Introduction
Understanding the primary features of various film genres is an essential part of a film studies researcher. Different types of movie categories can convey multiple ideas and stories, underlining specific aspects of ordinary lives or exploring the capabilities of human imagination. Some film types combine the knowledge from academic fields with fantasy creations, originating in the category known as science fiction, tremendously popular in the current age. This work presents the movie “Back to the Future” (Zemeckis, 1985) as a prominent example of the science fiction genre, which contains elements of this classification and broadens the possibilities of such motion pictures.
Genre Theory: Defining Science Fiction
The existence of numerous genres and subgenres requires constructing a unifying theoretical approach. Genre theory is an efficient strategy that allows scholars to analyze the movies created, highlighting their main characteristics and classifying them into particular categories (Goodykoontz et al., 2011). Implementing this approach is a necessary step in describing the leading traits of the science fiction genre, a highly popular movie type (Goodykoontz et al., 2011). This group of films is often based on assumptions derived from scientific theories, considering potential future events, usually in the setting of time traveling or space exploration.
Different science fiction films rely on particular aspects of this genre. The standard conventions for this theme include the locations of the future time, alternative reality, or historical past that is different from known historical records (Hartwell, 2017). The surroundings can be highly versatile, from discussing outer space and planetary travel to presenting alternative versions of Earth. However, the narrative elements and techniques are still similar, describing applications of a novel, non-existing technology, scientific principles, or political systems (Hartwell, 2017). Finally, special effects and futuristic accessories are used to construct a science fiction environment, for example, the background of an alien planet or heroes’ space-faring costumes.
Conventions in “Back to the Future”
The famous movie “Back to the Future,” directed by Robert Zemeckis (1985), is a remarkable example of the science fiction genre. The work relies heavily on time traveling, offering the viewer two different timelines throughout the film. The main protagonists are Marty McFly, a teenager living in an impoverished family whose father is often intimidated by Biff Tannen, and the young man’s friend, Doctor Emmett Brown (Zemeckis, 1985). Brown’s scientific expertise allows him to transform a DeLorean into a time-traveling car, which McFly uses to travel to 1955, 30 years before the beginning of the movie (Zemeckis, 1985). With the help of doctor Brown from the past, the young man alters his family’s future by helping his father to confront the bullying from younger Tannen. Having returned to the present, McFly discovers that his father is now a successful businessman who employs his past enemy as a servant (Zemeckis, 1985). Altogether, the young man secures a better future for himself and his family by traveling back to the past and directly interacting with his parents.
The film’s setting and narrative elements effectively present the genre of science fiction. First of all, the leading topic of the motion picture is the possibility of time travel, which places the protagonist in the alternative past. The majority of the movie’s events transpire in 1955 when McFly is forced to restore the original sequence of events and make a positive impact on his future (Zemeckis, 1985). The change in setting becomes evident after the hero discovers a newspaper stating the year 1955 and deduces that he has traveled to the past (Zemeckis, 1985). Secondly, the availability of time travel is provided by Brown’s scientific findings, comprising a novel academic insight. A prominent example of this convention is the scene in which McFly meets Brown, and the latter explains his theory’s principles based on such scholarly terms as Giga Watts, consumption of energy, and plutonium implementations (Zemeckis, 1985). The movie draws on multiple definitions, creating a believable story rather than presenting advanced technologies without explanation.
Another exceptional feature utilized to strengthen the impression of science fiction is the film’s special effects technique. To offer a believable and persuading picture, this motion sequence employs detailed accounts of time-traveling scenes through special effects and futuristic-looking items. The main symbol of the entire work is the modified DeLorean, a car transformed into a time-traveling machine, equipped with multiple technological devices and scientific items. In the sequence when McFly first uses the automobile, the viewer is shown a spectacular visual scene, the car accelerating and disappearing on the highway, only to appear seconds later in a different environment (Zemeckis, 1985). The situation leads the audience to believe that doctor Brown has, indeed, devised working time-traveling equipment, which brought the young man to a different timeline.
Strengthening the Genre
Producing a film requires significant knowledge and thought regarding various aspects of moviemaking. A successful director should always seek to broaden the genre they are working with, providing the audience with more than a summary of a specific movie category’s conventions. “Back to the future” is a vital example of both application of genre classification and film design, as the narrative strengthens the type of science fiction movie and creates a story interesting for the viewer. The audience follows the adventures of an ordinary teenager, not a soldier or an experienced traveler, expanding the notion of science fiction entailing only sophisticated space battles (Latham, 2017). By implementing an automobile as the primary time-traveling object, the movie broadens the understanding of science fiction works, stating that it is possible to use an everyday item as a means to move through time. As argued by Latham (2017), science fiction is not one convention but multiple, all of them contributing to a successful movie of the genre. “Back to the future” masterfully utilizes various elements of this film category, further expanding the popular understanding of science fiction.
Conclusion
To conclude, the science fiction genre and its necessary elements were thoroughly examined in this work. It is clear that “Back to the Future” is an exceptional example of science fiction, which handles the themes of time travel, novel technologies, and altering the future. The work brilliantly utilizes two locations, the present, and the past, and allows the viewer to temporarily engage in the life of a 1980s teenager who attempts to change the life of his family. Various conventions, namely time settings, time-traveling advancements, and futuristic accessories, appear to be a successful approach when conveying the themes of science fiction. Finally, the creative use of ordinary characters and common objects is exemplary in this work, as it tremendously broadens the genre of science fiction, offering elements to be considered in future motion pictures.
References
Goodykontz, B., Jacobs, C. P., Meetze, J., Pritts, N. (2011). Film: From watching to seeing (3rd ed.). Bridgepoint Education. [Electronic version]. Web.
Hartwell, D. G. (2017). Age of wonders: Exploring the world of science fiction. Macmillan.
Zemeckis, R. (1985). Back to the future. [Film]. Universal Pictures.
Latham, R. (2017). Science fiction criticism: An anthology of essential writings. Bloomsbury Publishing.