"Back to the Future" Trilogy Screening Live Blog

By Bobby Lowery on October 31, 2015

As October 21, 2015 quickly approached, I knew there would be no other way to spend my night. Once I found out that the Gateway Theater in Columbus was indeed showing the complete “Back to the Future” trilogy in one marathon sitting, I called them faster than you could say “1.21 gigawatts” to reserve my ticket.

What follows is a complete transcription of that timely night, to the minute.

Photo Credit: Back to the Future I

6:28 p.m.- Walking through the doors into House 1, I’m confident and prepared to tackle my favorite all-time trilogy. Having been up since 6 a.m., I question my ability to make it all the way through, but I keep telling myself that I have to. Plus, the one liter of iced tea/lemonade I brought along with a jacket full of sugar and treats should help.

6:37 p.m.- Lights out. LET’S GO.

6:56 p.m.- The clock reads 1:15 at the Twin Pines Mall as we get our first glimpse of the Delorean and none other than Doc Emmett Brown and his Einstein-ian white locks. A scribble in my notebook -rightly so- asks “why haven’t you been him for Halloween?”

7:06 p.m.- As the Libyans rush onto the screen in their Dharma van look-alike, I shockingly realize that half of our large buttery popcorn is already gone. For the first time, I’m beyond excited to use that free large popcorn offer Gateway provides- it’s the perfect night for it.

7:16 p.m.- Our journey takes us to the local diner where we get to see the exact same interaction between young Biff and George as the beginning of the movie. As Marty embarrassingly asks for a Pepsi Free, I’m already through most of my box of Swedish Fish… need to ration some for the rest of the evening.

7:38 p.m.- “Make like a tree… and get out of here” draws the first big laugh from the audience as I’m first experiencing the effects of all of that popcorn and fish and sugary tea.

7:58 p.m.- The local chapter of “Theater Police” shows his colors when he angrily tells another group of people to “please stop talking.” It’s not as if we’re watching a movie 30-years-old, or anything.

8:00 p.m.- We finally get to see George man-up and sock Biff in his face for getting touchy with Lorraine, and the theater erupts in cheers for our underdog hero. In sheer exhilaration, I reach for one of my Reese’s cups, only to find it very melted. It didn’t stop me one bit.

8:11 p.m.- Doc states “Great Scott!” once again, and I disappointingly take a note asking myself why I didn’t keep a running count of these. Thinking back, I was pretty sure that this was the third instance. We’re going to say it was the third.

8:28 p.m.- Following the nail-biting return to the present, Marty is now home and comfortable with all the positive changes that occurred… until Doc barges back and urges Marty to return to the future. And where they’re going “they don’t need roads.” As they zoom off, the audience gives another rousing round of applause and the credits roll. A surprisingly large amount of people head for the exits, not prepared to handle the next two, I guess.

8:32 p.m.- The lights return on and the first intermission begins. Wow… I’m shocked that I actually drank over half of my drink during only the first film. Now that we can look around, we see two filmgoers with Marty’s jacket on, and three others with his tie dye hat from 2015.

Photo Credit: Back to the Future II

8:40 p.m.- The break is longer than I thought it would be, and “Electric Feel” on the speakers gives me my first second-wind of the night. My friend takes advantage of this extra time to squeeze in some reading for her class.

8:56 p.m.- The lights dim and a series of amazing commercials related to the second film air. Calvin Klein fittingly airs an ode to the trilogy, finishing with “2015- the future is now.” Then the theater makes everyone realize how much they actually want hoverboards with a cute commercial from the 2015 of the film. They saved the best for last though. In a series of shots, we are caught up with the “Jaws” franchise from our films we know, all the way up to “Jaws 19” of the second film. Hilarious highlights included “Jaws 7: Cyber Jaws,” “Jaws 11: Outerspace,” and a Communist version of “Jaws 15.”

8:59 p.m.- October 21, 2015 is said aloud amidst the loudest cheer of the night. This is why we’re here! In celebration, in a horrible idea, I pour way too many nerds into my hands, overflowing onto the floor. This night is basically a sugar nightmare that I hope to soon forget and not repeat.

9:15 p.m.- We’re placed in the 2015 of 1989. Among the flying cars, self-adjusting size jackets, holographic theaters, we’re placed in a “retro” 80s diner with some Pepsi Perfect and baby Elijah Wood. The crowd obviously enjoys these futuristic, now supposed current, objects. Doc follows this scene with a string of “Great Scott’s” to jack our total to six.

9:46 p.m.- As we head to the new 1985, hotel mogul Biff bears a spitting resemblance to Donald Trump, and it seems like a fair comparison.

10:00 p.m.- As our heroes travel to November 12, 1955 yet again, I go to finish the Swedish Fish, and the saddest moment from the entire night occurs: the rest fall out of my jacket onto the sticky ground. This may even be worse than traveling to Biff’s dystopian biker-gang ridden city.

10:07- p.m. In a reference to the last installment, we just notice that there’s a lot of screen time of Western Auto Stores, and other western references. Sweet!

10:32 p.m.- In a radio report, Ohio State football beat Iowa on that Saturday in 1955 and it draws a hefty cheer from the Columbus crowd.

10:40 p.m.- The tired is really starting to set in, and I’m amazed to see the “Jackass!” guy from “Happy Gilmore” as the friendly neighborhood Western Union delivery man. One last “Great Scott!” meets us from 1955 (eight) as we are shot off into the credits.

Photo Credit: Back to the Future III

10:50 p.m.- I’m pretty impressed that it took me this long to use my first restroom break. On the way back, I proudly refill the popcorn with extra butter to last us through the final installment. Pretty sure that butter is coursing through my veins at this point.

11:04 p.m.- A trailer for “Creed” hits the screen and I lose my mind. Completely unrelated, but I couldn’t pass on a Rocky reference.

11:09 p.m.- Spielberg’s name shoots onto the screen and we launch into one last introductory cheer.

11:16 p.m.- As Marty lets YET another “that’s heavy” out, I note that I honestly should have been counting this catchphrase

10:19 p.m.- All of Doc’s Jules Verne references take me back to my bookshelf where I’m reminded that I have a few that I want to get to this year sometime. English Major nerd alert.

11:20 p.m.- I realize that I mistakenly wrote 10:19 for the last note and can’t believe to myself that it’s this late already. Don’t know how I’ll make it through.

11:33 p.m.- The notes are getting sparse, as one just says “stone”. Or maybe “store.” Either way, with as many times as I’ve seen the movie, I don’t know what either would mean.

11:50 p.m.- Through foggy eyes, I see a “Great Scott” and convince to myself that it’s number 12. Gonna have to trust my judgement there.

11:59 p.m.- In the last minute of “Back to the Future” day, it’s only fitting that it’s a picture of Doc and Marty by the infamous clock.

12:16 p.m.- I may have found my favorite part of the trilogy, especially after counting, where GS 14 goes to Marty, as Doc follows back with a “that’s heavy” of his own.

12:44 p.m.- The climatic train sequence rivals the first film’s lightning sequence in anxiety attacks. With all of the butter, I wasn’t sure if my heart could take it.

12:49 p.m.- “Bye Delorean :( ,” my notes say as Doc’s ultimate wish is granted by an oncoming train.

12:59 p.m.- With some perfect final words about the future from Doc before he speeds off (“you make it a good one”) the film concludes, and along with it, this marathon.

1:28 p.m.- Exactly seven hours to the minute from when I took my first seat in the theater, I find myself back on my couch at home, half-asleep, reflecting on all kinds of futures.

One thing stayed with me, other than the five pages of scribbled notes that I have from the evening. Written, on that last page, is “slow time.” What my sleep-deprived, sugar and butter-filled self was referring to was how time does fly. Six-year-old Bobby sure as hell never thought that this one day in 2015 would ever arrive. Yet it had. And it went, too, just as quickly, as the movies carried on.

That day once seemed plucked for surely fictional reasons came and went, just as those 13 years had since first watching the trilogy. 2015 is here. And there aren’t time machines. Time will only go forward, and it’s important to make memories while moving forward. Much like watching your favorite movie trilogy on a real movie screen on the most fitting day possible.

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