Back To The Future, according to its taglines

There are pictures of me from high school where I’m obviously going for a Marty McFly look. Which is why I’m certain 70% of plutonium is used by people attempting to go back in time to slap themselves. 

Back To The Future has its 25th anniversary on July 3. The year 1985 plays such a big role in all three films, it’s hard to forget it. I had to look up the date, though. 

And that’s where I discovered that the movie sure had a lot of taglines:

He's the only kid ever to get into trouble before he was born. [UK]

17 year old Marty McFly got home early 

last night. 30 years early.

1.21 gigawatts of fun!*

He was never in time for his classes... 

He wasn't in time for his dinner... 

Then one day... he wasn't in his time at all.

Marty McFly’s open. To a world of change.*

For everyone who’s been itching for more from the star of Poison Ivy!*

His Family Ties have just come undone.*

Marty McFly just broke the time barrier. He's only got one week to get it fixed.

Go back in time before you knew Crispin Glover was such a weirdo. (Re-release)*


What do you bet Eric Stoltz wishes he had a time machine about now?*

*Made-up. I'd love to hear your versions. (Somebody's gotta make this funny.)

Heartbreak Ridge (1986)

Saw this again. Hammier than I remembered. 

This film could've been more accurately reflected with the tagline:

"Just because we're holding hands doesn't mean we'll be taking warm showers together until the wee hours of the morning."

Great poster though. 

And that mud-fight scene between Clint and the weasely by-the-books Marine is straight out of Batman:  The Dark Knight Returns.
Both from 1986. Hmm.

I'm tellin' you, someone needs to hire Mr. Eastwood as an older Bruce Wayne ... fast.

I remembered the movie mud-fight scene being longer, but I was probably thinking of the comic book.

That year, my friend Mike and I thought Clint's voice sounded completely shot. But I guess it was more of an affectation for the role.

How is it possible that Mike and would have gone to see both this and An American Tail (in which he fell asleep) at the theater in the same year? We were bored in a small town.

Clint was already on my mind after re-watching this movie, and then this incredible set jumped out at me at Costco:

I'm thinking Clint Eastwood:  35 Films 35 Years at Warner Bros would make a worthy gift for my dad.

1. Where Eagles Dare, 1968
2. Kelly’s Heroes, 1970
3. Dirty Harry, 1971
4. Magnum Force, 1973
5. The Enforcer, 1975
6. The Outlaw Josey Wales, 1976
7. The Gauntlet, 1977
8. Every Which Way but Loose, 1978
9. Bronco Billy, 1980
10. Any Which Way You Can, 1980
11. Honkytonk Man, 1982
12. Firefox, 1982,
13. Sudden Impact, 1983
14. City Heat, 1984
15. Tightrope, 1984
16. Pale Rider, 1985
17. Heartbreak Ridge, 1986
18. Bird, 1988
19. The Dead Pool, 1988
20. Pink Cadillac, 1989
21. White Hunter, Black Heart, 1990
22. The Rookie, 1990
23. Unforgiven, 1992
24. A Perfect World, 1993
25. The Bridges of Madison County, 1995
26. Absolute Power, 1997
27. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, 1997
28. True Crime, 1999
29. Space Cowboys, 2000
30. Blood Work, 2002
31. Mystic River, 2003
32. Million Dollar Baby, 2004
33. Letters from Iwo Jima, 2006
34. Gran Torino, 2008
35. The Eastwood Factor, 2009

But seriously. We really need to see a Batman credit on Clint Eastwood's resume before his career is done.

The Empire Strikes Back, alright. It strikes back like a big ... oh, just read.

The Empire Strikes Back debuted 30 years ago, and up until its release, I didn’t even know that was its title. I thought those words were just part of a toy commercial script. 

"Star Wars:  The empire strikes back with an all new series of action figures!"

At least they didn’t use the name of that paperback sequel I saw a kid carrying at the bus stop.

Probably the most anticipated movie for me ever. I was 9 and Star Wars was a huge, huge part of my life.

I went home after seeing Empire, found me a pair of Luke boots, and got out of the swimming suit that had been giving me a wedgie throughout the film.

This was in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1980. 

But this blog is supposed to be about the movies I saw at my hometown theater throughout the rest of the 1980s. 

No worries. I definitely went back to see it again.

But not until it was re-released in 1982 in preparation for Revenge of the Jedi, which featured quite a trailer. 

Did you catch the Wilhelm scream?

Looking at that once more, I'd say they did a pretty good job of not giving much away. What stood out the most in my then 11-year-old mind was Chewie throwing that stormtrooper. 

Han’s frozen, Chewie’s in imperial shackles, and he’s not taking it anymore! Revenge of the wookie! 

("This is going to be even grittier and more action-packed than Empire! There’s no way they’ll bog it down with teddy bears or something stupid like that. A standard has been set!")

I've gotten off-topic a little.

What can I add to all the Empire anniversary discussion?

As you can see so far, nothing.

Except that I’m deeply sorry to all my innocent peers at the neighborhood pool who probably curse me to this day for ruining the “I am your father” revelation. 

I had foolishly bought the Marvel comics adaptation before the movie, leafed through it, and then showed everybody I ran into that day. 

Sorry, Gas Meter-Reading Guy.

Again, I was 9. And in my further defense, I didn’t know if we were meant to believe Vader's words. Up until Jedi, even major literary journals questioned whether or not he was lying. 

In an alternate reality, he was lying, sparing us from those horrific prequels. Too easy? Fine.

Then for a moment, let's bask again in the awesomeness that was Hoth, Dagobah and Bespin ... and a super-cool Boba Fett who could never be easily defeated by getting knocked off balance and into a sand pit that burps.

Let's celebrate that great period in Star Wars history--the one Weird Al even hearkened back to in '85 with his classic, "Yoda," warning Luke:

I know Darth Vader's really got you annoyed, 
But remember if you kill him then you'll be unemployed.

Let's think about that dark, mesmerizing film that featured Han Solo at his best (LEIA:  "I'd rather kiss a wookie." HAN:  "I can arrange that!") and many, many more captivating questions than answers.

We can skip the wedgie part.