Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Back to the Future...FOR REAL: THE (Fictional) 2015 Timeline is FINALLY HERE


Marty McFly is a typical teenager from Hill Valley, California with a troubling family, a steady romantic relationship and struggling work as a musician. And then one night, he meets Doc Brown. One trip into the Delorean, and the rest is history.

Hey, everyone, Backies and non-Backies alike.
Today was October 21, 2015, THE day featured in Back to the Future Part II, and the day that everyone who watched the film in theaters in 1989 or on Home Video since then has waited for. And now that it has come (and go as you read this some time after that day), it's time to recap some of everything that has been featured in film's timeline of the year 2015 now becoming a lasting piece of everyday life in the real 2015--our 2015. Whether directly or indirectly.
When Marty and Doc work the DeLorean machine, they (along with his girlfriend Jennifer) are transported to 2015--October 21 to be exact. There, they see what would (have) become out current time: Unique soda with even more unique bottles, hover-boards (half-right; they're on wheels, but let's pretend their not), Hollywood's broken down system of sequels (they certainly got that right)--this one being Jaws 19 and flying cars (I'd stick with wheels).

This is an awesome timeline, but it's clearly not happened (at least not all the way). But still, everyone has wished for the timeline to become real. Really. And now
But these companies associated these products have came to the rescue! Many popular consumer conglomerates have decided to try to take up on the timeline by recreating the products that were featured in the film for fans of the franchise (specifically Part II) to buy, definitely save and collect for the rest of their lives.

Also in this post is some tidbits and tribute video I learned/saw/scooped up from various websites to include. Enjoy!

Hoverboards are actually a thing!

Technically they're not what we've seen in the film. They have wheels, and they rely on your feet standing on a sensor that powers the movements. And they're kinda slow. It's a really awesome piece of technology and everyone has them. Although, admittedly, I wouldn't get on myself, fearing as if I might bust my ass or my head open when I ever slip off one. Only God knows what my thoughts were after wearing a pair of Heelys.

--Pepsi announced a limited-edition look to its main brand timed to the day.

The bottle looks exactly like it does as shown in the film. I so want to collect the bottle. Apparently, so did everyone else. Unfortunately, because of poor communication, Pepsi released the special edition drink the previous day, eliciting anger from fans. Shame, because I really wanted the bottle.

--Remember that part where Jaws 19 was to be shown this year? Well, the film doesn't exist in the real world (thank God), but Universal has made it a thing, releasing a trailer of it on the 5th.

It's hilarious, especially the fact that they actually made up the plots for the 14 other films.
My faves are 8, 11, 14 and 17 (aka Fifty Scales of Grey).

--USA Today just had to recreate the front page as shown in Part II.
It's brilliant.
Specifically, one of the headlines on the BttF USA Today front page blasting a new female President.
That doesn't happen, but it would've been awesome. And since Hillary Clinton is currently running, only time will tell if she does win the nation's vote (probably not).
Equally cool, we do have a black President.
Another noticeable report: Queen Diana visiting Washington DC. Diana. Yeeeaahh.
Also, that would've implied that Queen Elizabeth II died and gave the throne to Lady Di. She's still alive and well, though.

--Some guys in Michigan recreated the scene where Marty and Doc are caught by police speeding an 88 on a 55mph zone, were interrogated, and let go on a warning. Awesome.

Michigan State Police troopers stopped a silver DeLorean today for driving 88 mph in a 55 mph zone. The two occupants,...

Posted by Michigan State Police on Wednesday, October 21, 2015

This was a great effort by the Michigan State Police.
Yep, this was our tax dollars at work. but it's worth it.

--In the film, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time since 1908.
In real life, the Cubs (while never making the WS) actually have made it to the National League Divisional Series. Although, sadly, they lost by a landslide to the New York Mets. It would've been awesome, had they won, because this would've made the "Cubs Win the World Series" story halfway true.

--In one scene, Marty climbs through the window of what was his house bedroom, only to find out it's not owned and inhabited by an African American family. Why is this mentioned? Because it now has similarities to the Bed Intruder Incident.

Yep, Marty's climbin' through yo windows, snatchin' up yo people.
So hide yo kids, hide yo wife.

Oh God, that's still hilarious!


Even though this has nothing to do with Part II:
--The first film featured that classic scene where Marty and Doc watch the DeLorean power up and blasts off, leading wheel trailblazes of fire on the street. It takes place at a mall named Twin Pines.

Get it?


Twin Pines??






Whether intentional or un, it's still cool that that name eventually led up to one of the most awesome twins ever, and the show around them. I mean really cool.

--A guy in

--The hologram shark from Jaws 19. You think he looks familiar?

Oh yeah. Resemblance.

Although the future was clear in the film, not everything was true.
Here are some facts the film got wrong:
--Lawyers still exist. For better or worse.
--Cars are still rolling on wheels...so no flying cars. Same about jetpacks.
--There are no LazerDiscs. They went obsolete in the 90s.
--Payphones are also not a thing anymore. They went out after cellphones became a bigger thing.
--No robotic gas stations. There are still people giing your gas in some states.


Anyway, everyone was ready to make their mark on the day, and they sure did leave their mark. Notably...
CollegeHumor with this cartoon clip based on the second film, with Marty and Doc travelling to what would be 2015 in the real world.
This is "Back to the Future in ACTUAL 2015"

Wow, that's really dark. A far-out heavy bummer indeed.
But they hit the nail on the on the advancements and retractions the world has made since the first film three decades later. It's also genius for Marty to talk like he's about to step into the BttF 2015 timeline again, but will be sorely disappointing by what he sees in the real world:
Carbon emissions, newsstands closing down, cyber-bulling, Crocs (which really do look and smell like a clog fucked swiss cheese), Vine, hipsters and oxboards--they're all here.
Really sucks to be him at that point.
Plus, the dialogue is, while accurate, is seriously hilarious too. Great job to them for such a bold, radical, cool beans, neato, far out (and all that other 80s lingo) video. They've always been this great that this video is all the way on-point with the material.

--Toyota also went out of their way to be a part of it too, reuniting Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd for this near five-minute video, where they learn a way to turn trash into degradable fuel for a car that can run on such fuel, from an actual scientist.

First off, that guy must be the luckiest man in the world to work with the main stars of one of his all-time favorite films. So awesome to be him at that time. Ugh, jealous.
Also, Toyota did a great job crating the clip with so many nods to the films: Playing the theme "Power of Love", the well-beloved places, the background music and the. Plus, I loved the joke about the film crew paying for the elderly couple's trash; nice little self-awareness there.
And seeing Marty and Doc together 30 years later is so sweet. Just as sweet as that car. I would so love to own a car that runs on last week's dinner, used prophylactics, discarded tissue banana peels and other crap (including actual crap).

--Another great video comes from Doc Brown himself. Christopher Lloyd reprises his iconic role in this PSA reminding you that while the day has passed, that doesn't stop you from writing your own future. Make it as great as you can make it.

Aww, that is a really sweet message. I love that. You really can't make a good future, but you can try. Thank you, Doc.

So whether you're enjoy the day as a fan or a member of the cast or crew, you have to appreciate what the film gave us in technology, entertainment and life. Everything you saw above led to some amazing advances in technology and everyday life, whether directly or indirectly. And we have this film to thank for inspiring us to work long and hard to make our lives and our world change for the better and easier.
Thank you to the stars, producers (specifically Bob Gale, Neil Canton and Steven Spielberg), and director Robert Zemeckis for this film, this franchise and the memories that will forever be linked and created from them. Great Scott, the memories!

Taking us out is the theme of the Part I of the series, "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and The News.

No comments:

Post a Comment