be a work, earning a living? I know this film like the back of my hand!

I came out dazed. It truly felt like I was looking at the back of my hand for the first time. It is a magnificent back of the hand. It really is.