How Back To The Future Part II’s Original Plan Could Have Addressed Major Criticisms of the 1989 Sequel

Initial concepts for Back To The Future Part II had the potential to address criticisms that plagued this popular sequel. As the second feature in a trilogy celebrated for its quality, the film finds Marty McFly and Doc Brown thrust into a futuristic 2015, where their DeLorean time machine is pilfered by their longtime adversary, Biff Tannen. To thwart Tannen’s malicious plans involving a stolen sports almanac, Marty and Doc must travel back to 1955 to safeguard the future.

Upon its release, Back To The Future Part II received a mixed response, garnering a score of 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, a stark contrast to the original’s impressive 90%. Critics pointed fingers at the sequel’s darker themes and its screenplay. However, the documentary feature “Making the Trilogy,”included on the DVD release, unwrapped some intriguing details about an alternative vision for the film’s narrative which could have garnered it more favorable reviews.

How a 1960s Setting in Back To The Future Part II Could Have Altered Its Reception

An Original Plan for Marty: Traveling to the 1960s

The film features a memorable scene where Old Biff passes the stolen sports almanac to his younger self on the evening of the school dance in 1955. Marty’s challenge is to retrieve the almanac without disturbing his alternate self and jeopardizing his parents’ relationship. However, critics often noted that the sequel’s reliance on the same time-travel concept as the first film felt repetitive. Director Robert Zemeckis highlighted in the documentary that the original screenplay aimed to shift the timeline to the 1960s, with Young Biff receiving the almanac at that time instead of in 1955.

Back to the Future Part 2 Official Trailer #1 – Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd Movie (1989) HD (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdENmefJRpw)

The Case for Revisiting 1955 in Back To The Future Part II

Exploring New Dimensions by Revisiting 1955

Marty McFly and Doc Brown standing by the DeLorean with Einstein in Back to the Future 2

During the “Making Of”featurette, Zemeckis revealed that Bob Gale envisioned a different approach for the sequel, proposing the opportunity to “look at things from a different perspective.”This prompted the choice to revisit 1955, a pivotal year in the franchise where Marty’s parents first connected and Doc initiated time travel. This decision enabled the exploration of alternate timelines and provided fresh takes on familiar characters from the original movie.

Re-exploring 1955 not only allowed for a deeper examination of the sequel’s darker elements but also laid the groundwork for traveling back to 1885 in the third installment. Many critics viewed the unsettling alternate universe introduced in Part II as detracting from the franchise’s charm, which influenced the lighter tone of the subsequent film. Although this decision was met with skepticism during the initial release, it ultimately proved to be a strategic choice that benefited the narrative arc of the trilogy.

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