We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy (31 page)

T
he overwhelming majority of the information in this book is from a series of original interviews conducted by the author. In order to best corroborate the information provided by the interviewees, as well as to fill in some necessary gaps, some additional sources were consulted. What follows is a list of resources that were helpful, either in small or large part, to the overall accuracy and scope of this project.

Books

Baxter, Meredith.
Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering
. Waterville, ME: Thorndike, 2011.

Fox, Michael J.
Lucky Man: A Memoir
. New York: Hyperion, 2002.

Goldberg, Gary David.
Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I Went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair
. New York: Harmony, 2008.

Klastorin, Michael, and Sally Hibbin. “
Back to the Future”: The Official Book of the Complete Movie Trilogy
. London: Hamlyn, 1990.

McBride, Joseph.
Steven Spielberg: A Biography
. 2nd ed. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2011.

Struzan, Drew, David J. Schow, and Frank Darabont.
The Art of Drew Struzan
. London: Titan, 2010.

Films (this includes all applicable audio commentaries and special features)

Back to the Future
. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. 1985. Universal, 2011. Blu-ray.

Back to the Future Part II
. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. 1989. Universal, 2011. Blu-ray.

Back to the Future Part III
. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. 1990. Universal, 2011. Blu-ray.

I Wanna Hold Your Hand
. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. 1978. Universal, 2004. DVD.

Looking Back at the Future
. Dir. Darold “Doc” Crotzer. Agenda Films, 2006. DVD.

Used Cars
. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. 1980. Sony, 2002.

Online Articles and Interviews

An interview with J. J. Cohen. Audio of the interview is available at http://moviehole.net/img/jjcoheninterview.mp3.

An interview with Tom Wilson. Audio of the interview is available at http://www.nerdist.com/pepisode/nerdist-podcast-125-tom-wilson.

Brad Jeffries’s response to “What was it like to work on the
Back to the Future
movies?” on Quora, which can be found at http://quora.com/What-was-it-like-to-work-on-the-Back-to-the-Future-movies.

Empire Online
’s “
Back to the Future
: The Oral History,” which can be found at http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1084.

HollywoodChicago.com’s “Interview: Lovely Lorraine Lea Thompson Is ‘Back to the Future,’” which can be found at http://hollywoodchicago.com/news/10067/interview-lovely-lorraine-lea-thompson-is-back-to-the-future.

Movieline
’s “Meet the ‘Real’ Crispin Glover,” originally published on December 1, 1989. It can be found online at http://www.movieline.com/1989/12/01/meet-the-real-crispin-glover.

Tom Wilson’s 1989 article for
Us Weekly
, “Back to
Back
.” The original publication date is unknown, but full text of the article can be found at http://www.bigpopfun.com/Biff_to_the_Future.shtml.

Uncut
’s article “‘I Met Andy Warhol at Madonna and Sean Penn’s Wedding’: An Interview with Crispin Glover,” which can be found online at http://goo.gl/70WkXc.

Periodicals

Associated Press. “Movie Sequel Arives [
sic
] This Weekend.”
The Nevada Daily Mail
, May 25, 1990.

Benson, Shiela. “Movie Review: An Underpowered Trip ‘Back to the Future.’”
Los Angeles Times
, July 3, 1985.

Dogherty, Conor. “Hoverboards: A Story 25 Years in the Making.”
New York Times
, October 24, 2014.

Lyman, Rick. “
Back to the Future
Director Found Path to Success a Rocky Road.”
Orlando Sentinel
, July 12, 1985.

“Stoltz Out-Foxed on Film Role.”
Wilmington Morning Star
, April 23, 1985.

Strauss, Bob,
Los Angeles Times
. “Fox Seeks Challenge in Dramatic Roles.”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, August 25, 1989.

Thomas, Bob, Associated Press. “Eric Stoltz Hits ‘Up,’ Again.”
The Gainesville Sun
, March 12, 1987.

Thomas, Bob, Associated Press. “Zemeckis Film Took Long Road to Screen.”
Park City Daily News
, July 2, 1985.

Websites

Back to the Future
—http://www.backtothefuture.com.

Back to the Future Filming Locations
—http://www.seeing-stars.com/Locations/BTTF.shtml.

Billboard Music Charts
—http://www.billboard.com.

Box Office Mojo
—http://www.boxofficemojo.com.

Crispin Glover’s Official Website
—http://www.crispinglover.com.

Futurepedia: The
Back to the Future Wiki
—http:// backtothefuture.wikia.com.

The Internet Movie Database
—http://www.imdb.com.

ScreenUsed—
http://www.screenused.com.

Tom Wilson’s Official Website
—http://www.tomwilsonusa.com.

YouTube

Bob Gale (
Back to the Future
), Page One Writer’s Conference, 2013, Part 1—http://youtu.be/t_Kqe49o9y4.

“Car Crash: The DeLorean Story”—http://youtu.be/uMUXZaROJKM.

Crispin Glover, “
Back to the Future
Controversy”—http://youtu.be/gmuGyHb4iHE.

Crispin Glover, “Zemeckis Got Really Mad at Me,” SiriusXM,
Opie & Anthony
—http://youtu.be/lcG61w474zY.

BTM UNCUT, “
Director Robert Zemeckis on the Mattel Hoverboard Prop Replicas”—http://youtu.be/oa0GkcPDdOc.

Hollywood Treasures,
“DeLorean Time Machine”—http://youtu.be/QUVO5qsyBYI.

The South Bank Show,
“Robert Zemekis [
sic
]”—http://youtu.be/o6UMUYv1AJM.

 • • • 

Additionally, a number of the production reports, call sheets, concept art, and costume designs from the three
Back to the Future
films—most of which were shared by Bob Gale, John Bell, and Joanna Johnston—were also
useful.

Note: The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable. Additionally,
BTTF
refers to the original film,
Back to the Future
.
BTTF II
refers to the sequel
Back to the Future, Part II. BTTF III
refers to the sequel
Back to the Future, Part III.

Amblin Entertainment, 16–18, 53, 60, 156–57, 172

Antonowsky, Marvin, 17

Apocalypse Now
(1979), 34

Apted, Michael, 2, 4

“Back in Time” (Huey Lewis and the News), 98, 101, 244

Back to the Future

and Amblin production team, 16–18

awards and honors for, 115–16

box office receipts for, 114–15

budget for, 131–32

casting change, 52 (
see also
Stoltz, Eric)

changes made to original script, 12, 18, 50–51, 57–58

clock tower scene, 68–69, 71–75, 156

clothesline scene, 51

costuming and makeup in, 46

critical success of, 115

debut of, 113–14

editing of, 108

Enchantment Under the Sea scene, 79–80, 81, 84–85, 87, 90–92, 108

ending of, 123–25, 127

genesis of idea, 9–10

mall parking lot scene, 44–45, 67, 68–69

opening sequence of, 56, 105–6

promotional art for, 53

props from, auctioned for charity, 245–46

release date of, 52, 53, 104, 109

rough-edit screening of, 1–2, 21–23, 27, 28

screenings of, 104–9, 111, 113, 156–57

screenplay for, 11–12, 247

search for actor to play Marty, 2–5, 18–20

shooting schedule of, 48, 53–54

shopping script to studios, 13–14

skateboard scenes, 76, 236–37

soundtrack for, 88, 94, 98–101, 115

special and visual effects for, 67–72, 112–13

and Stoltz cast as Marty, 20, 22–28

success of, 247–49

title of, 109–11

work-print of, 104

See also
DeLorean time machine; sequels;
specific cast and crew

BacktotheFuture.com, 231, 240

Back to the Future Part II

awards and nominations, 200

Biffhorrific timeline of, 129, 138, 145, 146, 160, 199

box office receipts for, 203

camera work in, 215–16

characters and casting of, 138–39, 153, 157–59, 215

clock tower scene, 155–56

costuming and makeup in, 140–41, 146, 149–51, 160–62, 246

critics’ responses to, 197, 198

Enchantment Under the Sea scene, 136, 138, 158, 166–67

ending of, 197–98

Hill Valley scenes, 145, 147–49, 151–52

marketing of, 197–98

and
Paradox
script, 136

police car scene, 163–64

and pressures on cast and crew, 199–200

promotional art for, 211

screenings of, 196

screenplay for, 130, 135–36, 146–47, 156

shooting of, 160

special and visual effects for, 141, 175–80, 200

stunts in, 181–82, 183–95

vehicle designs in, 152–53

viewers’ response to, 205–6

and Weissman, 167–74

and Wheeler injury and lawsuit, 181–82, 189–95

See also
hoverboards

Back to the Future Part III

atmosphere of, 206–7

box office receipts for, 220, 221

characters and casting of, 215

critics’ responses to, 220

and DeLorean time machine, 218–19

editing of, 204–5

music of, 214

promotional art for, 213–14

release date of, 201–2, 220

screenings of, 202

screenplay for, 203

shot on location, 204, 206–7, 217

special and visual effects for, 216, 219

train sequence in, 216–17

Back to the Future: The Musical
, 249

Back to the Future: The Ride (theme park ride), 229–30, 241

Bare, Bobby, 95

Baxter, Meredith, 5, 31–32

Beaumont, Greg, 215

Bell, John

awards and nominations, 200

and DeLorean time machine, 240

and Hill Valley sketches, 148–49, 151–52

and hoverboards, 177, 236

and train sequence, 219

Berry, Chuck, 92, 102

Blau, Patty, 148

Bogdanovich, Peter, 52–53

Bordello of Blood
(1996), 6

Bradshaw, Joan, 131

Brin, Sergey, 244

Brown, Bob, 95

Brown, David Harold, 91

Bryan, Clyde E.

and Glover, 125

and Howell’s audition, 19

recruitment of, 18

and screening of
BTTF
, 107

and sequels, 136

and Stoltz as Marty, 24

and Zemeckis, 15

Buffett, Warren, 223

Campbell, Mark, 87–88, 94, 101

Canton, Neil

birth of daughter, 41

and DeLorean time machine, 60, 218

and Fox, 45, 46

and Glover, 125

and hoverboards, 176–77

and mall parking lot scene, 44

and music soundtrack, 98, 101

and pressures on cast and crew, 165

and rough-edit screening, 2, 21–22

and screening of
BTTF
, 107

and screenplay for
BTTF
, 17–18

and sequels, 131, 202–3, 220

and Stoltz as Marty, 28, 37, 40

and ZZ Top, 214

Carter, Rick, 144–45, 149, 224

Chase, Ken, 159, 160

Clark, Stephen, 230–32, 233, 236, 243

clock tower scene, 68–69, 71–75, 155–56

Cobb, Ron, 60–61, 62, 64, 67–68

Cohen, J. J., 47

collaboration in movie making, 64–65

conventions, 225, 238–39, 241

Coy, Kimberly, 52

Craigo, Jack, 100

Croughwell, Charlie, 187

Cundey, Dean

and cavern scene, 212–13

on Fox’s performance, 46

and hoverboards, 179–80

and jib work, 81

and mall parking lot scene, 44

and Nike commercial, 243

recruitment of, 18

on reshoots with Fox, 50

and
Romancing the Stone
, 15

and sequels, 120, 136–37

on Sonora shoot, 206–7, 217

and Stoltz as Marty, 24, 39–40

on use of dramatic irony, 76

and Weissman, 159, 171

on Zemeckis’ leadership, 45–46

Cusack, John, 18

DeLorean time machine

auctioned for charity, 246

build process for, 65–66

concept behind, 57–59, 61

customization of, 152–53

design concept for, 59–62, 64–65

destruction of, in
BTTF III
, 218–19

eighty-eight mph goal for, 67

fans’ replicas of, 237–38, 244

filming challenges with, 66–67

Flattery’s enhancements of, 217–18

promotional art depicting, 212

reveal of, 55–57

and screening of
BTTF
, 107

taxicab version of, 241

and television commercial, 242

and theme park ride, 229–30

three cars used for, 63, 65

time-travel effects for, 67–72, 112, 152

Depp, Johnny, 18

Donner, Richard, 86–87

“Earth Angel”, 92–93, 101–2

Ellis, John, 71

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
(1982), 16, 17, 120

Family Ties
(television series)

and casting of Marty McFly, 3–5

and debut of
BTTF
, 113–14

and Fox’s popularity, 113

and recruitment of Fox, 31–33

and shooting schedule for
BTTF
, 48, 54, 132–33

success of, 121

fans of
BTTF
trilogy, 224, 225, 226–32, 237–38, 243–46

Feinberg, Jane, 18

Fenton, Mike, 18

Filmtrix, 62–63, 66

Fink, Mike, 62–63

Flattery, Tim, 153, 163, 164, 217–18

Forbes, David, 52

Fox, Michael J.

awards and nominations, 200

and casting of Marty, 3–5

and clock tower scene, 73

comic sensibility of, 48, 115

costuming of, 156

and DeLorean time machine, 68

on details in the film, 76

and fans, 225, 229, 243

first night on set, 45

and hoverboards, 178, 234

and ketchup bottle prank, 183

and Lloyd, 44, 54

and musical scenes, 81, 88, 89–90, 93, 94, 97

and Nike product placement, 150–51

in opening sequence, 56

Parkinson’s diagnosis of, 243–44

and physical challenges, 207

popularity of, 113

promotional art depicting, 211–12, 213

reshoots with, 50

and Seamus role, 215

and sequels, 120–21, 132

shooting schedule of, 43–44, 53–54, 103–4, 114, 132–33

size differential between Stoltz and, 51, 68

and Sonora shoot, 207

as Stoltz’s replacement, 31–33, 34–35, 36, 40, 41, 248

suitability of, for role, 46

and
Teen Wolf
, 32, 35, 121

and television commercial voice-over, 242

and train sequence, 216–17

and video game, 240

and Weissman, 168

Fullilove, Don, 243

Gains, Courtney, 115, 126, 138

Gale, Bob

and Amblin Entertainment, 16–18

as authority on
BTTF
trilogy, 224

and Buffett’s bracket challenge, 223

on camera work of
BTTF II
, 215–16

on cast and crew, 227–28

character development of, xiii, 84–85

and clock tower scene, 73

and DeLorean time machine, 57–59, 61, 67, 218, 219, 237

early career of, 5–10

on editing, 108

and Enchantment Under the Sea scene, 166–67

on ending of film, 124

and fans, 201, 230–31

and Fox, 32, 45, 47, 113

and genesis of
Back to the Future
, 9–10

and Glover, 127–28, 153, 157, 172

and Hardin’s dismissal, 43

and Hill Valley scenes, 143

and hoverboards, 177, 233–34, 235

on Lloyd’s performance, 49

and mall parking lot scene, 44

on marketing of
BTTF II
, 197–98

and musical scenes, 88, 92, 96, 98

and music soundtrack, 100

and pressures on cast and crew, 199–200

and reshoots with Fox, 50

and rough-edit screening, 2, 21

and screening of
BTTF
, 106, 107

and screenplay for
BTTF
, 11–12, 247

and screenplay for
BTTF II
, 135–36, 146–47

and screenplay for
BTTF III
, 203

and sequels, 117–19, 121, 122, 124, 128, 199–200, 202–3, 220

and shooting/editing schedule, 205

shopping
BTTF
script to studios, 13–14

and Spielberg, 86

and Stoltz as Marty, 23, 24, 28, 37

and Stoltz’s replacement, 34, 36–37, 40, 52

and Struzan, 209

on success of film, 115

and title of
BTTF
, 110

twenty-five minute rule of, 106

and video game, 239

and Weissman, 170–71, 174, 215

and Zemeckis, 249–50

and ZZ Top, 214

Gaona, Richie, 182, 189

Gawley, Steve, 152, 200

Gipe, George, 85

Glover, Crispin

career after
BTTF
, 226

and clothesline scene, 51

and Fox, 32

lawsuit filed by, 171–73

and screening of
BTTF
, 106

and sequels, 123–29, 153, 157–58

and Stoltz’s replacement, 36–37

and Thompson, 126, 168, 169

Weissman’s replacement of, 158–60, 168

Goldberg, Gary David, 4–5, 29, 31–32, 113

The Goonies
(1985), 86–87

Hallowell, Todd, 61, 64

Hanson, Paul, 26, 87, 88–90, 91

Hardin, Melora, 41–43

Hare, Will, 138

Hart, Corey, 19

Holler, Terry and Oliver, 244–45

Hopper, Sean, 98

hoverboards

design and construction of, 177–78

Mattel’s replicas of, 233–37

public interest in, 175–77

stunts involving, 181–82, 183–95

Howe, Bones, 26, 87, 88–89

Howell, C. Thomas, 19

Huey Lewis and the News, 94–101, 148, 244

Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

and Bell, 148

and
BTTF III
, 215

and hoverboards, 175–77, 179–80

and rough-edit screening, 2

and train sequence, 219

international popularity of franchise, 240–42

I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(1978), 8–9

Japanese fans, 241

Jeffries, Brad, 87, 90

“Johnny B. Goode”

and Berry, 92

Fox’s performance of, 81, 89, 93

and screening of
BTTF
, 107–8

and Tolkan, 85

vocals of, 87–88, 94

Johnston, Joanna, 140, 146, 149–51, 224

Jones, Dennis, 35, 36, 52

Kapalowski, Ken, 238

Kennedy, Kathleen, 4, 17, 28, 37, 40, 53

Keramidas, Harry

and clock tower scene, 74

and DeLorean time machine, 68–69

on footage from Stoltz era, 50

and Japanese fans, 241

and release date for
BTTF III
, 220

and rough-edit screening, 1–2, 21, 23–24

and sequels, 203, 204–5

on special effects, 76, 112–13

and work-print, 104

Kleven, Max, 181–82, 184, 189, 192, 193

Kline, Marty, 219

Labyorteaux, Patrick, 111

Lantieri, Michael

awards and nominations, 200

and DeLorean time machine, 152–53

and hoverboards, 178, 234

and police car scene, 163

and stunts in
BTTF II
, 184, 186

and Wheeler injury and lawsuit, 181

Lean, David, 22

Lewis, Huey, 94–101, 117

Library of Congress, 232

Lloyd, Christopher

and clock tower scene, 73–74

and DeLorean time machine, 56, 59, 240–41