{"id":24054,"date":"2020-11-04T23:06:49","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T07:06:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=24054"},"modified":"2020-12-17T15:03:32","modified_gmt":"2020-12-17T23:03:32","slug":"review-back-to-the-future-4k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2020\/11\/review-back-to-the-future-4k\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy 4K Ultra HD Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Back to the Future Trilogy<\/em><\/strong> is still fantastic even after watching it for probably the tenth time and holds up in its entertainment value. Universal once again releases the movies on a new format and it does feature great video and audio and a few fine new features alongside a slew of others ported over from previous sets.<\/p>\n

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Back to the Future
\n<\/span>\u2014 The Ultimate Trilogy \u2014<\/span>
\n(1985-1990)
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Genre(s): <\/strong>Science Fiction, Comedy<\/span>
\nUniversal Pictures | NR \u2013 344 min. \u2013 $55.98 | October 20, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Date Published:<\/strong> 11\/04\/2020 | Author:<\/strong> The Movieman<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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MOVIE INFO:
\n<\/u><\/strong>Directed by: <\/strong>Robert Zemeckis
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale (written by)
\nCast: <\/strong>Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, Mary Steenburgen, James Tolkan, Elisabeth Shue, Billy Zane<\/span><\/p>\n
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DISC INFO:
\n<\/u><\/strong>Features: <\/strong>Audio Commentaries, Featurettes, Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel, Music Videos, Theatrical Trailers
\nSlip Cover: <\/strong>Yes
\nDigital Copy: <\/strong>Yes
\nFormats Included: <\/strong>4K, Blu-ray
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>7<\/span><\/p>\n
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Audio: <\/strong>English (Dolby Atmos), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)
\nVideo: <\/strong>2160p\/Widescreen 1.85
\nDynamic Range: <\/strong>HDR10, Dolby Vision
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH, French, Spanish
\nCodecs: <\/strong>HEVC \/ H.265 (4K), MPEG-4 AVC (BD)
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>A, B, C<\/span><\/p>\n
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Universal Studios Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe opinions I share are my own.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Note:\u00a0The screen captures were taken from the Blu-ray disc and\u00a0do not<\/span> represent the 4K Ultra HD transfer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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THE MOVIE \u2014 4\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Note: <\/strong>Portions of this review were copied from my 2009 DVD reviews for the individual releases. At the end, I\u2019m providing my thoughts after my most recent re-watch.<\/p>\n

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Back to the Future<\/em><\/strong> (1985) \u2014 4.5\/5
\n<\/strong>Back to the Future<\/em><\/strong> is known as one of the quintessential 80s movies but for my money, it\u2019s one of the best, well at least most entertaining, movies of all-time. I have probably seen it a dozen times through my movie-watching life because, simply, I have fun. For that reason alone, this film is in my movie hall of fame, right there with, yes, The Godfather<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Back to the Future<\/em><\/strong> is the reason why movies are so damn fun to watch. You can have your \u201cthinking\u201d movie, those projects that present social issues or reveal historical aspects of American or World history, but in a time when things will get much worse before they get better, we need Back to the Future<\/em><\/strong> to help alleviate the pressure.<\/p>\n

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Ok, enough of the philosophical reasons for why Back to the Future<\/em><\/strong> belongs with the rest… You have two reasons why, after 24 years, the movie still resonates with audiences (and why, despite the \u201cTo Be Continues\u201d tag at the end even though the filmmakers never intended for one) two sequels were produces and released back to back. Michael J. Fox\u2019s career had just taken off with the hit show, \u201cFamily Ties\u201d, and he was tailor made for the part of Marty McFly, a slacker but cool kid with a beautiful girlfriend. McFly has an unusual friendship with Doc Brown, played by the brilliant Christopher Lloyd, a mad scientist who has discovered a way to travel through time (what could go wrong?). We go from 1985 to 1955 and back (wait to you see the sequel, 1985 to 2015 to alternate 1985 to 1955).<\/p>\n

Fact is, without Fox or Lloyd, Back to the Future<\/em><\/strong> would not be as fun as it is. While the story is great \u2013 especially in the time traveling genre which can be hazardous in the logic department (which this movie does suffer some if you stop and think about it) \u2013 director Robert Zemeckis\u2019 hits all the right notes. Even the supporting cast is pretty much irreplaceable (exception being Crispin Glover who was ultimately replaced), everyone from Lea Thompson to Thomas F. Wilson is also pitch perfect for their roles.<\/p>\n

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Not sure how many out there still have not seen this classic but if you\u2019re one, go out now and at least buy the first one. Although I enjoyed the sequels, you can go without them, but at the very least give this one a shot.<\/p>\n

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Back to the Future Part II<\/em><\/strong> (1989) \u2014 3.75\/5
\n<\/strong>And here comes the sequel, appropriately entitles, Back to the Future Part II<\/strong>. This entry takes a big step in the doo-doo known as time travel implausibility as Doc Brown (LLOYD) takes Marty (FOX) and his girlfriend (now played by ELISABETH SHUE) to the year 2015 because Marty and Jennifer\u2019s son, Marty Jr. gets into deep trouble thanks to Griff Tannen (THOMAS F. WILSON).<\/p>\n

Of course, does this not go against everything Doc Brown railed against about using the time machine for personal use in such a way? What about destiny? Would it not serve Marty Jr., the idiot he is, to pay for his stupidity? Brown ignores all the perils of time travel to save Marty\u2019s kid… Really??? Or could it be the writers tried to force a sequel to cash in on the original\u2019s success? Not like that hasn\u2019t happened before or since…<\/p>\n

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Well, as noble as Brown\u2019s intentions were, no good deed goes unpunished as Marty discovers a get rich quick scheme involving the Sport Almanac which he planned to take back to 1985 and use the scores inside to make some dough. After Brown discovers this, he throws the Almanac into the trash where it is picked up by Old Biff Tannen. He seizes the opportunity to steal the DeLorean and go back to 1955 and give it to his younger self, and the younger Biff uses it to gain wealth and power thus altering the 1985 Doc Brown and Marty (and Jennifer) return to. So now, Doc Brown and Marty must go back to 1955, risking running into their other selves, and stop Older Biff from giving Younger Biff the Almanac.<\/p>\n

Get all that? Here\u2019s the shorter version: Brown and Marty go from 1985 to 2015 to an alternate 1985 to 1955 and finally back to the correct 1985.<\/p>\n

Back to the Future Part II<\/em><\/strong> is, despite such gigantic loop holes, this is a movie that\u2019s actually grown on me over the years. First, the set design of the future is both visually pleasing but also laughable as the year comes closer. But the highlight is going back to 1955 where Zemeckis and company use different angles and some nifty visual effects to place BTTF1<\/em> Marty with BTTF2<\/em><\/strong> Marty in the same area (ditto on Doc Brown).<\/p>\n

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Sure, the story made little sense and will make your brain explode, but between visual effects and the natural chemistry between Doc Brown and Marty, it makes this a sequel despite so many flaws worth watching.<\/p>\n

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Back to the Future Part III<\/em><\/strong> (1990) \u2014 4.0\/5
\n<\/strong>Back to the Future Part III<\/em><\/strong> ends the trilogy on a good note, but much like <\/span>Part II<\/em>, it does not come close to the originals magic. That being said, <\/span>Part III<\/em><\/strong> is still a fun sequel on par with the second one.<\/span><\/p>\n

The final chapter begins, like the first sequel, directly after the previous installment finding Marty McFly (FOX), stuck in 1955, once again needing the help of Doc Brown (LLOYD) (again) to get back to the future after the old Doc Brown accidentally time travels to 1885. The 1885 Doc Brown buried the DeLorean in an old mine shaft so in \u201955 Marty can use it to get back to 1985… until Marty discovers that old Doc Brown actually dies only from a gunshot wound by Bufford Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson) in 1885 and thus Marty goes to that time to save him.<\/p>\n

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Along the way, driving through the Old West, Marty runs into a battle between the Cowboys and Indians and even runs into his great-great grandfather, Sheamus McFly and his family. He then manages to get into the fledging town of Hill Valley, meet up with Doc who falls for the town\u2019s new school teacher, Clara Clayton (MARY STEENBURGEN).<\/p>\n

Back to the Future Part III<\/em><\/strong> is actually not that bad of a movie and it\u2019s great to see the series come to a nice conclusion that also wasn\u2019t as far-fetched or puzzling as Part II<\/em>. And the addition of Mary Steenburgen as the love interest to Christopher Lloyd was yet another brilliant piece of casting by co-writer\/director Robert Zemeckis and co-writer\/producer Bob Gale. She brings charm to the series and adds a bit of dimension to the Doc Brown character that was needed.<\/p>\n

Parts II and III was, if I remember correctly, the first movies to be filmed back to back, now made famous with the filming of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy<\/em> and Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3<\/em>. If only they had done that with the first one to avoid a pretty inane story (the movie itself was good).<\/p>\n

On the whole, the Back to the Future Trilogy<\/em> ends on a good note, with a fun story and all the actors \u2013 minus Elisabeth Shue who only appears at the end \u2013 back for one last round. My only qualm with Part III<\/em><\/strong> is the ending with the emergence of Doc Brown and his new family, I guess once again Doc Brown has not learned his lesson (after taking Marty to the future to save Marty\u2019s dumb-ass kid).<\/p>\n

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In any case, Back to the Future<\/em> manages to become one of the best trilogies ever made \u2014 as if Anaconda<\/em>, Mimic<\/em>, Major League<\/em> could compete anyway and certainly The Matrix<\/em> fell off in quality by the third outing which proves BttF3<\/em><\/strong> pulled off something special…<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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SPECIAL FEATURES<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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This 7-disc set is housed in a digibook which side-slides into a glossy, title-embossed slip case<\/strong>. Inside is a single redemption code for the Digital HD<\/strong> copy of all three films. All features from the 30th Anniversary Edition has been ported over and includes a few new extras.<\/p>\n

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BACK TO THE FUTURE<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 5.0\/5<\/strong><\/p>\n