Back to the Future The Ultimate Visual HistoryReview by Paul Fiander
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ISBN: 9781783299706
Published by Titan Books Publication date: 16 October 2015 Authors: Michael Klastorin , Randal Atamaniuk |
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It’s been 30 years since we first met Marty and the Doc, let me run that by you again, it’s been 30 years since we first heard of Time machines built out of a DeLorean DMC-12 and for many of us that DeLorean was a car manufacturing company. However since 1985 we have had two sequels, an animated series and of course a theme park ride all of which show how viewers took the time traveling adventures of an eccentric scientist and his young slacker friend to their hearts. This book is a celebration of the films and their creation from a Back to the Future without Michael J Fox to a flying train.
First up is a Foreward by Michael J Fox which after reading you can not help but the love the guy a whole lot more. This is followed by a bit of a tease by Christopher Lloyd in his preface. The we meet Bob Gale for the introduction. These sections are all relatively small but help to give the book a sense of the occasion. From there on in we are guided by the writer Michael Klastorin (with Randal Atamaniuk) through this ground breaking series with everything from storyboard images to Cast/crew interviews to a host of tactile goodie and a lot more besides. The real draw however is the care and attention the author has shown to the property, he is not precious about the subject matter and instead gives some wonderful insight to the films. This is called the Ultimate Visual History and so we have to start there, every page is filled with images from production shots to concept art and some storyboard images among other things. Each image is related to the text but I found myself look over the pictures thinking where that occurs in the films. One set of images however is quite disturbing and those are the photos of Eric Stoltz as Marty. He recorded around eight weeks of filming and this section is one of the highlights as we see into a pat that could have changed our realities (sorry had to add this in). We get filled in on some of the issues but mostly it’s just a chance to look at what might have been. |
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The cast and crew insight is great as well, if a book like this fails to deliver the big name characters it can feel weak. Thankfully throughout this book the reader is rewarded with tonnes of insight from in front of and behind the camera.Alongside Fox and Lloyd there is are also pieces from Robert Zemeckis (along with the afterword), Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Lea Thompson among a host of other names.
You do also get another treat with this book and that is a host of physical film memorabilia (reproductions of course). The highlight for me being a Lenticular version of Marty’s disappearing family photo from the first film. It's a great little gift from a book that is actually full to the brim with content. This is one of the very best film companion books I have reviewed, it is worth the money for a fan of the series. Though if you are not a fan then avoid this book, go buy the films watch them and then buy this book. |
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