Back to The Future free essay sample

Back to The Future The idea of time travel has intrigued mankind since we first understood the concept of time. Given the opportunity, most people would love to be able to go back in time and change things that had occurred in their life. Kids used to call it a do over. The idea of time travel has always interested me, which is why I selected Back to the Future for this assignment. This film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and Dean Cundey was the cinematographer, and this is one of my all-time favorite films. The major actors in this film were Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson, and they all did a job of making the concept of time travel realistic. Back to the Future was released in 1985, and I remember this because I was in the 11th grade and enjoying my High School years. The film became a worldwide box office success, bringing in 5 million dollars. Back to the Future combined adventure, comedy, and sci-fi, which are some of my favorite genres. Watching this film made me realize that movies do more than just entertain, they educate, influence opinions, and they stimulate our emotions. Back to the Future is about a time machine that sent a teenager boy name Marty McFly, back to the year 1955. Martys friend, Doc Brown was a scientist, and he invented this time traveling Delorean car that sent his friend back into time. The young boy Marty uses the time machine to go back into time so he can reunite his parents, and correct some other issues. This story has many of the elements one expects from a film in the science fiction genre. Nothing says science fiction like time travel.The plot of the movie centers on Doc Browns invention, a DeLorean sports car that can transport the driver back and forth in time. The key element needed to make a functional time machine is hard to get plutonium, which Doc Brown acquires from some Libyan terrorists. Doc actually obtained the plutonium by cheating the terrorists, and they wanted revenge. As Doc was showing Marty how the time machine works, the terrorist arrived, started shooting, and eventually killed Doc. When the terrorist started chasing Marty, he jumped into the time machine car in order to escape, and he went back in time to 1955. In 1955 his parents were High School teenagers, and it doesnt look like they are going to get together. Marty decides to takes advantage of the situation and works to ensure his parents become a couple. If not, he will never be born. Marty also finds Doc Brown and he explains to him that hes from the future, and he was brought to the past in a time machine that Doc created. Doc explains to Marty that he must remain hidden from everyone so he does not alter future events. Marty informs Doc that he has already had a chance encounter with his parents, and thing didnt look good between them, so Marty and Doc devise a plan to unite his parents. This is where some of the most hilarious moments in the film take place, but eventually, Doc and Marty successful with their matchmaking efforts. Meanwhile, Doc and Marty figure out a power source that will enable Marty to travel back to 1985. Once he gets back to the present, Marty makes a few minor tweaks to ensure his parents stay together and Doc is not killed by terrorists. Mise en scene, is French for that which is put into the scene and refers to all of the elements (costume, set design, lighting, etc.) that is used to creates the atmosphere. Back to the Future does a great job of using props, costumes and special effects in telling the story. When the film begins, the setting, costumes, and cars are what one would expect to see in 1985. Once Marty goes back to 1955 and the production of the movie changes drastically. The clothing, cars, food, music, product logos, and the dialogue are all commensurate to the era. The film also seems to use natural light for some daytime scenes. But for the most part the film appears to be filmed using high-key lighting. The lighting is very bright over everything with few shadows, and relatively low contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of the scene. A good example is when the time machine car hit 99mph and begins to travels through time, the light catches all the bright and bold colors. Editing played a major part in the final outcome of the film. With over eleven deleted scenes left on the cutting room floor, it was up to the director and cinematographer to decide which scenes were actually included in the film. Since this film was made using non-lineal editing, it was easy to move between eras. Most of the film is shot using direct cuts going from scene to scene. Today we are used to high tech special effects, but the technology used in making Back to the Future was above average for its time. In the mid 80s, CGI and computer animation was not readily available, so films had to rely strongly on a great script and actors mostly. One of the things the film did have was a futuristic looking sports car. Once all of the gadgets with the scientific name like the flux capacitor were added, it created a high tech, futuristic feel. Also, saying that the time machine was powered by a nuclear reaction via plutonium to generate 1.21 gigawatts of electricity needed, the film seem more technology advanced. Back to the Future has had a very positive impact on society. It is a fun film that was eventually made into a trilogy. The culture impact of this series of films is felt to this day, whether through the skateboarding subculture or the recently celebrated Marty McFly Day, which observed the day he arrived in the future (Oct 21 2015) in the second film. People made comparisons to the predictions that were made about the future in the movie to what we actually have today. A lot of the predictions were misses, but there were a few hits as well. The movie inspired toys and lunchboxes for kids, and even theme rides at Amusement Parks. Back to the Future still has a significant impact on our culture three decades after it was first released. Stage 2: Reflection Post You IntroductionHello class, my name is Rashaun Monroe but I simply just go by Shaun. I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force for the past 19 years. My job in the military is a firefighter. Currently due to my rank I am bound to a desk doing administrative duties within the fire service. I live on the Central Coast of California at Vandenberg Air Force Base. I have a deep passion for movies and watch several films every week. I look forward to discussing different movie titles during this course. A film that has had an impression on me is my favorite movie in the world, Friday. This is a film about two out of work slackers who just want to get thru the day and smoke weed without getting killed by a local drug dealer or robbed by the neighborhood bully. Some ways that this film has affected me on a personal level is that it shows that sometimes when life kicks you in the butt, you just need to sit back, relax and reflect like the main characters of the movie did right on the front porch. It proved to be very therapeutic to the main characters. Some ways the film may have had an larger effect on society is that one of the main characters finally stood up to the neighborhood bully, and defeated him in a triumphant battle in which everyone celebrated. I believe many things can be gained through analyzing film. It gives you a greater appreciation of the film and what gives into the making of a movie once you understand the overall process. Although in this course weve only touch a little into the aspects of film, I now have a stronger knowledge than I had before of what editing, cuts, cinematographer, genre and mise en scene are. This new knowledge that I have gained has changed the way I view movies now. As I was just recently just watching a new movie, I was looking to see if I could tell what lighting was used in a scene, and the cuts transitions, the sounds used and how they help or hurt the scenes. I am now able to use film theory and criticism to find and interpret meaning in movies because I know what to look for in films now. This course has changed my understanding on how movies are related to society by understanding the impact that movies have on our society. I know that I like movies, but during this course, just looking up numbers and stats of movies, and the impact on the culture that some movies have and giving me a greater appreciation of what a movie can do for a person. The skills that Ive developed during this course that I can apply in my life are the skills that I have learned that I will continue to use while watching and analyzing films. I can now have better constructive conversations with and articulate my opinions on film in a better manor.