Christopher Lloyd names his favourite ‘Back to the Future’ movie
Back to the Future may ultimately be the story of Michael J Fox’s Marty McFly, but Christopher Lloyd’s role as Doc Brown is most fans’ favourite character, such that it’s not only the most iconic character that he’s ever played, but in a franchise that he still has strong opinions about.
While there were inevitably disappointing instalments in franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and even The Godfather, Back to the Future remains intact because director Robert Zemeckis has control of the rights and ensured that there is never a fourth film. Although there have been amusement park rides, an animated show, and a popular Broadway musical, Fox and Lloyd can never be replaced as Marty and Doc.
Although the original film is often referred to as “perfect” and remains one of the most impressive original blockbusters in history, the second film has received more praise over the years based on the ways that it seemingly predicted the future, particularly with the parallels between the rise of Biff Tannen and President Donald Trump.
However, Lloyd said that “the third one” was his pick for the best of the three because he got “to have a romance in that movie”.
One of the most interesting aspects about the Back to the Future series is that each film is of relatively equal quality. When talking about The Godfather trilogy, no one would say that The Godfather: Part III is the best; similarly, nearly everyone who’s a fan of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films would say that The Dark Knight is the most accomplished film in the trilogy, but Back to the Future is far more fungible because each entry constitutes a different genre.
The original film is a high-school coming-of-age story, the second one treks into a dark dystopian future, and the third goes back furthest in the timeline for a western adventure, wherein Back to the Future: Part III is arguably the silliest entry in the series, especially in comparison to how dark the second one was, but it also worked in some terrific character development for Doc.
Doc’s decision to stay back to 1885 allows him to start a new life where he’s freed from expectations and can determine his own future, all while allowing Marty to make decisions for himself. Even if it’s not quite as tight and clever as its two predecessors, Part III features scenes between Marty and Doc that might cause even the most steel-hearted cinephile to tear up.
The romance that Lloyd refers to is between Doc and Clara Clayton, played by Mary Steenburgen, a schoolteacher he falls in love with while waiting for Marty’s arrival. Where it was the latter’s relationships that were at the centre of the previous films, getting to see Doc be a charming bachelor helped add more comedy to the final instalment. It also set up the film’s wonderful ending, which establishes how he, Clara, and their children were able to create a new time machine.
There’s nothing wrong with being a little schmaltzy, and the heartwarming ending in Back to the Future: Part III is no different than the uplifting conclusions of other classic film trilogies like Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi or The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
