Back To The Future Part III

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Watched it yesterday on ITV. Few years since i seen it.

So near the end in Back To The Future Part II on the 12th of November 1955 the DeLorean is struck by lighting sending Doc Brown back to 1885. Minutes later a courier from Western Union arrives and hands Marty a letter from Doc stating that he was sent back in time to 1885. Marty then goes to find the 1955 Doc who had just helped the original Marty get back to 1985.

Part III Marty and 1955 Doc go to the mine retrieve the DeLorean and fix it with instructions 1985 Doc (who is stuck in 1855) sent to Marty. Marty goes back in time to 1855 and arrives in the wild west and gets caught up in a chased between the Cavlary and the Indians. The Indians shoot an arrow at the DeLorean breaking the fuel line and all the petrol in the DeLorean is lost.

Marty finds the 1985 Doc who is working as a blacksmith in the old west who explains to Marty that he can not accelerate the DeLorean to 88mph because petrol wont exist until the next century so they have to find another way to accelerate the DeLorean.

Why didn't the Doc and Marty not just go the mine and retrieve the DeLorean the Doc had hidden there and siphon the petrol and take any other parts they needed for the DeLorean?

TheMilkyPirate

Because it's a film.

Cantremember

I sit up late at night wondering. Genuinely.

KomradeBishop

Because.

kneemos

I could never get past having sex with his mother to be honest.

whomitconcerns

There's a video of her with Portia de Rossi somewhere.

B.A._Baracus

Here is one that will blow your mind even more op :P
Why did they need gas at all... The version of the DeLorean that went back had 'Mr Fusion'

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B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Here is one that will blow your mind even more op :P
Why did they need gas at all... The version of the DeLorean that went back had 'Mr Fusion'

Mr Fusion only powered the flux capacitor I think?

chrysagon

i think it had a punto engine!!

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Grab All Association

chrysagon wrote: »

i think it had a punto engine!!

Pretty sure the DeLorean DMC-12 had a v6 PRV Lotus/Renault engine

chrysagon

Chris___ wrote: »

Pretty sure the DeLorean DMC-12 had a v6 PRV Lotus/Renault engine

guys..i was joking

kneemos

chrysagon wrote: »

guys..i was joking

Ohhh you.

chrysagon

But i still appreciate the information

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

B.A._Baracus

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Here is one that will blow your mind even more op :P
Why did they need gas at all... The version of the DeLorean that went back had 'Mr Fusion'

I thought that it was petrol! :pac:

kneemos

Fred Swanson wrote: »

The DMC 12 had a V6 made by Renault and Pegueot jointly.

Needed three parking spaces if you wanted to open the doors presumably?

Iranoutofideas

I love how Doc Brown shouts Marty! and also how he says Great Scott!

Brilliant movies.

Micky Dolenz

I watched all three again recently. I was suitably impressed.

kjl

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Here is one that will blow your mind even more op :P
Why did they need gas at all... The version of the DeLorean that went back had 'Mr Fusion'

which is used to power the flux capacitor not the car.

The real question is, if old Biff went to the past how did he get back to the future to give marty and the doc delorean which brought them back to the alternate 1985.

Riddle101

I've come across this question before, it's pretty common when talking about Back to the Future. Great movies btw.

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/16532/the-plot-holes-and-paradoxes-of-the-back-to-the-future-trilogy

There Are Two Deloreans In 1885

I'd never even considered this until Den Of Geek reader 'HarrisonFord' (we assume he's the real one) raised it in our discussion of Back To The Future Part III last week. And it's this: there has to be two time machines in 1885.

Much of the third film is spent trying to find new ways to get the Delorean that Marty travelled back from 1955 in up to 88mph. But what about the time machine that Doc got sent in, when it was struck by lightning at the end of Back To The Future Part II? That's the one that he stores in a cave for 70 years (although it's still damaged, to be fair, as the Doc sends instructions forward in time). And given that it's established that we can have two Docs and two Martys at the same point in time, why can't we have two cars?

Now, there's some argument as to whether Doc has either drained the car of fluid, or left it with a full tank of fuel. Either way, there's surely something of use in the second car.

Of course, there are arguments why that car can't be touched. Firstly, there's the old paradox rule that would destroy the universe, although by the third film, the Doc is getting far more liberal with the laws of time. And secondly, if the alternative car was used, then Marty - are you following this? - wouldn't have been able to get back to 1885 in the first place. Because if it was fundamentally tampered with or used, that'd make it either redundant of non-existent in 1955. Which would, of course, create a paradox to bring down the universe, as you well know.

Couldn't the Doc make gasoline?

In 1885, the big problem Marty and the Doc face is that they can't get hold of gasoline. However, the Doc at this stage has the knowledge of how he made the time machine, and he's also managed to put together a nifty contraption to make an ice cube.

Couldn't he, in theory, track down where kerosene (which was available in 1885) was being refined, and make some gasoline from the by-product of that process?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

SEPT 23 1989

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

He tried that

languagenerd

Riddle101 wrote: »

And secondly, if the alternative car was used, then Marty - are you following this? - wouldn't have been able to get back to 1885 in the first place. Because if it was fundamentally tampered with or used, that'd make it either redundant of non-existent in 1955. Which would, of course, create a paradox to bring down the universe, as you well know.

This is the reason: it'd create a huge time paradox. If they touch the hidden Delorean in 1885, it won't be there in 1955, so the Marty in 1955 couldn't get to 1885, so he wouldn't be there to touch it at all. It just can't logically happen.

Capt'n Midnight

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Here is one that will blow your mind even more op :P
Why did they need gas at all... The version of the DeLorean that went back had 'Mr Fusion'

And just where exactly would they have gotten banana skins in the old west ???

Sierra 117

Chris___ wrote: »

Why didn't the Doc and Marty not just go the mine and retrieve the DeLorean the Doc had hidden there and siphon the petrol and take any other parts they needed for the DeLorean?

Didn't Doc drain the gas from the tank before he sealed the Delorean in the cave?

Anyway, they couldn't risk unsealing the Delorean to get gas or parts as that would put them at risk of doing something that might have prevented Marty and 1955 Doc from retrieving it.

UCDVet

Two things - TL;DR - go to the bottom....

Thing #1
Time travel works differently in different movies. So many people just pick whichever time travel they like, and make statements that don't apply.

See infographic: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gKCSowBUhNQ/UTE32ZPQ8NI/AAAAAAAAG8s/y8D0LmUuXSo/s1600/bc8Du.jpg

BTTF has a 'dynamic' timeline. And it's the most difficult to reason about. The specifics how how time travel works in the BTTF universe are never really established in the movies either, so it's largely speculation as to how things would have or should have worked.

Still, in BTTF - we know that actions in the past ripple through time. In BTTF 1 Marty went back in time and messed up his parents meeting. His photo started fading *slowly*. The things he did in the past, affected his future, but not instantly, or at least based on some probability of how things will continue. Then, in the movie, he got his parents back together in a way that kept himself and his siblings alive (but had a profound affect on his future).

What this means is that it doesn't matter that Marty is in the 1955. He'll still fade away (like he was doing on stage) if the timeline is screwed up. If Marty's parents didn't hook up, he couldn't exist, so he fades away.

In BTTF 3 - Marty and Doc couldn't have done anything with the Delorean in the cave that would have prevented Marty from being able to use the Delorean in 1955 to go back to the 1800s. Presumably, they could take a part from the time machine, so long as they were sure 1955 doc could make a replacement. My point is, even though that Delorean was there, they needed to leave it there so Marty could come back. Otherwise, he'd just fade away.

They could only take parts from the Delorean if it wouldn't stop Marty from coming back to the 1800s. If Marty can't make it back, he'd fade away and Doc would still be killed.

Thing #2
Okay - fine - so they have to ensure Marty can get back to 1885. So, why not just use the gas in the tank of the time machine in the cave?

Well, that's easy. Ask any car guy what to do if you want to store a car for 70 years or so. Drain the fluids is a big one. Doc would have prepared the car so that it would be in as good of a condition as possible for his 1955 counterpart.

branie2

I have it on Blu-ray

Adyx

This video explains it all.

http://youtu.be/zq5-6PkVGCg

UCDVet

Riddle101 wrote: »

I've come across this question before, it's pretty common when talking about Back to the Future. Great movies btw.

(...snip...)

Couldn't he, in theory, track down where kerosene (which was available in 1885) was being refined, and make some gasoline from the by-product of that process?

I don't remember the exact timeline, but Marty showed up days before Doc was to be killed. Presumably, they didn't have enough time to get the required ingredients/tools and produce the gasoline before Doc's murder.

Marty only went back a few days before his death because, why not? He assumed he'd be able to grab the Doc and return immediately - the gas tank problem was unexpected.

Doc didn't know he was going to die, so he was busy building Ice machines and fancy scoped guns.

Of course *after* Mad Dog was out of the picture, that changed. But for most of the movie, they only had a very limited amount of time. I honestly have no idea how hard it would be to make gasoline - if it's easy, then maybe this doesn't explain it away.

At least, that's my take on it. I think if you look hard enough at any movie you can find plot holes though. It's just the result of the sheer number of people that work on it and provide direction, along with editing and time constraints and all that jazz.

myshirt

At the end of the Lord of The Rings, a phoenix flies Frodo and co back from Mount Doom to the shire.

Begging the question, why didn't they just fly there in the first place instead of taking three movies to walk it?

Vision of Disorder

Back To The Future 3 is a crime against cinema (which is a pity as the first two are epic).

SEPT 23 1989

myshirt wrote: »

At the end of the Lord of The Rings, a phoenix flies Frodo and co back from Mount Doom to the shire.

Begging the question, why didn't they just fly there in the first place instead of taking three movies to walk it?

because unlike Back to the Future its a load of cr@p

Saganist

BTTF is a great take on time travel, but if you want your head really messed up go watch Primer.

UCDVet

I think the real mistake in BTTF 3 is that:

* At the start of BTTF 3 - Marty learns that Doc is going to be killed only days after he writes the letter. He shares this information with Doc from 1955.

If someone who had been to the future told you, in 30 years or so, you'll be struck by lightening and end up in the 1880s. And on Sept. 2nd, 1886 (or whatever it was) you'll be killed by a guy named Mad Dog.....isn't that something you'd remember?

Of course you would.

That means, Doc would have known he was going to get struck by lightening the entire time they were in BTTF 2. Which is fine. But as soon as he got to the 1800s, he's KNOW when and where (at least what city) he would be shot. And by who.

So, when Mad Dog comes to town and demands money or new shoes or whatever for his horse, he could have just gone along with it. In fact, he tells Marty that, 'Had I know, I'd have paid him' or something similar. BUT HE DID KNOW. He knew for 30+ years, because Marty told him in 1955.

Instead of building the ice machine, he could have relocated to the East Coast - far away from Mad Dog. Or ya know, taken a vacation the month he was meant to be shot by Mad Dog.

Marty telling 1955 Doc about his future death would be enough to stop it. Marty wouldn't need to go back into the past. Hell, all Doc needed to do is remember he would be struck by lightening while flying in 1955 with the time machine. And take measures to ensure the time circuits aren't turned on. Unplug the flux capacitor - we know cars can fly without time circuits. The lightening wouldn't have sent him anyway, and him and Marty could both go back to the future.

But yeah, it's a fun children's movie.

mad m

Eight o'clock Monday, runt. If you ain't here, I'll hunt you and shoot you down like a duck.

mad m

Hard to believe BTTF was made in 1985 and Part 3 in 1990. They never tire when I look at them.

Steve_Carella

The real problem with BTTF is that even if time travel was real, it couldn't happen. Marty goes back in time, fixes everything that went wrong, and since everything is now fixed and nothing ever went wrong, there's now no need for Marty to go back in time and fix anything.

The original (and only decent) 'Terminator' movie will also make your head explode with this kind of shenanigans, if you feel so inclined to explore it.