Great Scott! Did you know that 28 years ago this weekend Back to the Future was released in cinemas in the US?

One of the finest films of the 1980s, it made a star out of its DeLorean and shot Michael J Fox to fame as time-travelling teenager Marty McFly. To mark this birthday for one of our all-time favourites, here are 28 reasons why Digital Spy hearts Back to the Future.

1. The opening scene

After an intricate camera sweep across ticking clocks, the film literally explodes into life as wannabe rock star Marty strums a Dolby-exploding guitar chord.



This gull-winged sports car - modified by Doc Brown for temporal displacement - became the iconic image of the series. Production on the DMC-12 stopped in 1982 as the company went into liquidation, but the vehicle lives on in pop culture thanks to Robert Zemeckis's movie.

3. The Flux Capacitor

"You were standing on your toilet and you were hanging a clock, and you fell and you hit your head on the sink. And that's when you came up with the idea for the flux capacitor."



4. Einstein

A cinematic pooch that doesn't get the love he deserves. Doc Brown's dog Einstein was the first ever time-traveller, barrelling a full one minute into the future. Doc had a penchant for naming his hounds after pioneering scientists - his 1955 dog was called Copernicus.



5. Its flippant approach to terrorism pre-9/11

As Doc finds out to his cost, ripping off Libyans to get plutonium is not a good idea!



6. Huey Lewis

The '80s rock icon had an uncredited role as Marty's high school band judge and provided thumping ballad 'The Power of Love' for the soundtrack.



7. Doc Brown's way with words

"Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?"

"If you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?"

"When this baby hits 88 miles per hour you're gonna see some serious s**t."

"Look! There's a rhythmic ceremonial ritual coming up."

"1.21 gigawatts!"

"Great Scott!"













8. The numberplate



Profiles in History

9. Michael J Fox

It's down in Hollywood legend now, but Fox was a late replacement for Eric Stoltz after the Mask star was fired from the film. Playing the role with scrappy enthusiasm, wide-eyed wonder and impeccable comic timing (in not just this, but the two sequels as well), it's almost impossible to think of anyone else in this role now.



10. Marty and Doc's friendship

They're one of cinema's unlikeliest duos, but it's this oddball father-son dynamic at the heart of Back to the Future that gives it an emotional backbone.



Co-writer Bob Gale explained how the pair first met in an interview with DS to mark the 25th anniversary: "The basis of the relationship is that it's clear that Doc Brown is sort of the black sheep character of Hill Valley. As Mr Strickland explains, 'He's a nutcase, he's trouble'. Of course, Marty McFly is a bit of an impish character and he would be interested in meeting anybody who has this questionable reputation."

Universal Pictures

11. The 'Mr Sandman' scene

Marty is like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole as he sees the 1955 version of the town square for the first time. The Chordettes' 1954 tune is the perfect audio accompaniment to the confusion.



12. Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover

As Marty McFly's parents, Thompson and Glover where mere whippersnappers when the film came out at ages 24 and 21 respectively. Despite this they nailed their performances as both the innocent high-schoolers and burnt-out middle-aged parents.



13. Marty pretending to be Darth Vader

In order to give his dad a kick up the backside and ask out his mother, Marty channels a Sith Lord from a galaxy far, far away (and gets mixed up with Star Trek).



14. Alan Silvestri's musicâ€¦

â€¦ Is the best John Williams score John Williams never wrote.



15. George's terrible chat-up line

"My density has brought me to you."



16. "Manure! I hate manure!"

Hill Valley was packed with the stuff, and Biff developed an unfortunate habit of finding himself neck deep in it. The first time came after an ill-fated chase through the town in which Marty managed to turn a wooden scooter into a skateboard.



17. "Butthead!"

The insult of choice for uber-bully Biff Tannen. Here's Thomas F Wilson recounting his BTTF experience through song.



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18. The parking scene

In which Marty gets dangerously close to boffing his own mother. Awkward!



19. George McFly delivering that left hookâ€¦

â€¦ And sending Biff crashing to the concrete. The biggest cheer-out-loud moment in the entire movie.



20. Billy Zane is in it!

Yes, long before he was donning purple spandex for The Phantom and making his own luck on the deck of the Titanic, Zane played one of Biff's goons Match. He even reprised this minor role in Part II four years later when his career was starting to take off.



21. The Enchantment Under the Sea Dance

In which Marty saves himself from fading out of existence and casually invents rock and roll by shredding guitar to 'Johnny B Goode'.



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22. Mayor Goldie Wilson

Donald Fullilove's character was a political trailblazer. "You wait and see, Mr Caruthers. I will be mayor! I'll be the most powerful man in Hill Valley, and I'm gonna clean up this town."



23. Principal Strickland (did this guy ever have hair?)

James Tolkan was the quintessential '80s "that guy" thanks to BTTF, WarGames and Top Gun. He lurks menacingly in the background, terrorising two generations of McFly men.



24. The flying DeLorean

A brilliant set-up for a sequel (although Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale deny this was their original intention). The sequence had to be reshot for Part II when Elisabeth Shue replaced Claudia Wells as Jennifer Parker. "Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads."



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25. It's the perfect trilogy

Though the follow-ups never quite matched the original, BTTF was never harmed by its sequels. Thankfully, the trilogy's memory was never sullied by a weak fourth instalment (we're looking at you, Indiana Jones!).



26. It spawned Back to the Future LEGO





27. Back to the Future hoax memes

The film has spawned a viral gag that keeps coming back around, namely a Photoshopped image of the time circuits showing the future date Doc sets in the DeLorean. FYI, the actual date used is October 21, 2015.



28. The film's abiding message

"If you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything."



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