The original script for Back to the Future II

[Doogie]

I was watching the Back to the Future movies today and looked up something about the movie and found something very interesting in my search. It is the original script for II which is a lil whacky and cliche, and had Doc and Marty going back to 1967 instead of 1955 to stop Biff's rise to corruption. The beginning part, I thought wasnt too bad, but the 1967 part was just a lil too whacky. You can read it here: http://www.bttf.com/scripts/Number_Two.pdf

[lleeder]

I like how they wrote in a Huey Lewis and the News concert.

[TheGameHHH]

is this legit? they say things in this script like HD. was HD even around in the 80's when they wrote this?

[moochcassidy]

is this legit? they say things in this script like HD. was HD even around in the 80's when they wrote this?

HD as we know it was developed in mid 90s but British TV makers used the term in the early days.

[Doogie]

is this legit? they say things in this script like HD. was HD even around in the 80's when they wrote this?

It is legit, and is actually found on the DVD for two. The script writer released it into on a site a few years back. I thought the original script for 2015 was better than what they made. But the second half had me laughing and cringing at how ridiculous it was. It seemed to have too much slapstick, and yet trying to be serious at the same time. And the ending with them going to the Grand Canyon is just way over the top ridiculous. Here is the site that explains who wrote it: http://www.bttf.com/index.php?/weblog/more/exclusive_look_at_bob_gales_number_two_script/

[Tenbatsuzen]

is this legit? they say things in this script like HD. was HD even around in the 80's when they wrote this?

For what it's worth, a baseball team in Miami wasn't around when they wrote the actual Part II as well.

And yes, it's legit. It's from the original site.

I'm kinda glad they scrapped it. We didn't need to see Marty's family in trouble again.

[TheGameHHH]

For what it's worth, a baseball team in Miami wasn't around when they wrote the actual Part II as well.

And yes, it's legit. It's from the original site.

I'm kinda glad they scrapped it. We didn't need to see Marty's family in trouble again.

yea i get what youre saying, but baseball and Miami isnt that difficult to imagine. the concept of high definition is. i read it more along the lines of, 'wow, they really thought ahead here'. like i was expecting Marty to soon say, 'let me just download that music to MP3 and put it on my iPod'.

[cougarjake13]

I was watching the Back to the Future movies today and looked up something about the movie and found something very interesting in my search. It is the original script for II which is a lil whacky and cliche, and had Doc and Marty going back to 1967 instead of 1955 to stop Biff's rise to corruption. The beginning part, I thought wasnt too bad, but the 1967 part was just a lil too whacky. You can read it here: http://www.bttf.com/scripts/Number_Two.pdf

i tried to read through it but its just too much

can someone give me a quick synopsis ??

[pennington]

If you listen to the commentary track on Part II, Bob Gale said they originally wanted to go the past to meet the Doc's father and Hill Valley in the 1930's (I believe). But they were locked into the future because of the joke about Marty's and Jennifer's children; which was just a throw away joke to end the movie.

Also, they didn't add the "To be Continued..." until the original movie came out on video and they had decided to make a sequel.

[Doogie]

i tried to read through it but its just too much

can someone give me a quick synopsis ??

It basically has Marty and Jennifer going to the future like in II. But in the original script, Jennifer is more pro-active in the future as opposed to the movie where Doc Brown knocks her out and she is taken home by the cops. We learn that Marty is a get rich quick schemer, his children are losers. The boy a total dork and not very bright. And the daughter has no self esteem and is fat and overweight. There was also supposed to be Marty's bro and sis in the future scenes as well, and we learn that their parents essentially have disowned Marty for all his schemes in the past. They however are very well off.

The conceot that is still there is the fact that Marty buys the sports almanac, except it is almost like a dictionary as opposed to the lil magazine he buys. And Biff Tannen steals the time machine and gives it to his past self, however instead of him going to 1955, he winds up going to 1967. According to the original script also, there was a sub-plot where if someone from the past hurt themselves, the future one felt the pain. So if Marty got pricked by a thorn, the future one felt it too. It is this vehicle that causes Jennifer to pass out and Marty and Doc to take her back to 1985.

The screwed up, alternate 1985 plot is still there, except Mr. Strickland works as Biff Tannen's head of security. But instead of them going to Biff's to find out about when he got the almanac they get that info over the phone. This prompts Biff to track the number back to Doc's property, and the cops are waiting when they prepare to leave for 1967. As they are flying away, the cops open fire on the DeLorean and one hits something on the flying circuits that prevents the DeLorean from getting up to 88 mph under its own power. So Doc fly's it high then dives till they reach 88, taking them to 1967. The story is a lil whacky once they get to 1967 with Marty getting arrested for not having his draft card, and them needing to use the Delorean at the Grand Canyon to go back to 1985. The original script didnt have a device for them to go back to 1885, so no sequel to this was planned.

That is the story in a nutshell.

[ChrisTheCop]

I got about half way thru last night. Very ineresting. I'll probably finish tonight, although Doogie kinda just ruined it. (kidding).

Thanx for the find Doog. Very cool.

[Suspect_Phil]

Thanks for that link, definitely interesting. A couple things:

Pennington, the “to be continued…” was in BTTF1 even when shown in the theatres, and it has always been there. You mentioned the DVD, a quote from the Commentary says something about throwing it in there as a gag, so when Doc, Marty, & Jennifer fly off, the adventure continues - even if a sequel is never made.

Also- the reason that the characters travel to 1955 is all about timing the ages out so that the story would make sense. A teenaged kid in 1985 has parents roughly 30 years older than himself. The plot is based on the question: “Would you be friends with your parents if you went to high school with them?” The script needs Marty to travel to 1955 in order to meet George and Lorraine during their high school days.

The 1967 plot line is pretty funny- would make for a good episode of “BTTF: The Cartoon Series.” I have some of the old cartoons on VHS, they are hilarious but definitely very bad. Each episode, Marty goes to a different time period with Jules and Vern, all of a sudden a relative of Biff’s shows up, they have a showdown, and everything works out for our heroes in the end. It gets really repetitive, but funny.

Side note, just read on bttf.com that there is a new line of action figures comig out: http://www.bttf.com/index.php?/weblog/more/backtalk_diamond_select_toys_announces_2nd_wave_of _bttf_minimates_for_2008/

[grlNIN]

Eric Stoltz was originally cast for the role when they couldn't get Fox but the directors thought he was "too intense" for the character.


*edit* That was in regards to the original movie not the sequel.

[pennington]

Pennington, the “to be continued…” was in BTTF1 even when shown in the theatres, and it has always been there. You mentioned the DVD, a quote from the Commentary says something about throwing it in there as a gag, so when Doc, Marty, & Jennifer fly off, the adventure continues - even if a sequel is never made.

On the commentary track, Bob Gale, the co-writer and co-producer said the "To Be Continued..." line was added for the VHS release. I saw the movie in the theater when it first came out but I don't have any memory of it either way.

Gale said the line about Marty and Jennifer having to go to the future because of their kids was the throw-away gag since no sequel was planned.

I have the boxed set, if you're a fan, I recommend you buy it. A lot of good background stuff on the DVDs.

[pennington]

I finally finished reading the script. I liked it a lot more than the Part II that got made.

Part I was such a perfect film, to go back to 1955 again just cheapened it. Also, there was too much Biff (I know, because Crispin Glover didn't want to do the sequel) and Michael J. Fox was playing too many characters.

But this script captured a lot of the lighter mood of Part I.

Good find. Thanks Doogie.

[cougarjake13]

It basically has Marty and Jennifer going to the future like in II. But in the original script, Jennifer is more pro-active in the future as opposed to the movie where Doc Brown knocks her out and she is taken home by the cops. We learn that Marty is a get rich quick schemer, his children are losers. The boy a total dork and not very bright. And the daughter has no self esteem and is fat and overweight. There was also supposed to be Marty's bro and sis in the future scenes as well, and we learn that their parents essentially have disowned Marty for all his schemes in the past. They however are very well off.

The conceot that is still there is the fact that Marty buys the sports almanac, except it is almost like a dictionary as opposed to the lil magazine he buys. And Biff Tannen steals the time machine and gives it to his past self, however instead of him going to 1955, he winds up going to 1967. According to the original script also, there was a sub-plot where if someone from the past hurt themselves, the future one felt the pain. So if Marty got pricked by a thorn, the future one felt it too. It is this vehicle that causes Jennifer to pass out and Marty and Doc to take her back to 1985.

The screwed up, alternate 1985 plot is still there, except Mr. Strickland works as Biff Tannen's head of security. But instead of them going to Biff's to find out about when he got the almanac they get that info over the phone. This prompts Biff to track the number back to Doc's property, and the cops are waiting when they prepare to leave for 1967. As they are flying away, the cops open fire on the DeLorean and one hits something on the flying circuits that prevents the DeLorean from getting up to 88 mph under its own power. So Doc fly's it high then dives till they reach 88, taking them to 1967. The story is a lil whacky once they get to 1967 with Marty getting arrested for not having his draft card, and them needing to use the Delorean at the Grand Canyon to go back to 1985. The original script didnt have a device for them to go back to 1885, so no sequel to this was planned.

That is the story in a nutshell.



thanks doogie

[Doogie]

I finally finished reading the script. I liked it a lot more than the Part II that got made.

But this script captured a lot of the lighter mood of Part I.

Good find. Thanks Doogie.

No problem brother. I have to agree with you about the script being good, but only for the part that was in the future. That was laid out much better than the one they had filmed, with Jennifer having a more pro-active role. And their version of Biff's 1985 wast bad, just needed to be polished. But the whole thing in 1967 was just too over the top hoaky in my opinion. Especially the ending. There would have of been no fucking way in 1986-1988 (probable dates principal filming would have of occured) that they would have of pulled it off.

With that said, I have to say that I like the ending part of II that is filmed. I like the fact that the DeLorean gets struck by lightning and the Western Union guy shows up at that exact spot at that exact time to deliver the message. But I would definetly add what they had written down for the "future" part over what they filmed. Man were they wayyyyyyyyy off on that part anyway as far as technology goes.

[PapaBear]

I was trying to make heads or tales of this until I realized something. I've only seen the first one! I saw the first one when it first came out, because Jim Ignatowski was in it. Loved the movie. By the time the 2nd one came out, it was really hip to not like Micheal J. Fox or sequels. And trust me... I was WAYYYY hip!:smoke:

I think I'll rent it tomorrow.

[pennington]

I have to say that I like the ending part of II that is filmed. I like the fact that the DeLorean gets struck by lightning and the Western Union guy shows up at that exact spot at that exact time to deliver the message.

That part was fantastic - and totally unexpected. Other than that, I'm not much of a fan of Part II. Even though I have the DVD, I've only watched it once.

What do you think about Bob Zemekis' & Bob Gale's original idea: to have Doc & Marty go back to meet Doc's parents when they were young? I think that would have been a great movie.

BTW, where's SR71Blackbird in this thread? He usually starts these BTTF discussions.