History YMMV / BacktoTheFuture

** Creator/JoshKeaton voiced Jules.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** One episode has Marty go by alias of Jimmy Olsen, referencing how Creator/MarcMcClure, who played Jimmy Olsen in the ''Film/SupermanFilmSeries'', portrayed Marty's brother Dave in the films. David Kaufman, who voices Marty, would later go on to voice ComicBook/JimmyOlsen in several animated productions. Years after playing Marty, Kaufman voiced [[Film/StuartLittle another Michael J. Fox character]] for a [[RecycledTheSeries cartoon adaptation]].
** [[WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998 Blossom]] [[Creator/CathyCavadini Utonium]] and [[WestenAnimation/DannyPhantom Danny]] [[Creator/DavidKaufman Phantom]] once dated.

** Jennifer is voiced by Cathy Cavadini, who would later become known for voicing [[WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998 Blossom]].

** [[WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998 Blossom]] [[Creator/CatherineCavadini Utonium]] and [[WestenAnimation/DannyPhantom Danny]] [[Creator/DavidKaufman Phantom]] once dated.

** [[WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998 Blossom]] [[Creator/CathyCavadini Utonium]] and [[WestenAnimation/DannyPhantom Danny]] [[Creator/DavidKaufman Phantom]] once dated.

* HilariousInHindsight: One episode has Marty go by alias of Jimmy Olsen, referencing how Creator/MarcMcClure, who played Jimmy Olsen in the ''Film/SupermanFilmSeries'', portrayed Marty's brother Dave in the films. David Kaufman, who voices Marty, would later go on to voice ComicBook/JimmyOlsen in several animated productions. Years after playing Marty, Kaufman voiced [[Film/StuartLittle another Michael J. Fox character]] for a [[RecycledTheSeries cartoon adaptation]].

* HilariousInHindsight: One episode has Marty go by alias of Jimmy Olsen, referencing how Marc [=McClure=], who played Jimmy Olsen in the ''Film/SupermanFilmSeries'', portrayed Marty's brother Dave in the films. David Kaufman, who voices Marty, would later go on to voice ComicBook/JimmyOlsen in several animated productions. Years after playing Marty, Kaufman voiced [[Film/StuartLittle another Michael J. Fox character]] for a [[RecycledTheSeries cartoon adaptation]].

* HilariousInHindsight: One episode has Marty go by alias of Jimmy Olsen, referencing how Marc [=McClure=], who played Jimmy Olsen in the ''Film/SupermanFilmSeries'', portrayed Marty's brother Dave. David Kaufman, who voices Marty, would later go on to voice ComicBook/JimmyOlsen in several animated productions. Years after playing Marty, Kaufman voiced [[Film/StuartLittle another Michael J. Fox character]] for a [[RecycledTheSeries cartoon adaptation]].

* HilariousInHindsight: One episode has Marty go by alias of Jimmy Olsen, referencing how Marc [=McClure=], who played Jimmy Olsen in the live action ''Superman'' movies, portrayed Marty's brother Dave. David Kaufman, who voices Marty, would later go on to voice ComicBook/JimmyOlsen in several animated productions. Years after playing Marty, Kaufman voiced [[Film/StuartLittle another Michael J. Fox character]] for a [[RecycledTheSeries cartoon adaptation]].

* HarsherInHindsight: Creator/CrispinGlover refused to return as George [=McFly=] for the sequels and he later sued the producers for co-opting his likeness without his approval by using scenes from the first film to show George in 1955, which led to the Screen Actors Guild writing new rules about using stock footage of actors. In 2023, SAG-AFTRA went on strike in large part as backlash against a proposal from Hollywood studios to use [[UsefulNotes/ArtificialIntelligence AI]] to scan and own actors' likenesses, making Glover's concerns completely justified.

[[folder:Part I]]
* AccidentalAesop: Don't push yourself to be with someone because you've convinced yourself that it's 'true love', find someone with qualities you actually like and admire. It'll help you both grow as people, as your relationship strengthens over time. Lorraine originally married George because he was hit by a car and she felt sorry for him, and they were miserable together. When Marty interfered, they had to fall in love ''for real'', meaning they still ended up together at the end, but were much happier overall because they had found actual ''reasons'' to be together far beyond just a minor car accident.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: How genuine was Biff's nicer personality after Marty meddled with the past? Did he really become a better person after George stood up to him, or was he merely sucking up to George out of fear and respect? While he seemed truly excited when George's book got published and made sure that Marty's truck was ready for him to take Jennifer to the lake, a few scenes from the sequels suggest that he never fully outgrew his old ways.
* AluminumChristmasTrees: As Marty tries to tell George to ask Lorraine to the dance, George objects by saying it would mean missing his favorite TV show ''Science Fiction Theatre''. ''Science Fiction Theatre'' was an actual sci-fi show from the 50s, a spiritual predecessor to ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' and ''Series/{{The Twilight Zone|1959}}'' (in the extended version of the "Darth Vader" scene, Marty also name-drops those shows).
* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail:
** The film was passed on by practically all the major studios for not having raunchy enough humor [[note]][[FollowTheLeader This was the era that brought films]] like ''Film/AnimalHouse'' and ''Film/FastTimesAtRidgemontHigh''.[[/note]], while Disney passed it on for being ''too'' raunchy by their standards [[note]]because of the subplot where the young version of Marty's mother is attracted to him.[[/note]]. It was only after the box office success of ''Film/RomancingTheStone'' that Creator/AmblinEntertainment started expressing hope in Creator/RobertZemeckis' and Bob Gale's science fiction comedy...which would later become the highest-grossing movie of its year.
** One executive, in particular, was quoted by the film's producers as saying "Time travel movies don't work. They just don't work."
* AngstWhatAngst: Marty's mother pretty much shrugs off her AttemptedRape, and the fact that the man who attempted to rape her is working for the family thirty years later doesn't seem to cause her any noticeable distress. It is also true however that Lorraine's adult self gets barely a few minutes of screen time and, as noted, thirty years have passed. Plenty of time for a reconciliation (which there are many cases of in real life), especially with this far more timid version of Biff.
* AwardSnub:
** One of the most critically acclaimed films of 1985 (according to Website/RottenTomatoes, has a bigger average rating and percentage than any of the Best Picture UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominees of that year), and while it ''did'' get a Best Original Screenplay nom, it didn't get a Best Picture nom.
** While "The Power of Love" was nominated for Best Song, Music/AlanSilvestri's iconic score wasn't nominated for Best Original Score.
* CatharsisFactor: George [[GrewASpine standing up to Biff]] and ''knocking him out'' with just one punch is this in spades after seeing Biff act like such a massive {{Jerkass}} and [[TheBully bully]] towards George throughout the whole film and attempting to outright [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape Lorraine]]. Even more so, as this event finally gives George the [[TookALevelInBadass boost in confidence]] he needs to become happy and successful in the new future.
* CoveredUp: Many younger people are first exposed to [[Music/ChuckBerry "Johnny B. Goode"]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Angel "Earth Angel"]] through this movie, unaware of the originals.
* EndingFatigue: While not wearing out its welcome, the film looks like it's going to end about twice before it actually does. Doc drops Marty off at his house before heading off to the future. Is it the end? Cut to Marty waking up the next morning. Marty is reunited with Jennifer. Is it the end? Doc suddenly ''returns'' to bring Marty along on another adventure with Jennifer accompanying them. It is there that the film ''finally'' ends.
* FanPreferredCutContent: It's a small moment overall, but most fans find the extended version of the scene where a cop inquires if Doc has a permit for his "weather experiment" to be hysterical and wish it hadn't been trimmed down.
* FourthWallMyopia: Various internet lists detail "plot holes" such as George [=McFly=] not getting suspicious of his son Marty looking just like the Marty he met back in 1955 and/or recognizing the names of the planet "Vulcan" or "Darth Vader" from Star Trek and Star Wars that came out years later.
** For the resemblance to Marty from 1955, people should keep in mind that his son ends up looking like 1955 Marty exactly 30 ''years'' later, long after he would have remembered the exact facial details of someone he had met for a few hours over the course of a week when he was in high school. While the audience is exposed to only the characters shown on screen in the film, it's quite likely that George has met and/or seen thousands and thousands of people since he was in high school. Finally, while Michael J. Fox and Crispin Glover look nothing alike (because ACTORS), presumably there are some shared facial features visible to the characters that leaves little doubt that Marty looks like his father. In addition, the third film shows that shows that George's great-grandfather and grandfather also looked like Marty, and given that he probably would have seen pictures of them, plus his grandfather would likely have still been alive into George's adulthood, he would more likely notice Marty resembling them than he would "Calvin Klein".
** For the science fiction references, fans tend to forget that while they clearly hear names they are already familiar with, George has just been woken up from a deep sleep (doesn't wake up from a guy putting head phones on him) with screamingly loud music being blasted into his ear drums, and in his state of being partially awake and filled with terror hears an "alien" mention a couple of names he's never heard before. It's not like Marty repeated himself or allowed him to take notes, so, while he is shown remembering the names the following day, likely because it's fresh on his mind, he would be unlikely to recognize those names a week later, much less one or two decades later.
* GeniusBonus: Biff's goons are very intimidated by the Starlighters, saying "We don't want to mess with no reefer addicts." To many viewers, knowing that marijuana does not cause violent behavior, this may make them seem like cowards. Those familiar with the time period, though, will know that it was the era of ''Film/ReeferMadness'' and the goons had just bought into the propaganda. May double as a ParentalBonus.
* HarsherInHindsight:
** At the start of the movie, a newspaper clipping is visible indicating that Doc Brown's mansion from the 50s burned down and he wound up selling the land to developers. In 2008, Creator/ChristopherLloyd's home in California, which he was selling at the time, burned down in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Fire Tea Fire]].
** Huey Lewis' cameo as the band judge, complaining about Marty's band being "just too loud" can be a tad winceworthy now as Huey Lewis [[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/huey-lewis-talks-hearing-loss-and-the-end-of-his-singing-career/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab6a&linkId=81214839&fbclid=IwAR1F7AJtn_HPdH9HmJlQoqIXhw7OoNoCngchnR77ENu4fbXisifCbpKOjiY# announced he has developed hearing loss.]]
** Before he was going to travel 25 years into the future by himself, Doc mentions that he'd get to find out who'd win the next 25 World Series. Then in ''Part II'', we see the horrific results of someone using future sports knowledge, as Biff becomes a CorruptCorporateExecutive who turns Hill Valley into a nightmarish {{Dystopia}}. Plus, going ahead 25 years would put him smack in the middle of the US recession...which was preceded by another...and will be followed by another one and a pandemic. Not exactly a time to visit to give you optimism for the future.
** The use of Middle Eastern terrorists as non-serious, throwaway villains in a ''family movie''. [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror Doesn't seem so innocent now, does it?]]
** It's hard to watch Marty fading away and losing the use of his hands without thinking of Fox's Parkinson's disease, which he would be diagnosed with about 6 years later.
* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Goldie Wilson overcame racism to become Hill Valley's first African American mayor. In 2008, America elected its first black President.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** The WhosOnFirst scene in the café. Given that Pepsi Free was rebranded "Caffeine-Free Pepsi" just two years after the film came out, and Tab dwindled in popularity before being discontinued in 2020, it's entirely possible for modern viewers to [[AluminumChristmasTrees not realise those were actual drinks in 1985]] and end up just as confused as the vendor!
** Biff, frequently calling Marty "Butthead", as Creator/JasonHervey is in the movie playing one of Lorraine's younger brothers, and [[Series/TheWonderYears will later use that nickname pretty frequently himself]].
** In the "Making Of" documentary, Creator/MichaelJFox expresses interest in travelling back in time to become a cowboy. Then, in Part III, he really does. He even lampshades this in the behind-the-scenes special for Part III.
** Doc says his [=DeLorean=] is electrically powered (albeit referring to the the time circuits; the car itself runs on gasoline). Fast forward to October 2011 when the [=DeLorean=] Motor Company announces the [[http://jalopnik.com/5850023/this-is-a-brand-new-all+electric-delorean DMCEV]] which actually ''is'' electrically powered. It runs on batteries instead of a 1.21GW nuclear reactor, though.
** The shopping mall in pre-time travel 1985 is named the [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls Twin Pines]] Mall.
** One movie BTTF beat at the box office was Creator/ClintEastwood's ''Film/PaleRider''. In ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'', the 1885 Hill Valley was shot at the same location used for ''Pale Rider'' and [[ImMrFuturePopCultureReference has Marty use the alias "Clint Eastwood"]].
** [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Originally]], Creator/EricStoltz was cast as Marty, while Creator/JeffGoldblum was considered for the role of Doc Brown in the first film. In the following year, Goldblum had an iconic eccentric scientist role of his own named Seth Brundle in ''Film/{{The Fly|1986}}'', which spawned a sequel ''Film/TheFlyII'' which starred Stoltz as Seth's son Martin Brundle.
** In the film, Doc Brown saw a copy of Magazine/{{Playboy}} from the future. In October 1985, one of the people in that month's issue was [[http://www.entermyworld.com/articles/playboy-oct-1985 John DeLorean.]]
** In the first draft of the script, the time machine was a refrigerator and needed to go to a nuclear test site, but Creator/StevenSpielberg had this changed because he didn't want kids mimicking the scene and it was too expensive to film. Fast forward to Spielberg's ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'' and a certain infamous scene involving a refrigerator.
** Doc's initial dismissal of Marty's family photo as a fake has become all the more relevant with the ubiquity of Photoshop.
** "What the hell is a jiggawatt?!" is oddly appropriate now that the hard-g pronunciation has cemented itself as the preferred pronunciation.
** In one scene, Marty tries to convince George to invite Lorraine to the school dance by pretending to be an alien named [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]]. In the French dub, Marty is voiced by Luq Hamet, who later on became the voice of Dark Helmet in ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}''. Furthermore, Creator/ChristopherLloyd was cast in season three of ''Series/TheMandalorian''.
** The dialogue between Doc and Marty, especially towards the end of the film, can include Doc Brown repeatedly saying the latter's name. This may remind one of a [[WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty certain parody franchise.]]
** The name of Marty’s band at the beginning? The [[{{Franchise/Hellraiser}} Pinheads]].
* HollywoodHomely: Marty's older sister Linda in the original 1985. Though not a model by any means, she's relatively cute and certainly not somebody you'd expect to have too much trouble finding a boyfriend.
* LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt:
** Dixon steals Lorraine from George at the dance and George starts to walk away. Unfortunately for Marty, [[OhCrap this causes him to start fading out of existence]]. Luckily, George returns, shoves Dixon to the floor and [[TheBigDamnKiss kisses Lorraine]], ensuring the timeline is fixed and also ensuring the existence of Dave, Linda and Marty.
** Marty tries to send himself back to the future early enough to warn Doc he will be shot by the Libyans. When he gets there, [[MyCarHatesMe the DeLorean stalls on him]] and [[BigHeroicRun he has to make the journey to the mall on foot]]. He gets there moments too late and Doc is shot and seemingly killed again. But, as it turns out, Doc came prepared by wearing a bullet-proof vest, having taped Marty's letter back together.
* MemeticMutation:
** "IfMyCalculationsAreCorrect, when this baby hits 88 miles-per-hour, you're gonna see some serious shit."[[labelnote:Explanation]]Doc's introduction of the 88 mph threshold for the [=DeLorean=] to time travel.[[/labelnote]]
** ONE POINT TWENTY-ONE GIGAWATTS!?[[labelnote:Explanation]]A reference to the amount of energy needed to power the Flux Capacitor to time travel, and Doc's [[ChewingTheScenery hammy delivery]] when he finds out in 1955.[[/labelnote]]
*** What the hell's a gigawatt?![[labelnote:Explanation]]A reference to Marty's ignorance of what a gigawatt actually is.[[/labelnote]]
** November 12, 1955. [[http://giveupinternet.com/2010/11/12/never-forget-november-12-1955-pic/ NEVER FORGET.]][[labelnote:Explanation]]The date of the lightning strike that damaged the Hill Valley clocktower. Becomes a plot point as Doc plans to use the lightning to fuel the [=DeLorean=] so Marty can go back to 1985.[[/labelnote]]
** "It's your cousin Marvin Berry!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]He's calling his cousin [[Music/ChuckBerry Chuck]] so he can hear Marty's cover of "Johnny B. Goode".[[/labelnote]]
** "Great Scott!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]This is usually what Doc says when he sees or hears something surprising.[[/labelnote]]
*** Become "Nom de Zeus!" (literally "Zeus' name" but more akin to "Zeus dammit") in the French version.
** "Roads? Where we're going, [[WeDontNeedRoads we don't need roads]]."[[labelnote:Explanation]]Doc's closing line from the first film, before revealing the [=DeLorean=] [[FlyingCar can now fly]].[[/labelnote]]
** "[[OhCrap Oh my God! They found me.]] I don't know how, but they found me. '''''Run for it, Marty!!!'''''"[[labelnote:Explanation]]Doc when he's cornered by the Libyan terrorists he swindled the plutonium from.[[/labelnote]]
** "I guess you guys aren't ready for that, but your kids are gonna love it."[[labelnote:Explanation]]Marty's line after treating the Enchantment Under the Sea dance to ALittleSomethingWeCallRockAndRoll. Used for anything that is considered to be VindicatedByHistory.[[/labelnote]]
** "Hey, I've seen this one!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]Marty recognizing a rerun of a show, only for his kid uncle to point out this is actually the episode's ''premiere''. Used for when HistoryRepeats or a PopularityPolynomial appears.[[/labelnote]]
* MoralEventHorizon:
** Biff crossed it when [[spoiler:[[AttemptedRape he tried to rape Lorraine in 1955]]]] and then attempting to break George's arm when he tries to intervene.
** The terrorists cross it when they try to shoot Marty, [[WouldHurtAChild a minor]], just to LeaveNoWitnesses.
* NarmCharm:
** Marty almost fading has some [[SpecialEffectsFailure bad green-screening]], but it's still tense and terrifying to see him almost ''fade out of existence''.
** Marty's BigNo when Doc gets shot by the Libyans. It's very over-the-top, but just imagine seeing your best friend killed in cold blood, twice, and not being able to do a damn thing about it in either case.
** Marty's ridiculous performance at the dance is considered silly, but it getting [[StunnedSilence the expected response]] from the 1950s teenagers led to one of the most hilarious moments in the movie.
* NeverTrustATrailer: This movie's initial teaser, whilst admittedly [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LnShmQ_hLc frigging awesome]], gives entirely the wrong impression of the film. Marty is shown in complete control of the machine, deliberately setting it to go back in time, and far more self-assured and cool than he is in the film, more like Fox's ''Series/FamilyTies'' character Alex Keaton.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Match, one of Biff's goons, is played by Creator/BillyZane.
* SacredCow: Regardless of people's opinions of the [[ContestedSequel later movies]], the first is widely regarded as one of the best time travel movies of all time.
* SignatureScene: Marty's rendition of [[Music/ChuckBerry Johnny B. Goode]].
* SpecialEffectFailure:
** The Bobs were never thrilled with the effect used to show Marty's hand fading from existence; upon closer examination, rather than the entire hand fading away, it instead appears that a hole is appearing in it.
** The green-screen shots of the flame trails not burning Doc and Marty are pretty obvious nowadays.
* {{Squick}}: Behind the scenes: the idea that every studio except Fox and Disney thought that this film, which features [[ParentalIncest a boy's mother falling in love with her son]], was not risque enough.
* StrawmanHasAPoint: Barely, since it relies on a coincidence Strickland couldn't have known about. He might be something of a jerkass to Marty at the beginning of the film when claiming he's a slacker who'll never amount to anything, but he is right that Doc Brown is dangerous, in a way - given he's not only willing to perform risky and highly illegal time travel experiments powered by stolen plutonium, but to rip off terrorists for said plutonium who might be out for revenge, and to allow Marty to be dragged into the situation. Based on the future Marty we see in Part II, it could be argued that he was somewhat right about the first part, too. Furthermore, he does have a point in reprimanding Marty for being late four days in a row, since while Marty may have had an excuse on the current day due to Doc's clocks being set back, there's no indication that he has justifications for the other days.
* TearDryer: Near the end of the film, Marty arrives too late at the parking mall to save Doc Brown after the latter's refusal to hear Marty warning him about his eventual fate back in 1955, and witnesses the terrorists shooting down his friend again. After the chase between the other Marty and the terrorists, he rushes to Doc's body, and breaks down in tears believing he lost him for good. But suddenly, the Doc blinks, slowly wakes up, Marty turns around and realizes he's still alive, the Doc then reveals that he's been wearing a bulletproof vest, and that he did read Marty's letter warning him about his death, having taped it back together.
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece:
** People who are too young to meaningfully remember either the UsefulNotes/ColdWar or Gaddafi’s UsefulNotes/{{Libya}} will be bewildered as to why it is Libyans who are after Doc Brown since the Cold War ended in the early 90s and Gaddafi's regime collapsed in 2011.
** The lack of technologies like cell phones and computers that were rare in the 1980s but that have become more common since the 21st century. If the movie were made today Marty in the opening scene would be surrounded by computers and would be seen editing his songs on a laptop.
** The [=McFlys=] at the beginning of the movie are depicted [[InformedPoverty as poor losers]]. Millennials who've endured several recessions and a cost of living crisis would see the lifestyle of the original [=McFlys=] as pretty luxurious.
* ValuesDissonance:
** In the DVDCommentary, it's mentioned that some European audiences were put off by how the "improved" [=McFly=] family had become more materialistic, as exemplified by Marty getting the truck seen earlier in the film. According to Creator/CrispinGlover, he also disagreed with showing this materialism, arguing that this contradicted the message that ThePowerOfLove made the [=McFlys=]' lives better. This ''was'' a Reagan-era movie, after all.
** Also to modern audiences, the implication that Music/ChuckBerry was inspired to write his most famous song by hearing a white kid play it ([[NothingButHits Most famous song in *modern times*]] as Berry was an established, popular musician with a history of hit records years before "Johnny B. Goode" was released). Although Marty only knew it because Chuck Berry played it because he still wrote the song in the timeline Marty came from, so it's really a situation of [[StableTimeLoop Chuck Berry influencing Marty influencing Chuck Berry influencing Marty influencing...]]
** Despite an [[FairForItsDay apparently anti-racist message]] in showing Goldie Wilson rise up from being treated as a lowly black laborer to eventually becoming mayor of the town (and impressively standing up for himself when his boss at the diner pooh-poohs the idea of a black mayor), his [[UncleTomfoolery bug-eyed, exaggerated mannerisms]] look pretty cringey by today's standards. Similarly, we're meant to sympathize with the black musicians at the dance when a member of Biff's gang refers to one of them as a "spook," but ultimately the musicians are a mere [[MagicalNegro plot device to help Marty]].
** The fact that the film, a mainstream, widely-popular and heavily beloved/referenced movie, involves incest not only as a major plot point, but ''PlayedForLaughs'', could also count.
** The fact that even after he tried to sexually assault Lorraine on the night of their first kiss, George apparently hires Biff to tend to his car thirty years onward; one would think George, Marty and ''especially'' Lorraine might take some issue with Biff being anywhere nearby after that harrowing encounter. Not to mention, George and Lorraine once saw Biff try to murder Calvin Klein with his car while he was still a high school student. Yet George and Lorraine regard him with a begrudged affection, almost like he's family.
** Doc and Marty's plan to subject Lorraine to a staged AttemptedRape in general.
*** In a DeletedScene, Marty is worried that the psychological fallout might turn him gay. This 1) implies that being gay is a bad thing, in the tradition of many other 80s movies; 2) completely disregards any potential trauma Lorraine might suffer from the encounter; and 3) is not how being gay works. This is slightly lessened by the fact that the intended punchline is that [[HaveAGayOldTime the 1955 Doc doesn't know that the word "gay" has a different meaning by 1985, asking "Why shouldn't you be happy?"]].
*** Things are slightly better in the final cut where it comes across less like Marty doesn't care about Lorraine's mental health and more like he didn't fully think the plan out. He wants to pretend to try hitting on Lorraine against her will so that George can come in and "rescue" her, but as soon as he parks the car and is alone with her, Marty realizes that he has to actually hit on his own mom, and can't bring himself to do it. There's also the fact that Lorraine reveals that [[OfCourseImNotAVirgin she's not a completely innocent teenager]] and isn't afraid of sex, turning the whole scenario on its head. Plus, she had a ''huge'' crush on Marty, so any sexual advances he would've made on her would've been reciprocated by her, so it's odd that he thought she wouldn't want him before she actually kisses him and gets turned off, saying it feels like kissing her brother.
** The fact that the Doc was willing to work with terrorists (albeit to rip them off) is treated ''relatively'' lightly by comparison to how it almost certainly would have been post-9/11 is jarring to a 21st-century audience. Whilst it comes with predictably brutal consequences ([[spoiler:it gets better]]), demonstrating why exactly messing around with terrorists is a bad idea, Marty seems much more shocked that the time machine is nuclear-powered and the Doc had to (illegally) acquire plutonium to power it than the precise details of how.
** The film also shows George being a peeping tom, when modern films would use that to mark a character as a creepy pervert. For some context, ''Back to the Future'' came out in the wake of films like ''{{Film/Porkys}}'', ''Film/FastTimesAtRidgemontHigh'', and ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds''. By the standards of your average '80s teen comedy, spying on a girl in her underwear is downright tame!
* ValuesResonance:
** Marty telling a young Lorraine that she shouldn't drink or smoke. While it came from Marty literally knowing that these things would contribute to making her a bitter alcoholic and nicotine addict later in life, it was definitely a forward thinking lesson to teach. This is in stark contrast to most teen movies from the 1980s which relished in their characters liberally doing drugs without thinking about the consequences.
** Biff's bullying behaviour towards George and possessive tendencies towards Lorraine [[spoiler:culminating in an attempted sexual assault]] are certainly bad enough by the standards of TheEighties, but in TheNewTens and TheNewTwenties when toxic masculinity and harassment of women and young girls have become prominent social issues...
* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack: A non-romantic version. [[spoiler: Many have wondered that why exactly would George let Biff, who bullied him and tried to rape his wife years earlier, so close to his house in the improved 1985.]]
* {{Woolseyism}}:
** Biff's {{catchphrase}} of "How about you make like a tree and [[{{Malaproper}} get out of here]]?" was changed in the French dub to "''Tu fais comme dans l'infanterie, tu t'tires ailleurs''" ("You do like in the infantry, you get lost"). "''Tire ailleurs''" is phonetically very close to "''Tirailleur''" (a skirmisher). Several French military units since the Napoleonic era, especially those drawn from the African colonies, have been called "''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur Tirailleurs]]''". Biff mangles the joke by saying "tu te casses ailleurs" (same meaning, but completely losing the pun).
** Lorraine assumes Marty’s name is "Calvin Klein" due his underwear brand − since the brand wasn’t as well known in France in the 80s, the French dub changed it to [[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Cardin Pierre Cardin]] instead… which, ironically, would be much lesser known than Klein to young French audiences in the 21st century.
[[/folder]]

*** In a DeletedScene, Marty is worried that the psychological fallout might turn him gay. This 1) implies that being gay is a bad thing, in the tradition of many other 80s movies; 2) completely disregards any potential trauma Lorraine might suffer from the encounter; and 3) is not how being gay works.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: The stories attempt to reconcile a few dangling plot threads from the movies.
** "Emmett Brown Visits the Future" shows that the internet ''does'' exist in the BTTF universe's 2015 alongside all the {{Zeerust}}. It also shows how Doc [[TimeTravelForFunAndProfit uses time travel]] to grab some copies of ''ComicBook/ActionComicsNumber1'' in 1938 to sell for a multi-million dollar profit in 2015, in order to finance the Mr. Fusion and hover conversion upgrades for the [=DeLorean=].
** "Clara's Story" shows that Clara's interests in science and the future -- stymied by the cultural norms of the 19th Century -- are the reasons why Doc changes his mind about destroying the time machine.

[[folder:The Pinball Machine]]
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: Instead of doing anything interesting with time travel, time paradoxes, hoverboards, or getting the [=DeLorean=] up to 88 MPH, Creator/DataEastPinball slapped ''BTTF'' artwork on a generic pinball table loaded with {{Spelling Bonus}}es, threw in a few songs from Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews and Music/ZZTop, then cashed the checks. No wonder Creator/MichaelJFox refused to license his likeliness for the game.
[[/folder]]

** In the DVDCommentary, it's mentioned that some European audiences were put off by how the "improved" [=McFly=] family had become more materialistic, as exemplified by Marty getting the truck seen earlier in the film. According to Creator/CrispinGlover, he also disagreed with showing this materialism, arguing that this contradicted the message that ThePowerOfLove made the [=McFly=]'s lives better. This ''was'' a Reagan-era movie, after all.

* {{Woolseyism}}: Biff's {{catchphrase}} of "How about you make like a tree and [[{{Malaproper}} get out of here]]?" was changed in the French dub to "''Tu fais comme dans l'infanterie, tu t'tires ailleurs''" ("You do like in the infantry, you get lost"). "''Tire ailleurs''" is phonetically very close to "''Tirailleur''" (a skirmisher). Several French military units since the Napoleonic era, especially those drawn from the African colonies, have been called "''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur Tirailleurs]]''". Biff mangles the joke by saying "tu te casses ailleurs" (same meaning, but completely losing the pun).

** Lorraine assumes Marty’s name is "Calvin Klein" due his underwear brand − since the brand wasn’t as well known in France in the 80s, the name was changed to [[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Cardin Pierre Cardin]] instead… which, ironically, would be much lesser known than Klein to young French audiences in the 21st century.

** In the DVDCommentary, it's mentioned that some European audiences were put off by how the "improved" [=McFly=] family had become more materialistic, as exemplified by Marty getting the truck seen earlier in the film. According to Creator/CrispinGlover, he also disagreed with showing this materialism, arguing that this contradicted the message that ThePowerOfLove made the [=McFly=]'s lives better.

* LoveToHate: Biff Tannen is a massive bully and complete jerk, but he's so hilariously dumb that he ends up extremely entertaining because of it.

* NarmCharm: Biff's go-to-insult, "Butthead," would typically appear juvenile. But the over-the-top way he says it makes it sound hilarious.

* SacredCow:
** Regardless of people's opinions of the [[ContestedSequel later movies]], the first is widely regarded as one of the best time travel movies of all time.
** Turns out, the image of the future Part II portrays stuck around in everyone's minds. The real-life 10/21/2015 ended up being something of a celebration of the series and The Future.

* SpoiledByTheFormat: There are two sequels, and Creator/ChristopherLloyd is on the cover of both of them. Gee, I wonder if Doc is going to stay dead.

* AcceptableEthnicTargets: The Libyans. (With a bit of RippedFromTheHeadlines - Gaddafi ''was'' trying to acquire a nuclear weapon at the time.) Notably, the Libyans are not mentioned in the sequels (which were made a few years later) and the musical adaptation omits them entirely, forcing a re-write of the jeopardy that sends Marty back to 1955.

** The director's commentary notes that they were unaware that "gigawatt" is pronounced with a hard "g" sound, hence the use of the pronunciation "jiggawatt" in the film. They only used that pronunciation because that's the pronunciation a real guy used in a lecture they attended in preparation for the film.

** The director's commentary notes that they were unaware that "gigawatt" is pronounced with a hard "g" sound, hence the use of the pronunciation "jiggawatt" in the film. They only used that pronunciation because that's the pronunciation a real guy used in a lecture they attended in preparation for the film. As it turns out, however, "jiggawatt" is the actual original pronunciation of the word (derived from the Ancient Greek word "gigas", meaning "giant", and was pronounced with a soft "g") and its use by the older and eccentric Doc Brown is rather believable.