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Bearing the formidable tag "Steven Spielberg Presents," Back to the Future was the megahit of 1985, a sleeping giant that almost didn't get made. The story is simple but appealing. Michael J. Fox, in the role of his career, plays Marty McFly, a slightly dorky but popular high school senior. (Hey, it was 1985, and acid-washed jeans were cool then.) He's got the prettiest girl in school on his arm, a promising (albeit slow-moving) career as a rock star in the making, and a most bizarre friendship with the wacky neighborhood inventor, "Doc" Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Then one night, Doc invites him out to the local mall parking lot to unveil his latest creation: a time-traveling DeLorean that will soon take Marty on the adventure of his life. Ending up in 1955, Marty meets his young parents (Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover), and when mom develops a crush on her unborn son (yes, the mind reels), it's gonna be quite a wacky ride getting "back to the future."

It's kinda cheesy and oh-so-very 80's, but Zemeckis and co- writer Bob Gale concocted just the right winning combination of elements that clicked with audiences. After shopping their concept all over town to almost universal rejection, only the ever-geeky Spielberg recognized its potential, and soon the film was in production. But amid budget cuts and casting problems (several scenes were shot with actor Eric Stoltz, who was eventually replaced by Fox), few predicted the smash that was to come. In hindsight, it is easy to see why the film was such a hit. Although it is likely the film is far too innocent and good natured to pack in today's teens, (could you imagine Marty McFly doing Eminem?) back in the rah-rah Reagan-era 80's, it was perfect entertainment. While some of the more blatant odes to 80's excess and consumerism come off rather icky, (even worse is the mother-son Oedipal subplot) the depth of Zemeckis and Gale's fantasy world makes even the silliest plot mechanics utterly believable. So well-imagined is this movie-inspired retro-future that a big part of the fun is just seeing how all the characters, locations and plot twists eventually fit together. There is not a shot or a reference wasted, and don't even begin to ask me to explain how all the time travel mumbo jumbo works....

It was a foregone conclusion that with a film this gigantic a sequel was in the offing. Going one better, all the principal cast and crew (with a couple of exceptions) returned for not one but two follow-ups. Taking the then-rare tack of filming both sequels back-to-back, it would be four years until Back to the Future Part II premiered in the fall of 1989, followed only six months later by Back to the Future Part III. Alas, the sequels proved to be a bit of a letdown after so much wait between flicks.

Wildly imaginative, even overstuffed, Part II kicks off right where Part I left off, but its clearly episodic nature (has a major motion picture ever so brazenly ended with the words "To Be Continued..."?) turned off many audiences. Dropping quickly after a massive opening weekend, the film's somewhat diminished reputation has since prevented many from appreciating it's abundant charms. It certainly is an odd, very postmodern film. The story is so complex and full of loopy loopholes that it can be tiring: Zemeckis and Gale have their characters double back on themselves and return to key moments in the original film only to see them in entirely new ways. It does lack the emotional punch of the first film, and perhaps its fatal mistake is that it is not so much about the wonder of time travel as its misuse. It's darker, and likely most viewers saw it as a double negative. But with still-impressive special effects and a unique look at one very odd future, Part II has more going for it than it has been given credit for.

By the time we get to Part III, the simplest and most routine of the three, familiarity begins to breed contempt. The lowest-grossing of the trilogy, Zemeckis and Gale send Marty and Doc back to the Old West to wrap things all up, but it feels rote. Sweet but utterly predictable, gone is the surprise of the first film and the razzle-dazzle of the second. Doc finally gets a love interest in Clara (Mary Steenburgen), so all Marty has to do is tag along and wait for the big climax. Back to the Future Part III isn't a bad film per se, just anticlimactic. It's got a sweet message and is certainly a pleasant way to spend two hours. But with little new to say, it's a necessary yet inconsequential capper to a fine trilogy.

As befitting the era of Ronald Reagan and Steven Spielberg, the fact that the Back to the Future trilogy is movies about movies is clear from the get-go. Like Spielberg, Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale are "movie brats," a generation of filmmakers who came of age quoting movies, TV and comic books, not more "literate" sources such as novels and plays. The sources for most of the conventions in these films are obvious: the sci-fi potboilers and time travel adventures made by popular by the key artists of the 50's and 60's, with a little dash of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine thrown in for good measure. Some critics balked at the overt sentimentality, but there is no denying the breadth of the vision, however hackneyed. Zemeckis and Gale hit upon was just the right combination of classic and modern, a sweet, universal tale of nostalgia -- for the things our parents told us we should be nostalgic about -- mixed with whimsy, cutting-edge technology and plain old-fashioned movie magic. Watching them now for the first time, they are dated yet highly engaging, both fanciful and geeky but with just enough heart and emotion. Too bad it took me so long to take a ride on Doc's DeLorean. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

With a title like Back to the Future, this set has a lot to live up to. Bringing Marty McFly into the digital age, Universal has struck brand-new prints of all three films, newly remastering what may be three of the most beloved films of the 80's. It's a tall order to be sure, but a few caveats aside, these are fine presentations that more or less deliver the goods.

Each film is presented in its original matted 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio, and generally looks quite nice aside from a few deficiencies mainly attributable to the photographic techniques at the time. Since Parts II and III were shot back to back four years after the original and with a much larger budget, the prints look spiffier and more glossy. The original suffers the most from dirt and a generally drab appearance; however, the sequels also reveal frequent grainy and dirty patches, especially Part II, given all the extensive compositing and matting techniques required by the pre-digital age. However, it is worth noting that none of the films suffer from any major print anomalies, such as nicks, scratches or dropouts. While Part III is definitely the cleanest, the quality of these elements is generally superior.

That said, each film looks surprisingly similar in appearance. None have the eye- popping, three-dimensional sheen of the best modern transfers, but they still look pretty good. Blacks are excellent throughout, with only a slight hit of fading in some of the effects shots in part I. Colors are fairly vibrant, especially in parts II and III, although the hues look ever so slightly oversaturated for my taste. Thankfully, unlike previous video versions, fleshtones are dead on. While Part I is the softest of the bunch, all are sharp and fairly well detailed. As the first two installments (especially the first sequel) take place at night, shadow delineation is a bit wanting. Fine textures are often hard to discern, and the overall dark appearance of the transfers doesn't help. Part III is certainly the brightest, but even indoor scenes in the second sequel can appear murky. Alas, some edge enhancement is present on all three transfers, with slight ringing around sharply contrasted objects. Also mildly distracting are some compression artifacts on long dissolves and fades. These are minor but occasionally noticeable.

While some may wish for absolutely pristine, modern-looking transfers, (especially for the first film, which looks the most dated) I found these to be perfectly fine presentations. They simply cannot compare to modern blockbusters or the finest of DVD restorations, but overall, I think most fans should be pleased, if not quite elated.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

First things first: No, there aren't any DTS soundtracks provided for any of the films, despite their inclusion on overseas versions of the box set. However, listening to the new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks created for this release, I wonder if a DTS option would have made much difference anyway. While perfectly nice, capable remixes, they aren't particularly dynamic, so the benefit of a slightly higher bit rate remains in doubt.

Surprisingly, all three mixes sound very similar. Although the two sequels benefited from a more ample budget, you'd be hard-pressed to tell that here. The advancements sound recording technology has made over the years are apparent with each of these new mixes; each boasts fairly robust dynamic range but still sounds slightly dated with a compressed quality. Generally pleasing, high end sounds a bit flat, as does the .1 LFE. Overall fidelity is certainly a cut above most 80's films, but not quite that punchy. Dialogue is generally well balanced with the music and effects, although many of the most overloaded set pieces (especially the two sequels) sound a bit too overpowering; quieter dialogue is sometimes slightly obscured, but not destructively so.

Most disappointing is the fact that each mix is quite front-heavy. The majority of the score and the effects are direct to the front three channels, with only minimal bleed to the rears. The more active scenes (especially much of Part II) come alive with some nice front-to-back pans, but I longed for more ambiance. The first film suffers the worst, with little in the way of surround presence aside from the first DeLorean scene and the climax. Imaging is also a bit too obvious, with the suddenly-active rears calling attention to themselves and distracting. Still, while none of these mixes can compete with today's big action spectacles, for a trio of 80's classics now over a decade old, it's a respectable effort.

All additional audio options are the same for each film: an alternate French 5.1 Dolby surround dub, English captions encoded as subtitles, and Spanish subtitles. No true Closed Captioning is provided.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

At last, the Back to the Future box set that fans have always wanted has arrived. But rather than offer each film separately (which, I'm sure, is a foregone conclusion), Universal has guaranteed that you won't be able to buy just one of them, you'll have to buy 'em all. Housed in a big fat blue keepcase with a cardboard slipsleeve, each film gets its own disc, complete with its own extras. (Overseas fans get a slightly different configuration: also a three-disc set with DTS tracks and most of the same extras, although this Region 1 release has a few more.) The menus are all consistent across each film (though a bit bland for my taste) and the package also includes a very nice full color 12-page booklet with brief production notes, a guide to the considerable supplements, and chapter stop listings.

Let's start with a number of features that are consistent across each movie. Each installment in the trilogy gets two audio commentaries apiece. Most satisfying is the Q&A with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Recorded after a screening of the first film at Zemeckis' alma mater, the USC School of Cinema-Television, and moderated by DVD producer Laurent Bouzereau, each "commentary" is actually only a partial track, running 98 minutes, 50 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. (The commentary simply goes silent for the remainder of the film.) While at first this may seem like a cheat, in many ways the Q&A format offers added excitement, as Zemeckis and Gale don't know what questions are going to be asked upfront. Although the quality of the recording is a bit less than ideal - slight hiss can be heard throughout - the conversation often veers in unexpected directions. The audience asks many questions to which fans have always wanted answers and are likely the ones the filmmakers would probably not have approached had they not committed to the Q&A format. The real story behind the infamous Eric Stoltz footage, the mysterious disappearance of Crispin Glover in the sequels, the reticence of Mary Steenburgen, and the various script permutations for the sequels are just a few highlights. While I would have liked full commentaries for the sequels (and what a mammoth production it was!) just getting the chance to finally hear Zemeckis discuss these films is a treat. A must-listen for fans.

Since the Q&A's were not recorded to the film at all, also included are additional screen-specific audio commentaries with Gale and co-producer Neil Canton. Unfortunately, these are considerably blander, with Canton barely uttering a word throughout. Gale goes far more into the technical here than on the Q&As, offering tidbits on various effects and stunts, some obvious script conceits and tricks used in the sequels to get around the fact they never planned the first film as part of a trilogy, and why key decisions were made, such as recasting the Jennifer role. Unfortunately, by the end of each flick (especially the two sequels) the tracks are marred by long patches of silence, and Canton makes a far worse foil for Gale than Zemeckis. These tracks are not particularly bad, but compared to the Q&A's, only die-hard McFly fans need apply.

Also included for each flick are Did You Know That? Universal Animated Antecedents, which are subtitle "fact tracks" that play throughout each film. Becoming more popular these days, these text streams can be a lot of fun; and for Back to the Future, Universal has snazzed 'em up with cute overlays and graphic animations. However, the tracks themselves are a bit too bland. The information is presented at a snail's pace, with long blank passages; when we do get info, it tends to be of the surface variety, with cast bio info, basic plot points, or obvious trivia already well- known to most fans. These tracks are fun to leave up during the commentaries, but are not the best such text commentaries I've seen lately.

Up next are a ton of featurettes on each film spread across the three discs. All of the video-based features are presented in full frame, and in a very nice touch, Universal has provided English, French and Spanish subtitles for all of the featurettes. Let's start with each of the film's original EPKs, appropriately titled The Making of Back to the Future parts I, II and III (running 14 minutes, 12 minutes and 8 minutes, respectively). For 80's promo fluff these are actually a cut above, with lots of production footage and on-set interviews with the main cast and crew. Of course, these are simply teasers for each film disguised as recaps of their respective plots, but kinda fun for nostalgia buffs. Also watch for a scruffy-looking Spielberg, who offers such insightful bon mots as "This film is about...time." Thanks, Steve.

Now comes my only real disappointment inthis box set, a new 45-minute documentary on all three films, entitled Making the Trilogy. Broken up into three 15-minute pieces on each disc, this doc is up to Bouzereau's usual high standards in terms of production values, editing and visual sheen, but lacking in any real depth. Only Zemeckis, Gale and Fox offer new interviews, and with their presence so well felt on the commentaries and Fox's solo interview (see below), the lack of any other participants is a real let-down. Where's Christopher Lloyd? Lea Thompson? Thomas Wilson? Crispin Glover? Mary Steenburgen? Steven Spielberg? It is hard to believe none of these folks would participate, especially since this is a set that has taken five long years to come to DVD. Worse, most of the comments from Zemeckis, Gale and Fox mirror much that is also said in the commentaries, so what should have been the real highlight of this set - a truly comprehensive documentary on the making of the trilogy - feels like instant deja vu. How ironic for a trilogy called Back to the Future, eh?

Trying to make up for the lacking documentary are a number of other new featurettes. Most copious are the four segments on Part II: "Production Design" (2:54), "Storyboarding" (1:30), (3:32), and "Designing Time Travel" (2:41), while Part III also gets "Designing the Town of Hill Valley" (1:21) and "Designing the Campaign" (1:17). More narrated still galleries than anything else, all of these segments feature another interview with Gale intercut with lots of production footage and stills. It's nicely done, but the absence of any of the key crew again leaves these somewhat dry and uninvolving. Also included are a few video-based vignettes on the trilogy's special effects: Part I - "Makeup Tests" (an amusing 2:17) and for Part II - "Hoverboard Test" (0:57) and "Evolution of Visual Effects Shots" (5:42). All are presented in full frame with generally no sound. Perhaps the coolest of the lot is the "Evolution of Visual Effects Shots," which offers more commentary by Gale and a glimpse at how ILM managed to accomplish such extensive compositing techniques in the pre-digital era.

In what will likely delight Back to the Future fans, each disc gets a number of deleted scenes long sought by the devoted. All are presented in rather poor quality non-anamorphic widescreen and 2.0 mono, but all are definitely watchable. As these films are so highly complex, even such brief scenes and extensions are filled with the kind of additional character connections and in-jokes fans drool over. These scenes include approximately 20 minutes of material total: Part I - "Peanut Brittle," "Pinch Me," "Doc's Personal Belongings," "She's Cheating," "Darth Vader," "Hit Me, George," "You Got a Permit?" and "The Phone Booth"; Part II - "Old Terry and Old Biff," "Dad's Home," "Pizza Scene," "Jennifer Faints," "Old Biff Vanishes from Car," "Burned-Out High School," and "Marty Meets Dave"; and Part III - just one scene, "Biff Kills Marshal Strickland." All the scenes feature optional commentary by Gale, and no, none of the infamous "Stoltz footage" is revealed....

Mention must also be made of a special feature on disc one only, the Enhanced Conversation with Michael J. Fox. Click on this extra in the menu and the feature starts up; watch for the little clock icon on the bottom right corner of the screen, then click your remote and a short 1-odd minute interview segment with Fox will appear. There are 20 segments total (one for each chapter stop, making them easy to access), so this functions as sort of an abbreviated audio commentary with the actor. Unfortunately, I encountered two problems. First, this material is encoded in non-anamorphic widescreen, making the back-and-forth branching a clunky experience; second, on both of my set-top players and my ROM drive, when this feature is activated and the layer change occurs (around chapter 8) the enhanced viewing mode disengages and we are returned to the menu - I couldn't access any of the additional segments. Hopefully Universal will correct this problem on future pressings?

Other extras featured in the set include the music videos for "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis (on Part I and Part II) and ZZ Top's "Doubleback" by ZZ Top. Both are presented in full frame and 2.0 stereo. Next are rather wimpy outtakes for each film, totaling a whopping 6 minutes combined. This footage is in pretty poor shape and not all that funny. (I'd have to assume there was plenty more such material to be found?). Considerably better are the extensive still galleries for each film. Presented as video montages, I counted nearly 250 stills total, although no explanatory text or commentary is provided. While the themes of each gallery are often the same on each disc, the actual content is different throughout: Part I - "Marty McFly Photo Album" (6 minutes), "Behind the Scenes" (3 minutes), "DeLorean Designs" (5 minutes) and "Concept Art " (8 minutes); Part 2 - "Marty McFly Photo Album" (6 minutes), "Behind the Scenes" (3 minutes), "Futuristic Designs" (4 minutes) and "Vehicles of the Future" (4 minutes); and Part III - "Marty McFly Photo Album" (6 minutes) and "Behind the Scenes" (3 minutes).

Last but not least, we have some features unique to disc one and disc three. The first disc includes some text-based screenplay excerpts, but as the complete screenplay is also included as a ROM extra (see below) it's better accessed there. A rather useless addition. Much more fun is the 22-minute TV special The Secrets Behind the Back to the Future Trilogy on disc three, produced just in time for the theatrical release of Part III in 1990. Hosted by Kirk Cameron(!), this is a totally goofy bit of 80's silliness. While most of the questions asked by the "real fans" (i.e., scripted) are obvious lead-ins to effects making-of segments, it's kinda fun and rather more enjoyable than the dry new featurettes produced for this DVD. Cheesy, but anything hosted by Kirk Cameron can't be all bad, can it? Last but not least is the Back to the Future FAQ, a text- based list of questions asked at the USC Q&A but not included in the commentary. Pretty fun.

Rounding out the set, each disc also includes the usual bevy of additional extras: text-based filmographies for the main cast and crew, slightly more robust production notes than are provided in the booklet, a single full frame theatrical trailer for each film on its respective disc, and finally some Universal ads for their theme parks and other DVD recommendations.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

Insert any of the three discs in your ROM drive and up pops a custom Universal interface. In addition to the usual DVD controls and embedded weblinks, the big feature here of course is the Universal Total Axxess portal. Due to launch in full when this set streets on December 17th, 2002, extras expected to arrive include additional behind the scenes material, stills, and games. Watch this space for an update when the site launches.

Available regardless of a web connection, however, the complete original screenplay for the first film is also included. The handy viewer allows you to read each chapter with corresponding screen access, view either the script and/or the scene full frame, and print out each chapter and/or the entire screenplay. Note that this is the final version of the screenplay, and neither of the scripts for the sequels are included. Perhaps the launch of the Total Axxess portal will rectify such an omission?

Parting Thoughts