Editing Back to the Future (section)

==Reception==
===Critical response===
{{multiple image|total_width=350
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 | footer = [[Lea Thompson]] in 2008 (left) and [[Crispin Glover]] in 2012. Critics praised the central cast, including Fox, Lloyd, Thompson, and Glover.
 | image1 = Lea Thompson by Gregg Bond (2008) (cropped).jpg
 | alt1= A photograph of Lea Thompson
 | image2 = Crispin Glover 2012 Shankbone.JPG
 | alt2= A photograph of Crispin Glover
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''Back to the Future'' received generally positive reviews from critics.<ref name="Uproxxreception" /><ref name="BBCReception" /><ref name="EWModernRecep" /> Most reviewers agreed ''Back to the Future'' was among the year's most entertaining films, partly because of its focus on storytelling instead of pure spectacle.<ref name="NYTimesMaslinSpielberg" /><ref name="RevWaPo" /> [[Paul Attanasio]] and [[Gene Siskel]] argued that while ''Back to the Future'' appeared to be "everything wrong" with youth-targeted films, it successfully subverted expectations by focusing on a relatable narrative with an emotional core, and employed irreverent, good-natured humor. They, alongside [[Richard Corliss]], agreed that it would endure because it offered something for children and adults.<ref name="RevWaPo" /><ref name="RevTimeOut" /><ref name="RevSiskel" /> Some reviewers, such as Corliss and [[Leonard Maltin]] agreed that the exposition-heavy opening was ''Back to the Future''{{'}}s weakest part, but led into a stronger half filled with "wit", "wonder", "comic epiphany", and original ideas.<ref name="RevVariety" /><ref name="Uproxxreception" /><ref name="RevTimeOut" />

[[Dave Kehr]] remarked that Gale and Zemeckis were among the first generation of filmmakers openly influenced by growing up on televised entertainment, and their inspirations are evident throughout. ''The Hollywood Reporter'' said that despite Spielberg's producer role, it was Zemeckis's vision, being more subtle, gentler, and "less noisy".<ref name="RevDaveKehr" /><ref name="RevTHR" /> Some reviewers compared it favorably to the 1946 fantasy drama ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'', which offered a similar premise of a central character changing his future. [[Roger Ebert]] said the film offered humanity, charm, humor, and many surprises that were among its "greatest pleasures".<ref name="RevVariety" /><ref name="RevTHR" /><ref name="RevRogerEbert" /> [[Sheila Benson]] was more critical; she found ''Back to the Future'' to be overproduced and underdeveloped, featuring a hollow ending focused on materialistic rewards and lacking tension because Marty's success never seemed in doubt. Siskel countered that the tension came from defying the expectations of a typical time travel film by making the past mutable and the future uncertain.<ref name="RevSiskel" /><ref name="LATimesReview" /> [[Paul Attanasio]] criticized some aspects that seemed to be "mechanically" designed to create the broadest audience appeal.<ref name="NYTimesMaslinSpielberg" /><ref name="RevWaPo" />

The cast performances were generally well received, particularly those of Fox, Lloyd, Thompson, and Glover.<ref name="NYTimes1985PostMortemCanby" /><ref name="RevWaPo" /><ref name="RevTHR" /> Reviewers consistently praised Fox's "appealing" performance, although some believed Lloyd's performance outshone the rest.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="Uproxxreception" /><ref name="RevWaPo" /><ref name="RevSiskel" /><ref name="RevTHR" />}} Kehr and Attanasio considered his uncontrolled performance and unique "intensity" a tribute to mad scientist characters, portrayed by the likes of [[Sid Caesar]] and [[John Belushi]], while creating the definitive scientist archetype for modern audiences.<ref name="RevWaPo" /><ref name="RevDaveKehr" /><ref name="RevTHR" /> In contrast, [[Vincent Canby]] and ''Variety''{{'}}s review said that Thompson's "deceptively passionate" performance and Glover's bumbling-to-confident character provided ''Back to the Future''{{'}}s standout performances.<ref name="RevVariety" /><ref name="NYTimes1985PostMortemCanby" /> Some reviewers considered the use of Libyan terrorists, an actual fear at the time, to be in poor taste.<ref name="RevTHR" /><ref name="LATimesReview" />

Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=CinemaScore |url=http://www.cinemascore.com/find_a_movie.epl?id=Back_To_The_Future |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010409155946/http://www.cinemascore.com/find_a_movie.epl?id=Back_To_The_Future |archive-date=2001-04-09 |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=[[CinemaScore]]}}</ref>

===Accolades===
''Back to the Future'' received four nominations at the [[43rd Golden Globe Awards]], for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)]] (Fox), [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] ("The Power of Love"), and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]] (Gale and Zemeckis).<ref name="HFPAOralHistory" /><ref name="GoldenGlobes86" /> The film was also named Favorite Motion Picture at the [[12th People's Choice Awards]].{{sfn|Ní Fhlainn|2014|p=2}} At the [[58th Academy Awards|1986 Academy Awards]], ''Back to the Future'' received one award for [[Academy Award for Best Sound Editing|Best Sound Effects Editing]] ([[Charles L. Campbell|Charles{{spaces}}L. Campbell]] and [[Robert Rutledge]]). It received a further three nominations: [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]] (Gale and Zemeckis); [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]] ([[Bill Varney]], [[B.&nbsp;Tennyson Sebastian&nbsp;II]], [[Robert Thirlwell]], and [[William&nbsp;B. Kaplan]]); and [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] ("The Power of Love").<ref name="Oscars1986" />

At the [[39th British Academy Film Awards]], ''Back to the Future'' received five nominations, including [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]], [[BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]] (Gale and Zemeckis), [[BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]] (Pike and Ralston), [[BAFTA Award for Best Production Design|Best Production Design]] (Paull), and [[BAFTA Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]] (Schmidt and Keramidas).<ref name="BAFTA86" /> At the [[13th&nbsp;Saturn Awards]], the film won three awards: [[Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film|Best Science Fiction Film]], [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] (Fox), and [[Saturn Award for Best Special Effects|Best Special Effects]] (Pike).<ref name="SaturnAward86" /> It also won the [[Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation]].<ref name="HugoAward" /> ''Back to the Future'' performed well internationally: it won Best Foreign Producer (Spielberg) and Best Foreign Screenplay at the [[David di Donatello]] awards (Italy), [[Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film|Outstanding Foreign Film]] from the [[Japan Academy Film Prize|Japan Academy]], and the [[Goldene Leinwand]] (Germany) for selling more than three million tickets in its first eighteen months.{{sfn|Gaines|2015|p=116}}