The story of the firstBack to the Futuremovie is relatively easy to follow, with Marty McFly accidentally traveling back in time from 1985 to 1955 and almost preventing his own birth. As the franchise continued with two more movies,theBack to the Futuretimelinesgrew more elaborate, involving time travel into the future as well as the past. Understandably, for a movie series about time travel,Back to the Futurereferences pop culture momentsfrom the past throughout all three movies, in the form of music, objects in the background, and comments from Marty.
Many of the references inBack to the Futureare still recognizable (and hilarious) today, like when Marty scares the younger version of his father, describing himself as “Darth Vader from the planet Vulcan” in aStar Wars/Star Trekmashup. However, some of the moreoutdated references inBack to the Futurewill now be missed entirely by 99% of people watching. One of these is a question that Marty begins to ask Doc Brown when he first tests the DeLorean: “Is that a Devo suit?” Doc cuts him off, and the question is never answered.
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Doc Brown cuts off the end of the question, telling Marty, “Never mind that now.” Devo is an American new-wave band that was popular throughout the 1980s, after the success of their song “Whip It.” Devo’s outfits were usually inspired by science-fiction, the band’s music was experimental for the time, and even its name is a play on the idea of “de-evolution,“as the band felt that society was de-evolving.Devo often wore brightly colored hazmat suits onstage, and as Doc Brown is wearing a hazmat suit while testing the DeLorean, Marty’s question references the band.
Music is a central theme throughoutBack to the Future, and though Devo does not appear in the movie franchise, other musicians have made cameo appearances. Singer Huey Lewis, from the 1980s rock band Huey Lewis and the News wroteBack to the Future’s theme song, andHuey Lewis appeared in a cameoas a loud-music-hating talent show judge. Eddie Van Halen is referenced when Marty plays his father a tape labeled “Edward Van Halen.“Even bearded rockers ZZ Top appear as a country and western band inBack to the Future III.
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Devo, while extremely well-known throughout the 1980s and into the 90s, is no longer as popular in mainstream pop culture as ZZ Top or Van Halen. Fewer people know what Devo is, and even fewer know what the band wore, so the reference would likely be lost on generations who didn’t grow up withBack to the Future. However,Marty is a musician, and it makes sense that he references bands that were popular in the era, even if he isn’t a fan of Devo himself. This is possible as the movie makes it very clear that Marty prefers rock music, asMarty copies several well-known guitaristsinBack to the Future’sdance scene.
Back to the Future
Cast
Back to the Future follows teenager Marty McFly as he is inadvertently sent back to 1955, where he disrupts his parents' meeting. With the assistance of eccentric inventor Doc Brown, Marty must restore the timeline by ensuring his parents fall in love and find a way back to 1985.
