I can recall a scene in the theatrical release of the original “Back to the Future” that I haven’t seen since - not on VHS, nor the versions I have seen on cable (I have not checked out the new DVD release). I have asked the “Back to the Future” message board at http://www.bttf.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi but no one seems to recall it either.
When Marty is released from the trunk, I remember him about to run away to go help George and Lorraine, but before he takes off, he stops, takes a lit cigarette from one of the Starlighters, takes a long drag, returns it and then runs off. The cigarette might be construed as pot due to the “Hey, hey listen guys. Look, I don’t wanna mess with no reefer addicts, okay?” line uttered earlier (the quote is derived from http://www.angelfire.com/de/esd/Back2Fut.html).
I have not seen that scene since. The scene I see on cable and VHS has Marty just run off without taking a drag off of the cigarette. However, I can recall the scene very clearly, and recall that Michael J. Fox does one of those double-takes that seem to be a signature part of his comedy style (hard to explain, but he is about to run, thinks for a second, turns around and grabs the cigarette, drags and returns it, and then takes off running full steam. Michael Keaton comes to mind as someone else who does that type of double-take well).
Now the question to the Dopers is this: Did that scene exist? Does anyone else besides me remember it?
Yes the scene does exist. I had to flip through the ol’cerebral rolledex to remember it, but yeah I remember. It happens quickly, MJF gets out of the trunk, grabs the cig, takes a drag, and runs away.
My best guess would be it was edited out after the eighties do to the massive no smoking push that has ensued in this country. I do not have a cite but that would be my best guess.
Also, I bet if I drag out my old Video Disk Recorder and find the disk with BTTF I bet I’d see the scene. But with the current digital revolution, I am sure some things have been edited out.
It’s not in the DVD version, nor is it a deleted scene or outtake. Additionally, in the movie, as Marty exits, none of the band members has a cigarette. One of the outtakes does have Marty smoking, but there’s no way that’s what you’re thinking of.
I recall it in the theater version b/c I was newly into “reefer” myself as a 15 year-old delinquent, and thought that scene was way cool, much like 15-year-olds do when they think they’ve entered some secret cannabis club with clues everywhere. (“Dude - they were totally HIGH when they filmed that scene!”)
I didn’t realize they don’t show it anymore. My WAG is that it was removed before video releases as to not promote doing drugs. (No way were the band members only supposed to be smoking cigarettes in that scene. Why stay in the car to smoke cigarettes? You could smoke on an airplane back then).
They do remove scenes before video release sometimes. Ex: The “No Stairway” scene from Wayne’s World.
The scene with the band smoking in the car and Biff’s gang accusing them of being reefers is in the film, and as far as I know, always has been. The only thing missing is Marty partaking.
In my post I was referring to the Marty partaking scene. My “no way were they smoking cigarettes” comments were in reference to Phlosphr’s suggestion that they were smoking cigarettes, therefore the scene was removed as part of a “no smoking” push. Re-reading it I see I didn’t make that clear, sorry.
So, to clarify, I certainly do remember the Marty partaking scene from the movie when I saw it in the theater, so you can add me as an “It exists” data point.
I’m looking at a VHS copy and the “reefer addict” scene is there, but not Marty partaking. After Biff’s gang is chased off, you see Marvin with a cigarette-looking thing in his mouth. When he asks Marty where the keys are and gets the “they’re in the trunk” line, he removes the cig, but you can’t tell what it is exactly. I’ve got a copy I made off HBO that’s older, but I’ll have to find it.
Wayne’s World Nitpick: The scene’s still there but the riff he plays is changed to a generic one. Ruins the joke cause then the “no stairway” bit makes no sense.
During test screenings, an additional scene was included at the end, in which Josh is back at school, and a new girl named Susan arrives. The implication is that Susan used the same machine to make herself young to grow up with Josh. Due to audience feedback, this scene was cut, and so the movie ends when Josh goes back home.
Goddamnit, I hate it when later video releases of a movie don’t have the same music because of licensing problems. Happened with the Henry Winkler movie Heroes; originally it ended with “Carry on my Wayward Son”, but the later VHS release had some crappy generic song at the end.
I recall a scene from Aliens, just after the dropship has crashed marooning the main characters on the planet, where Bill Paxton’s character Hudson snaps: “That’s it, man! We’re f***ed, man, we’re Fritos, game over, man, game over!” I know the gist of the line because my friends and I thought it was hilarious, and used to repeat it at every opportunity. Yet in later VHS releases, the reference to Fritos was excised. Dunno about DVD release.
I’d never paid much attention to those links down the left side (the ones at the top are pretty boring) so I’d never seen the “Alternate Versions” link. Thanks, Silentgoldfish, for pointing that out to me.