# Back To The Future fans, gather round and let us revel in brilliance! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [August 4, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960 "2003-08-04T19:58:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/81 "2003-08-08T18:03:07Z")
I loved all three of these movies and the Trilogy is on my list (behind about 15 other “must have” movies). In case anyone is interested… If you are ever in Hollywood, go to the corner of Franklin and Highland Blvd. There stands the United Methodist Church. This church was used for the “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance and you can se the parking lot where the fight took place. Also, in Pasadena, you can go check out the “Gamble House”, which was used as Christopher Lloyd’s home in the movie. Just thought I would share. Movie locations are a bit of a hobby for me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/82 "2003-08-08T19:47:37Z")
Don’t forget the Universal Studios Tour, where they _won’t let you forget_ that all the courtyard scenes were filmed there! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/83 "2003-08-10T02:06:11Z")
Anybody have a link to The Onion editorial about the guy with the _BTTF_ fan fiction? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/84 "2003-08-10T04:08:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > Clever. That’s the word I would use to describe it. It’s hard to lay out a conflict and resolution as well as they did in Parts I and III. And the little causality jokes. Lone Pine Mall. Eastwood Ravine. Brilliant. 🙂 Even the name of the town is clever - Hill Valley. Um, excuse my ignorance, but I saw the trilogy a looooong time ago (and it was jolly good). Could some kind soul please explain the above in-jokes?! Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/85 "2003-08-10T04:22:31Z")
Hey **glee** , By “in jokes” you mean the causality thing right? Some examples are: 1. The mall in BTTF 1 where Marty first travels back, was originally called “twin Pines mall” When he goes back and escapes the ranch where the mall _will_ be, he accidentally runs over 1 of 2 pine trees growing near thee entrance to the ranch. By the end of the film, the mall is now called “Lone Pines Mall” 2. When Doc breaks the peice of ledge on the clock tower near the end of BTTF 1, it remains broken in the future. These are 2 of the several causality things. I guess you could throw in that Marty invented Rock 'n Roll, skateboarding, and the life preserver fashion as well! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/86 "2003-08-10T04:33:42Z")
OH yeah! And about the “east wood ravine” thing… The big ravine that you see in BTTF 3, (which the train falls into) was originally called “Shonash Ravine” Some old Native name. Then, Clara Clayton the new school teacher arrived at the Hill Valley Train station. Nobody volunteered to meet her, so she ended up getting a horse and trailer and heading off toward her home on her own. On the trip, some snakes spooked her horses and they ran off out of control. The wagon breaks off from the horses and plunges into the ravine with Clara on top. She dies, and the town renames “Shonash Ravine” to “Clayton Ravine” In the time where Doc goes back, he volunteers to pick up Clara from the train station and successfully takes her back to her home and the Ravine is still named, “shonash Ravine” But! After Doc gets shot in the back by Griff, Apparently Clara so distraught over his death plunges herself into the Ravine, thus the ravine is named “Clayton Ravine”. In the time where Marty joins doc, Marty tells Doc of a love named Clara, Doc has not met her yet and decides to not pick her up to try and change events. Marty and Doc leave to scout around the track locations by the unfinished bridge and the ravine. They hear Clara’s Screams for help and Doc manages to save Clara before her wagon rolls into the Ravine. Not realising this was the person he was trying to avoid. At the end of the film, everyone in the 1885 Hill Valley beleives “Clint Eastwood” fell into the ravine with the train in an accident. They rename the Ravine. “Eastwood Ravine” in honour of his death and how he beat up Griff. You can see the sign as the Delorean rolls down the tracks in 1985. Whoa… thats a big causality. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/87 "2003-08-10T20:48:12Z")
Teelo, That’s exactly what I wanted - thanks! 😃 Glee ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/88 "2003-08-10T23:56:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by glee \* > \*\*Teelo, > > That’s exactly what I wanted - thanks! > > 😃 > > Glee \*\* 🙂 Now I have glee! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/89 "2021-04-25T17:31:25Z")
Bumped. Eric Stoltz, the first Marty McFly [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_wudNasQbv0/hqdefault.jpg "Eric Stoltz as Marty Mcfly in Back to the Future!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wudNasQbv0) Marty and Doc Brown visit Jimmy Kimmel (2015) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q0VGRlEJewA/maxresdefault.jpg "Marty McFly & Doc Brown Visit Jimmy Kimmel Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0VGRlEJewA) Cast reunion that year [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cgb3zk-5m4w/maxresdefault.jpg "'Great Scott!' 'Back to the Future' Cast Reunites | TODAY") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgb3zk-5m4w) The actor who played Biff has a great song about all the questions he’s tired of answering > **[The Question Song](https://backtothefuture.fandom.com/wiki/The_Question_Song)** > > "The Question Song" is a song written and performed by Thomas F. Wilson, who portrayed Biff Tannen in the Back to the Future trilogy, in which he humorously answers several of the most repetitive questions about the films that he wishes people would... ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/90 "2021-04-25T18:44:35Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gR0FptmZKdw/hqdefault.jpg "Family Guy best moments - Back to the future George McFly") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0FptmZKdw) ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/91 "2021-04-25T18:57:06Z")
Doc Brown cameo in _A Million Ways to Die in the West_: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DTZ1bgOIaAY/maxresdefault.jpg "A Million Ways to Die in the West (6/10) Movie CLIP - Great Scott! (2014) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTZ1bgOIaAY) ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/92 "2021-04-26T06:57:55Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > **Back To The Future**. Is this not, in fact, the finest piece of lighthearted sci-fi/comedy ever crafted? It has something for everyone. Personally I would pick Galaxy Quest but yeah BTTF is up there. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WY2w2-CAKgM/hqdefault.jpg "BTTF 1955 Hill Valley Mr. Sandman") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY2w2-CAKgM) The scene where Marty first sees Hill Valley in 1955 ,with Mr Sandman in the background, is one of the great moments of movie magic, right up there with Dorothy walking into Oz and when we first see dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/93 "2021-04-26T14:50:32Z")
BTW, when the car pulls up to the Texaco station, four guys rush out and start fueling the car, checking the tire and oil pressure and cleaning the windshield. Was the service ever like that? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/94 "2021-04-26T15:26:09Z")
I’m always surprised that the soda fountain guy doesn’t get pissed that Marty just casually rips out a page from his phone book. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/95 "2021-04-26T16:14:15Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Bumped. Someone else watched the Reelz documentary on BTTF yesterday morning. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/96 "2021-04-26T17:32:35Z")
Not I, as it happens, but my teenage son and I did watch all three _BTTF_ movies in the last week or so. The first is still hands-down the best, but the second and third were actually better than I remembered. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/97 "2021-04-27T00:43:52Z")
Maybe not four guys, but checking the tires, oil, radiator, battery, and cleaning the windshield used to be more or less standard practice. And given the cars of the 50s and 60s, all of those items needed more attention than they do today. Historical note - it was the oil embargoes and ensuing “gas crises” of the '70s that killed full service. Gas stations cut the number of attendants, and offered “mini-service” or even self-service for a few pennies per gallon less than traditional full service. It became clear very quickly that the large majority of customers didn’t care enough to pay extra. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/98 "2021-04-27T01:37:25Z")
I remember some of that, vaguely. When you drove up to the pump, a bell rang inside (you had run over a “bell hose” to get to the pump) and a guy would come out to pump the gas and at least clean the windows. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960/99 "2021-04-27T01:43:17Z")
> [@Lantern2](#): > > Personally I would pick Galaxy Quest but yeah BTTF is up there. Ghost Busters rounds out my top 3 for Sci-fi/comedy. Bonus for Ghost Busters, rounds out my top 4 for Horror/Comedy too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-fans-gather-round-and-let-us-revel-in-brilliance/192960.md?page=4)