Not Back to the Future
Why Robert Zemeckis’ classic wouldn’t work in 2025
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In a recent interview, Back to the Future star Lea Thompson remarked, “If Back to the Future was made in 2025, and they went back thirty years, nothing would look that different.”
And she’s right.
One reason the original worked so brilliantly was because 1985 and 1955 felt worlds apart. It was the perfect gap for a time travel movie: close enough to still be familiar, but far enough to highlight huge cultural and technological changes.
Go too far back — say, ancient Rome — and the movie would have turned into a parody of The Life of Brian (if that’s possible).
A 30-year gap is perfect. It allows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) to jump from the strip malls, skateboards, and metal bands of 1985 Hill Valley, to the 1955 version. A version, which, while geographically the same, is culturally completely different.
That’s what makes the movie. It makes it intriguing without going overboard into the realms of spoof and sci-fi. It’s a jump for the audience, but not too far. It’s weird, but not that weird.
Put it this way, it’s not Time Bandits — brilliant as that film is!
Back to the Future — Again?
So let’s imagine Back to the Future being made today. Marty leaves 2025 and ends up in 1995. Instead of crashing into Peabody’s farm from the Twin Pines Mall of 2025, he crashes into, well, the Twin Pines Mall of 1995!
You see the problem. As Lea Thompson alluded to, while there are plenty of differences between the two periods, there aren’t enough. Certainly not enough to make any reboot or remake feasible. Or indeed interesting.
Here’s why.
Music
Music plays a huge role in the original film. In 1985, Marty plays guitar in his rock band, The Pinheads. When he lands in 1955, the jukebox is full of doo-wop, R&B ballads, and early crooners. Rock ‘n’ roll is still in its infancy, especially in Hill Valley. A contrast that made the Johnny B. Goode scene so iconic.
Now let’s imagine Marty jumps from 2025 back to 1995. The music he’d find would be Britpop, grunge, and hip-hop. It might sound different, but jangly guitars are still jangly guitars. Not exactly a culture shock.
But 1955! Wow! The Western world was on the cusp of the most important cultural revolution in recent history. A rebellion that was in essence fuelled by rock ’n’ roll. A musical style that morphed into the psychedelic rock that defined the 1960s and spawned a whole new wave of music, film, and art.
Going from 2025 to 1995 in music terms wouldn’t work. For one, we would still have Oasis.
Cars
In the movie, Biff Tannen’s beloved 1946 Ford convertible ends up full of manure. And it’s devastating for him, like the end of the world. Cars in the 1950s were symbols of identity. Big, loud, and shiny. Gas was cheap and cars were king.
By contrast, in 1995 I had a rusty Mini Metro given to me by my gran. If someone filled it with manure, I probably wouldn’t care. In fact, I would probably shake their hand and give it over to the insurance company.
By the mid 90s, cars were becoming generic. Four doors and four wheels in which people drove to work, and style only mattered for some. For most, a car was a car — nothing more. That automotive pride and style of the 1950s, a footnote in history.
TVs
In the dinner scene with Lorraine’s family, when Marty says he has two TVs, they’re astonished.
“Nobody has two televisions!” says her mum.
In 1955, TVs were a luxury and a novelty. In 1995, my family had three or four TVs. Today, most people have the same number or use tablets or laptops.
The joke just wouldn’t work anymore.
Clothes
Fashion changes, but not always dramatically.
If I wore the same clothes as I’m wearing now — jeans, a T-shirt, and trainers — in 1995, I would blend in perfectly.
True, the logos and styles might look a bit weird. But I certainly wouldn’t get people calling my body warmer (vest) a lifesaver as Marty does in the movie.
Terrorists and Politicians
One of the film’s funniest lines comes when Doc asks who’s president in 1985.
Marty says, “Ronald Reagan.”
“Ronald Reagan? The actor?” Doc replies. “Who’s vice-president, Jerry Lewis?”
It’s a funny line, and maybe not that much has changed — we still have an actor in the White House (albeit a bad one).
But the terrorists certainly have. Back in 1985, the villains were Libyan terrorists. But what about today? Who would you choose?
The choice would be endless. Especially as our politicians these days call terrorists anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Be it climate activists? Hackers? Russians? Iranians? Canadians?
In short, the 1985 worldview was simpler. Or at least easier to parody.
Phones & Phone Books
One of the moments in the movie I like is when Marty is searching for Doc Brown using a phone book in Lou’s Cafe. He has to find Doc as he’s the only person who can help him.
But how would that work in 1995?
For a viewer in 1985, a phone book and booth would be perfectly normal. While they still existed in 1995, by 2015 they were obsolete. If the movie was made now, the appearance of a phone book would be bizarre. Who under 30 even knows what a phone book is?
While this discrepancy could be easily addressed in any remake, I think it’s an important part of the movie. It creates real tension as Marty tries to call Doc while trying to avoid the suspicious gaze of the diner’s owner, Lou.
And it proves once again that the cultural differences between the two periods are stark enough to create real intrigue and drama out of something as mundane as a phone book.
It would certainly be fun to send Marty back to 1995 from 2025, and certainly a challenge for any filmmaker.
But I don’t think it’d work. The world has changed. But not in the visceral, visible, culture-shock way it did between 1985 and 1955.
Back to the Future isn’t just a very clever movie with an almost flawless script and cast. It’s fun. It’s joyful, inventive, and packed with charm. One might say, the perfect movie.
Could a 2025 version compete with that? Compete with manure-filled convertibles and 1950s teenagers terrified by rock ‘n’ roll?
Unlikely.
For more pop culture comedy, check out 21st Century Comedy here.
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Very true Philip. I’m still wearing the same underpants. Not much has changed. We still have to suffer Oasis. 😀
At least there's one remake movie audiences won't have to endure....