Back to the Future III [Special Edition]

Director: Robert Zemeckis Robert Zemeckis

Overview

The final episode in the fast-paced Back to the Future trilogy has time traveler Marty McFly heading back to the Old West to save his pal Doc, the inventor of the magical DeLorean time-traveling machine that took Marty back to the 1950s in the first film and shot him into the 21st century for the second episode. Marty's latest journey began at the end of Part II when he received a letter dated 1885 from Doc, who was accidentally stranded in 1885 by a stray bolt of lightning. The letter says that he cannot come home until he repairs the DeLorean, which he buried in the desert to keep it safe. Marty goes to dig it up so he can fix it and rescue Doc. Unfortunately, he is en route to the sight when he finds a tombstone with his friend's name on it; beneath it are the mysterious words "With Love from Clara." The date reads 1885. Marty realizes that if he cannot prevent Doc's early demise that Doc will never have existed and that will cause all kinds of problems. Unfortunately, no sooner does McFly make it back to the past, where he adopts the name "Clint Eastwood" when he gets into trouble, leaving his forbears to save him. Meanwhile, Doc, who is still alive, falls in love with the beauteous schoolmarm Clara Clayton, the girl he knows he must marry. They meet when he saves her from a runaway wagon. When not wrestling with their own problems, Marty and Doc must figure out how to fix the disabled DeLorean so they can return to the present. Needing the car to go 88 mph before it can breach time, the two devise a crazy scheme involving a stolen train, an uncompleted stretch of track and a yawning gorge that comprises the story's thrilling highlight.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/10/2009
UPC:	0025195039413
Original Release:	1990
Rating:	PG
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:58:00
Sales rank:	6,791

Special Features

The making of Back to the Future Part III; Making the trilogy: chapter three; Q&a qith director Robert Zemeckis and producer Bob Gale; Feature commentary with producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton; Deleted scene; Outtakes; Universal animated anecdotes; Designing the town of Hill Valley; Designing the campaign; Production archives; The secrets of the Back to the Future trilogy; Faqs about the trilogy; ZZ Top "Doubleback" music video

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael J. Fox	Marty McFly / Seamus McFly,Boy with Gun
Christopher Lloyd	Emmett Brown
Thomas F. Wilson	Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen / Biff Tannen
Mary Steenburgen	Clara Clayton
Elisabeth Shue	Jennifer Parker
Lea Thompson	Maggie McFly / Lorraine McFly
Richard Dysart	Barbwire Salesman
Pat Buttram	Saloon Old Timer
Dub Taylor	Saloon Old Timer
Matt Clark	Bartender
James Tolkan	Marshal Strickland
Marc McClure	Dave McFly
Harry Carey Jr.	Saloon Old Timer
Wendie Jo Sperber	Linda McFly
Jeffrey Weissman	George McFly
Christopher Wynne	Buford Tannen's Gang / Needles' Gang
Mike Watson	Buford Tannen's Gang,Buford Tannen's Gang
Hugh Gillin	Mayor
Burton Gilliam	Colt Gun Salesman
Bill McKinney	Engineer
Sean Sullivan	Buford Tannen's Gang
Donovan Scott	Deputy
Flea	Needles
J.J. Cohen	Needles' Gang
Ricky Dean Logan	Needles' Gang,Needles' Gang
Marvin J. McIntyre	Mortician
Kaleb Henley	Strickland's Son
Todd Cameron Brown	Jules
Dannel Evans	Verne,Verne
Leslie A. Prickett	Celebration Man
Jo B. Cummings	Pie Lady
Steve McArthur	Festival Man #1
John Ickes	Festival Man #2
James A. Rammel	Festival Dance Caller
Brad McPeters	Eyepatch
Phinnaes D.	Toothless
Rod Kuehne	Ticket Agent
Leno Fletcher	Conductor
Joey Newington	Joey
Larry Ingold	Train Fireman
Tim Konrad	Barbwire Salesman's Companion
ZZ Top	Actor
Kevin Holloway	Marty Photo Double
Michael Higgins	Marty Dance Double
Michael Mills	2nd Townsman
Kenny Myers	3rd Townsman
Lea Thomson	Actor
Alan Silvestri	Composer

Technical Credits

Bob Gale

Robert Zemeckis	Director
Bob Gale	Producer,Screenwriter
Neil Canton	Producer
Steven Spielberg	Executive Producer
Kathleen Kennedy	Executive Producer
Frank Marshall	Executive Producer
Charlie Croughwell	Stunts
Danny Costa	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

"History repeats itself" is the jokey lesson at the heart of Back to the Future Part III, as the Old West version of Hill Valley is chock full of ancestors who all behave exactly as their descendents will in 1955, 1985 and 2015. It's in this way that Back to the Future Part III succumbs to sequelitis, the malady that inflicts series in which the same jokes are tirelessly repeated, to remind audiences what they liked so much about the original. And because the head-spinning questions raised by time travel in the first two movies were what connected with audiences, awakening their intellectual curiosity and sense of awe, there's something noticeably absent when the series settles down in an old dusty town for its finale. A conventional, though not unappealing, western/comedy, Back to the Future Part III relies a lot more on the waning charm of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, plus an influx of sweetness from Mary Steenburgen, than the fascinating gadgets and elaborate plans that made the first two whir along. Although the softer tone is a welcome change after the dark Back to the Future Part II, the third film feels like a technological and creative step backward in terms of its narrative and contrived plot elements. It maintains a whiff of the genius and wit that set the series in motion, but it also seems like Universal's attempt to play it safer after the risky and challenging middle installment. It's a competent conclusion to the series, but too comfortable to earn the kind of affection this series deserves.