BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY [Book Review]





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BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY
Published by Titan Books
Now available from The Book Depository

2015 marks the 30th Anniversary of Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future and today, 21st October 2015, is the day which Marty McFly and Doc Brown travelled in time to the future in Back To The Future Part II. We might not have super cool fashion (imagine Biff’s son with a hipster top-knot and beard) and those hoverboards may still be elusive, but one thing’s for certain: we love the Back to the Future series as much now as we did then and many of those kids from the 80’s are now showing the films to their children and grandchildren.

If you’re one of the many fans of BTTF, then you’ll want to get your hands on this amazing hardback book from Titan Books. Measuring at 9.5″ x 11.25″, this stunning book, with its full colour embossed cover, features 224 high quality pages of meaty Back to the Future content that will thrill and make you feel like you’re a kid again. This wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the production publicist on BTTF Part II and III Michael Klastorin who, at the time of making the films, collected every scrap of paper, every official still photo, production report, storyboard, sketch and little piece of information about the film he could, knowing that one day he’d compile them together to make a book all about the stellar film series. It appeared that even as recently as five years ago there was no interest in this book but thanks to Robbie Schmidt from Insight Edition, Michael was able to realise his dream and brought onboard superfan Randal Atamaniuk to help him create this spectacular official companion that we have here today in time for this momentous occasion.

With an introduction from the films’ stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and writer/producer Bob Gale, as well as a final ending note from writer/director Robert Zemeckis, this is a piece of work that has captured not just the fans’ hearts but also that of everyone who was involved with the film. Universal and ILM even allowed Klastorin and Atamaniuk into the archives to pull any information they deemed suitable to add to the book and so there’s never-before-seen stills from the films, anecdotes, stories and plenty of interviews with the stars of the film to sink your teeth into.

Something that will truly make film lovers squeal about this book, if they aren’t already of course, is the addition of removable reproduction items. I’ve actually got a Terminator Vault book that also features removable items such as this and I praise the Back to the Future book’s creators for adding this special touch to an already breathtaking creation. You can find things like a Jaws 19 poster inside, a Biff Tannen dollar bill, a vintage photo of Doc and Marty from BTTF Part III and my favourite of all, a lenticular version of Marty’s family photograph where you can actually tilt it and see Marty’s brother and sister disappear. I might have woke up the house after squealing on top note when I discovered that photo and have spent many occasions sitting in absolute awe playing with it. Oh, the simple pleasures. There’s more little removables besides these but you’ll have to get the book yourself to find out what they are! 😉

The book itself is split into four sections: Back to the Future Part I, Part II, Part III and Beyond, with the beyond section taking a look at what the franchise has inspired, from rides to animated series and even videogames. The film sections give a wealth of information on the making of the films in the order of production much like a production diary. It starts of with Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale getting into filmmaking, meeting Steven Spielberg and coming up with the idea and script for Back to the Future before casting for the roles of Marty, Doc Brown, Biff and co. ahead of production. This particular section is a great eye opener into the struggles of the film particularly getting hold of Michael J. Fox for the role as Marty and having to shoot with Eric Stolz. There’s production notes, casting pages, stills, sketches and many more additions to accompany the text on the pages which gives a clearer picture on the making of the three films as well as the thoughts of those who worked on them such as Michael J. Fox, Bob Gale and Lea Thompson. Some colourful sketches are shown later in the book for things such as the hoverboards, vehicle design, footwear and costumes, much of which are so inspiring you’ll want to stick the movies on your DVD/Blu-Ray player straight away to relive the memories you’re reading about.

There’s something for everyone in BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY. Whether you’re a hardcore fan of the franchise or love the films and are keen to get an insight into how they were created, this in-depth magnificent book is an absolutely must-have to add to your collection, and for a book of this high quality, do expect it to be heavy!

Rating: ★★★★★

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About Bat 4348 Articles
I love practical effects, stop-motion animation and gore, but most of all I love a good story! I adore B-movies and exploitation films in many of their guises and also have a soft spot for creature features. I review a wide range of media including movies, TV series, books and videogames. I'm a massive fan of author Hunter S. Thompson and I enjoy various genre of videogames with Kingdom Hearts and Harvest Moon two of my all time favs. Currently playing: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Yakuza Zero and Mafia III.

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