My Top Ten Favorite Moments from the Back To The Future Trilogy

(Scene begins with a black background and the words “Manic-Expression.com in association with First Choice Productions presents” fades in and are shown, and then fades out. Then the words “James Faraci’s studio in Upstate NY, May 15, 2025, 9:00 AM” fade in and then fade out. Fade into the Poster for “Back To The Future” as it cuts to clips from the “Back To The Future” Trilogy as James does a voiceover.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
In 1985, “Back To The Future” starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, and a myriad of great actors, producer Steven Spielberg, and Director Robert Zemeckis, and the music of the incomparable Alan Silvestri hit the box office at 88 Miles Per Hour. It became one of the biggest movies of the year and one of the best movies of all time. Everything about it still holds up. The movie is a fantasy of meeting your parents when they were your age and discovering that they are not that different from you and of course in the case of Marty McFly, having to play matchmaker for them when you accidentally mess up the space-time continuum by causing them not to meet for the first time and thus nearly ending your own future and on top of that, knowing the friend you’ve had would be dead when you get back to the future because he stole stolen plutonium from terrorists for his invention and trying to stop his death in the process. Then in 1989 and 1990 Back To The Future Part II and Part III were released at the same time which further went into the events of Marty’s life in which he saves his kid from causing a destruction of his family’s future in both 2015 and having to go back to 1955 because Biff Tannen had taken Marty’s bad idea and made it worse by giving the Book back to himself in 1955 which leads Doc to wind up in the year of 1885 only for him to die at the hands of Bufford “Mad Dog” Tannen nine months after Doc arrived. (Seriously, I think the Tannen Family is a plague to Hill Valley and needs to be stopped.) So now Marty must go back to 1885 to stop “Mad Dog” from killing Doc Brown and, surprisingly, help Doc find a woman he can be with. I know that I just spoiled the entire trilogy, but this one is so perfect that even spoiling it doesn’t ruin it. (Cut to James physically) 

TLOTA: 
And today, I, James Faraci, The Last Of The Americans, will count down MY ten favorite moments from the entire Back To The Future Trilogy. If I miss a moment you liked, let me know in the comment section. These are MY ten favorite moments from the Back To The Future trilogy!  (Cut to the DeLorean as it heads to the Clocktower, accelerating to 88 Miles Per Hour as different scenes from the trilogy are zoomed past, ending with Doc Brown saying “Great Scott” at the end of “Back To The Future Part II” The Lightning striking the tower and the DeLorean connecting at the same time leaving the fire trail marks and the words in the “Back To The Future” font saying “The Last Of The Americans’ Top 10 Favorite moments in the “Back To The Future” trilogy and the Number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Ten (Cut to clips of Biff Tannen and the clips of the alternate 1985 as James does a voiceover.) 

10) The 1985 created by the Sports Almanac from “Back To The Future Part II” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
This 1985 is so dark and post-apocalyptic that most people today think that we somehow diverted to this timeline. But this 1985 wouldn’t have happened if Marty’s curiosity about what it would be like to make a few dollars from future knowledge, and Doc Brown chided Marty for it. However, in the original timeline, Doc Brown wanted to go 25 years into the future to see what we would become and check out who would win the next 25 World Series. I wonder why he would do so. Maybe recoup the financial losses of having spent his entire family fortune in making the Time Machine. It would be a little surprising to think that Doc Brown would try to make a few bucks off the knowledge he had gained from his travels. It wouldn’t surprise me if that was what Doc would do. But leave it to Biff to do what the heroes of the movies wouldn’t do, and apparently, there is a deleted scene in which Biff disintegrates after returning the DeLorean to 2015. There is something that is shown in the recent comic adaptation of “Back To The Future II” in which Lorraine puts two into Biff, which causes what happens to him. But seeing what happens when Biff wins at any price is a scary future, but it's worth being on this list. 

(Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks, and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Nine (Cut to clips of Doc and Clara in love in “Back To The Future III” as James does a voiceover.) 

9) The romantic relationship between Emmett Brown and Clara Clayton in “Back To The Future III” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Christopher Lloyd calls this movie his favorite in the trilogy because it allowed him to do something rare in his career and be in a romantic situation. And honestly, I liked the romantic aspect of the movie as well. I loved that there was something for the hopeless romantic that is dwindling down with me, that even two lonely people who are so into science and Jules Verne that could find themselves, of course with what happens in the third act between the two which leads to a moment that leads to one of the funnier moments that is on this list later on but seeing the two end up together was one of the happier moments from this movie and worthy of this list. 

(Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks, and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Eight (Cut to Marty’s bad deal with Needles as James does a voiceover.) 

8) Needles’ deal that costs Marty his job in “Back To The Future II” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Watching Marty make this mistake that costs him so much is telling about how much Marty had not changed, even though he should have learned something from his parents in the first movie. Granted he did learn a bit about himself. Still, he should have been less impulsive, especially when, as it was told by Lorraine, Marty was challenged by Needles to a race that totaled his ride and his future as a musician, and apparently had not learned from his mistakes and signed up for a venture that ended his employment with Fujitzu-san. He winds up fired because of what Needles had done. Needles did Marty in, and what we see later, maybe knowing that bit would make him wiser. 

(Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks, and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Seven (Cut to the clip of George pimp punching Biff Tannen in “Back To The Future” and the clips that connect to the moment as James does a voiceover.) 

7) Biff Tannen gets his lights knocked out by George McFly in “Back To The Future” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
This was a great moment in George and Lorraine’s development. Bear in mind in the original timeline George was a milquetoast wimp and Lorraine is a broken-down alcoholic. According to Lorraine, she and George met while he was looking at binoculars, and Lorraine’s dad hit him in the car. While the two fell in love, I wouldn’t consider it a romantic love. What happened next is a fan theory that makes sense to me. In the original timeline, George and Lorraine went to the dance, and Biff, at nine pm, did things that would make Captain Benson get so angry Pompeii looked like a small fire on a lake, and took George as someone who could shield her and take the abuse from Biff. But when Marty stepped in and did what he had to do to give George the spine to step up to Biff and drop him like a bad habit, of course, Lorraine begging for help added a little more courage for George to wind up and throw the punch to knock Biff out of the park. A great moment worthy of my list.  

(Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks, and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number six (Cut to the moments in which Biff, Griff, and Bufford “Mad Dog” Tannen get what they deserve in the trilogy as James does a voiceover.) 

6) Biff, Griff, and Mad Dog Tannen get just what they deserve. 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Knowing that somewhere the Tannen Family will do whatever it took to be considered Hill Valley's most well-known and famous family makes it worth it as Marty does what he does to humble them. This usually starts with chase and for the three members of the family we do see in the movies Biff, Griff and Bufford “Mad Dog” Tannen having to come face to face with Marty and Biff and his gang trying to kill Marty with his ride as Marty outrides him with a skateboard and then when Biff thinks he’s going to wind up killing Marty and winding up behind bars for life, Biff gets what he has coming. (Cut to Biff and his gang shouting “SHIT!” and winding up in their necks with manure! Cut to Griff and his gang trying to kill Marty in Part two and James doing a voiceover.) Or when it comes to Griff, we see something like that moment in which Biff notices the Deja Vu from his past about this, except Griff gets what Biff and his entire family deserves, to wind up behind bars! (Cut to Biff vs Marty in Part two.) Then Biff gets a second dose of justice as Marty tries to get the Almanac from Biff in 1955 as Biff winds up again in... (Cut to Biff shouting “SHIT!” winding up in Manure then shouting “MANURE! I HATE MANURE!” Cut to the final confrontation between Mad Dog Tannen in Part Three as James does a voiceover.) Then we come to the final confrontation between Marty and The Tannen clan as “Mad Dog” thinks he shot Marty only for Marty to just punch him senseless multiple times breaking the headstone that was either going to be set for Either Marty or Doc and Mad Dog being the first one in his family to wind up head first in Manure. A running gag worthy of being on this list. Anything to add there, Bufford?  

(Cut to Bufford “Mad Dog” Tannen saying, “I hate manure!” Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks, and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number five (Cut to the opening of “Johnny B. Goode” by Marty McFly from “Back To The Future.” as James does a voiceover and starts off with “You know I had to put this on the list.”) 

5) The Enchantment Under The Sea Dance and “Johnny B Goode” from “Back To The Future” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
I liked that this moment kept George’s development from dropping Biff like a bad habit from just a few minutes earlier. It led to the moment that George and Lorraine truly fell in love with each other. Such a great moment. How to follow that up? Having Marty rock it out to “Johnny B. Goode.” And that guitar solo at the end was just to show how great Marty was as a guitarist. However, he may have been too good for the time because that solo the second he was done left everyone shocked, even Marvin Berry (Chuck’s Cousin) was surprised at what came out of Marty’ guitar playing and it was so worth the time to put it on the list. 

(Show the clip of Marty as he says “I guess you guys aren’t ready for it yet, but your kids are going to love it.”  Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Four (Cut to Back To The Future Part 2’s 2015 as James does a voiceover) 

4) The technological advancements of 2015 in Back To The Future Part Two 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Seeing the technological advancements they had set up as a kid was something to look forward to when we could get them. I mean, as the new millennium began, and certain things weren’t developed practically by that time, I knew hover technology was not going to happen, nor would certain things like being able to use Fusion technology to power up certain things like your cars or your house. But the fact that we have interactive technology like Alexa or Siri, internet that connects us 24/7/365 (6) and video calling among us as well as CGI and AI use in movies. While I am certain that we are going to try and find the balance between the technology we had hoped to have by 2015 within our lifetimes, I did like it when we saw the Hoverboard, the hover conversion of the DeLorean, and all the other moments from the 2015 world of Back To The Future, it made us hopeful to see it in our lifetimes and maybe we will see it. The Technology was worth putting on my list. 

(Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks, and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Three (Cut to the clip of the Bartender telling Joey to make up a batch of Wake-Up Juice. Cut to the clips connected to this moment as James does a voiceover!) 

3)The Wake-Up Juice from “Back To The Future III” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
After Clara thinks that Doc has been lying to get into her knickers and that both are hurt, Doc goes to the bar and decides to drown his sorrows in Whiskey. Of course, having held that shot all night and after drinking that shot the results are quick as Doc drinks his shot and drops like a sack of bricks! Knowing that “Mad Dog” Tannen is coming into Hill Valley and they have until Eight A.M. before Tannen kills them both. Marty tries the old Strong Coffee trick to wake Doc up. When that fails, the bartender decides on a concoction that, according to what he says, would make a man as sober as a priest on Sunday in ten minutes! The results when Doc drinks the concoction speak for itself! (Cut to Doc’s eyes as they open and he screams out of the bar and runs headfirst into the water trough.) That was a comedic highlight in this movie, worthy of this list.  

(Cut to Marty and The Bartender as they drag Doc back into the bar and Marty says “Perfect!” Cut to the clip of the fire trail marks and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
Number Two (Cut to the Clock Tower Time Travel event from “Back To The Future.” as James does a voiceover.) 

2) The Clock Tower moment from “Back To The Future” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
The way the whole event was set up from the start of the movie, and how the event was the way to bring Marty back to 1985, it was perfect. Of course, there was a moment when Doc finds the letter Marty left in hopes to save Doc from his death at the hands of terrorists, which leads to one moment that either one didn’t plan, a branch disconnecting the line. Leading Doc to do what he must do to help Marty get back, and for Marty to do what he must to save Doc by going back to an earlier point to stop Doc’s death at the hands of the terrorists from happening. With both having complications, Doc being that the wire is too short only for him to plug one end in, Zipline to plug the other end in while the Time Machine isn’t starting until Marty slams on it and it starts up reaching 88 Miles Per Hour, The Lightning hitting the tower and Marty making it back to 1985. While I am more particular towards Doc’s reaction to how exuberant he is in his scream in the second/third parts of the trilogy. Seeing this happen was something that sticks with someone and is worthy of being on this list. (Cut to James physically) 

TLOTA: 
Now, with that being in the number two spot, allow me to share with you. 

(Cut to the clip of the DeLorean as it goes down the road at 88 Miles Per Hour towards the Clocktower, ending with the fire trail marks and the number pops up.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
My Number one favorite moment from the “Back To The Future” Trilogy... (Cut to the Train push of the DeLorean in “Back To The Future III” as James does a voiceover.) 

1) The train pushing the DeLorean to 88 Miles Per Hour in “Back To The Future III” 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
After breaking the tombstone, dealing with Bufford Tannen and changing history for the better, Doc and Marty remembered the train and realized that if they don’t catch it at the pass, they’re both stuck in 1885. As they’re heading FOR the train, Clara comes back and sees the miniature of The Time Machine. Clara decides to find them and let Doc know that she still loves him. Meanwhile, Doc and Marty take the locomotive and set it to push the DeLorean to 88 Miles Per Hour. The problem is that they forgot Clara, and when she joins the two, just as the green log booms, well (Cut to Clara gasping “Hoo-Hoo!” Cut to James physically.) 

TLOTA: 
And because I am a dork and an editor, I will edit it to the obvious gag. (Cut to the moment of Clara gasping as a pic of Daffy Duck is seen, and her gasping “Hoo-Hoo!” is matched to the Daffy Duck “Hoo-Hoo!” for five seconds. Cut to the Train push of the DeLorean in “Back To The Future III” as James does a voiceover.) 

TLOTA (V.O.): 
However, after Clara tells Doc she loves him, he says, “We’re taking her back with us.” And just as everything looks good, well... (Marty shouts “DOC! THE RED LOG’S GONNA BLOW!” and the train goes boom.) Yep, the train is now going faster than it was meant to be, and it is starting to disintegrate, with Doc hanging on by the railing on the train and Clara hanging on by her dress! Marty, knowing that there was only one way for this to end, now that the train is about to go boom, was for Marty to let Doc go and let him enjoy his life in 1885. Then Marty makes the final trek back to 1985 with the hope that burning the Almanac in 1955 would restore the timeline he was just getting accustomed to, and when he makes it back to 1985. The movie's producers decided to ensure there wouldn’t be a “Back To The Future IV.” (Show the 1985 freight train obliterating the DeLorean on the tracks.) I cried at that moment! Then when with Marty getting Jennifer then making sure he didn’t hit that Rolls Royce when confronted by Needles, he changed his own future for the better and just as Marty and Jennifer are mourning the loss of Doc Brown until Doc comes back with a Locomotive that he turned into a time machine and let Marty know he was alright, he had a family with Clara and when Jennifer wonders why it erased. Doc tells them, “Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one,” of course, I must point out the kid playing Verne and his actions. Something tells me that he was just mimicking the hand actions of Robert Zemeckis and that was just I think he was doing. But that message lets us know that things will be good if we make our future a good one if we work and it will happen and then Doc’s Train Time Machine goes into Hover mode and then “The End,” A perfect end to a perfect trilogy and the perfect Number one spot on this list. (Cut to James physically) 

TLOTA: 
Are there any moments you wish I had talked about? Let me know in the comment section. Next time, we celebrate a hero forged in fire and having to carry a baby: Ted Danson and Tom Selleck. I’m James Faraci, The Last Of The Americans and that’s my opinion.