Studer Community Institute

Make sure your flux capacitor is fluxing, Milton

April 9, 2015
/ Louis Cooper
/ training-development

Where were you on Oct. 26, 1985? Americans of a certain age will recall that as the day that Marty McFly accidentally employed Doc Brown’s plutonium-powered DeLorean to travel back to 1955 in the blockbuster movie “Back to the Future.” In recognition of the 30th anniversary of that movie, the Santa Rosa Historical Society invites you to go back to “Back to the Future” with a special showing at the Imogene Theatre in Milton at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 11. The event will include a “Back to the Future” costume contest, ‘80s trivia and refreshments provided as a fundraiser for the Milton High School Student Government Association. Admission is $5. “It’s the 30th anniversary. Nationwide, there is already a lot of hype about the film,” said Milton Mayor Wesley Meiss, a former president of the historical society who came up with the idea to show the movie. “Plus, everyone is excited about the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series, as predicted in ‘Back to the Future II.’” For those who don’t remember – or maybe aren’t old enough to have seen the movie when it was originally on the big screen – “Back to the Future” stars Michael J. Fox and is largely responsible for lifting Fox from a successful teen TV actor to a bona fide movie star. Marty – a high schooler played by Fox – is leading a borderline loser life, which comes to him honestly by virtue of his borderline loser family, including a wimpy, subservient father and a chubby, boozing mom. He is intrigued by his older friend, genius inventor wanna-be (read: mad scientist) Dr. Emmitt Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd. The doc's latest invention — a time machine made out of a DeLorean. The flux capacitor – an after-market upgrade to Brown’s DeLorean — is Brown’s mysterious device that make time travel possible. Marty accidentally gets thrown back to 1955, and needs a refill on the plutonium Doc used to power the capacitor. “I’m sure that in 1985, plutonium is available in every corner drug store,” the younger Doc says to Marty. “But in 1955, it’s a little hard to come by.” From there, the story – dripping with its own kitsch – tells how Marty almost prevents his parents from ever falling in love. He nearly erases himself from the future. “Back to the Future” may have been ahead of its time with product placement, with references to brands like Texaco, Pepsi, Miller High Life, Milk Bone, Bank of America and JC Penny. Meiss was just 3 when “Back to the Future” debuted. Saturday will be the first time he has seen it in a theater. “I watched “Back to the Future” on VHS,” he said. “I was immediately hooked! Who wouldn't like a movie that features a muscle car that travels throughout time? I can’t count how many times I have seen it.” What costumes might be appropriate for a “Back to the Future” theme? [sidebar] ‘Back to the Future’ Trivia This Saturday’s showing of “Back to the Future” will include trivia about the ‘80s, but here’s some trivia questions about the movie itself.

What two diet drinks did Marty try to order at a 1955 dinner?
How much were “any seats” at the movie theater in 1955?
What was the 1985 mayor’s colorful nickname?
What did Marty’s 1955 mother incorrectly assume was Marty’s name?
What was the name of the alien who appeared to Marty’s dad?

Answers: 1. Tab and Pepsi Free. 2. 50 cents 3. “Goldie” 4. Calvin Klein. 5. Darth Vader [/sidebar] Well, the camera close-ups on Marty’s red and white Nikes several times, he and Doc don haz-mat suits to protect them from the plutonium, at least one character inexplicably wears 3D glasses and there’s the nylon vest jacket Marty wears which the inhabitants of the 1950s repeatedly mistake for a life preserver. Lauren Meiss, the mayor’s wife, plans to wear a nylon vest jacket and distinctive 1980s-style leg warmers. She said she already had the clothing on hand. “A few months ago at our school we had a dress up day. My group of teachers got the 80s,” said Lauren, a teacher at Brown Barge Middle School in Pensacola. “I was born in 1986. I wasn't around when ‘Back to the Future’ first came out. I was probably 12 or so the first time I saw it,” she said. “My brother and I have spent a lot of time watching it. When we went to Universal Studios we would always take pictures in front of the DeLorean down there.” She’s excited about Saturday’s event. “I think everybody will definitely look forward to getting dressed up and looking back and imaging what the 1980s was like,” Lauren Meiss said. “It’s one of those you can watch a thousand times and it never gets old – and you can repeat all the lines.” The “Back to the Future” event is part of a series of movie nights the historical society is hosting at the Imogene. The mayor said while there are currently no plans to bring the two “Back to the Future” sequels to Milton, “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones” and “E.T.” are being discussed. By the way, if you ever find yourself inexplicably transported back to October 1985, try to give a little more than a quarter to save the clock tower. It’s a very worthy project.

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Make sure your flux capacitor is fluxing, Milton

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