Back To The Future III

The end of the Back to the Future trilogy of films sees the 1980 time travelling characters, Marty (Michael J. Fox) and Doc (Christopher Lloyd) in the American old west. While the first film in the series is often considered the best, and the second in the series with it's misstep of focusing too much on the McGuffin of Biff's Gambling Almanac the worst. The third has often been viewed as a wishy-washy end to the series.

However I'd argue that it's this third film that is not only the best crafted of the series but also the defining film that not only resolves the Marty 'cowardice' story arc (tacked on haphazardly in the second and never seems convincing) but redefines the series. Not as the adventures of Marty McFly through time but as the story of the trials and passions of Doc Emmett Brown.

In the previous two films the Doc character was used as an impetus to the stories as well as a deux ex machina to the plot contrivances. Even though a fair amount of his history was given light, such as his being institutionalised for his laser-like dedication to his scientific beliefs, he always stayed firmly in the role of sidekick to Marty's lead (an interesting inversion of the standard man and boy dynamic in fiction).

With this third film he comes to the fore and eclipses Marty as the star of the films. And even though the last two films were made some years later after the first (number one 1985 and two and three filmed at the same time and released 89 and 90 respectively), it's the expanded focus on Doc that not only reframes the series but makes the whole greater than the parts.

Suddenly with this third instalment the series it's all about Doc. A man whose passion for science drove him to the edge of society. A man of unrelenting intellect not seeking reward but rather the wonder of discovery and understanding. Alienated in his own time and seemingly burning his entire lonely life away on his dreams of leading humanity into a new world of science, he is finally smiled upon come this third feature. Where his persistence and purity of vision sees him finally at the end of his pursuits and happily facing retirement in the wild west. Doc now turns from his lonely existence to find whole new fields to discover and explore. Those being the more fuzzy lands of the human heart as he falls in love with a comely 1900s school teacher. Shifting his focus from flux capacitors to the importance of inter-relating with those he loves. As character arcs go in the movies it's hard to find one as poetic as Doc's.

The wild west setting of the third film also challenges the makers to abandon their 80s decade referential extravaganza so prevalent in the second film (and somewhat in the first) and instead create a story of light mood and character driven drama. But that doesn't mean they don't find some knowing winks to throw at things to come. From the quiet little barbed-wire salesman to the Frisbee Pie Plate, which Marty uses to good effect as a flying discus. And for those wondering how historically accurate that is, yes, Frisbee's did indeed start out as cheap metal pie plates and were only re-purposed later as a recreational toy.

The whole Back To The Future series is a joyous excess of 80s excellence and really can not be recommended enough. The movie series withstands multiple viewings and is filled with several highly likeable characters. But ultimately, any film series that ends with the over arcing theme that your future hasn't been written yet. No-one's has, so make it a good one. Is well worth a watch. They just don't make 'em like this any more.