Product Details

• Actors: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson
• Directors: Robert Zemeckis
• Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
• Producers: Bob Gale, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Neil Canton, Steve Starkey
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 12, 1991
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630179513X
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,554 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

• This is item 3 in The Back to the Future Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

Shot back-to-back with Back to the Future II, this final chapter in the series is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Michael J. Fox's character ends up in the Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scientist Christopher Lloyd at the hands of a gunman. Director Robert Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western, and comes up with something original and fun. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Was This the Best Science Fiction Movie Ever Made?, April 10, 2005

By	John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Well, there are five reasons. The first four are found in the review of the DVD set of all five; here is the last one:

5. Gestalt. Call it what you want, but consider the conceptual continuity of these three movies. 1985 remained the "present" for all the films, right? Even this one and BTTF3, made some years later, preserved 1985 as the fulcrum. Quick quiz: of all the eras depicted, which one was the best: 1885, 1955, 1985 or 2015? Tough question, given that there were at least three distinct 1985s, etc.

But look: even the "best" 1985 was, in significant ways, not as good as 2015. Our predicates, then, are that obstacles can be overcome, the past reinvented as needed, and, most importantly, "the future is what you make it."

I've found no clearer demonstration of a fundamentally optimistic philosophy in any movie I ever saw. Even though these films intentionally avoid sentimentality (all right, you could argue that), they express a relentless optimism that enables characters and, derivately, ourselves, to take charge of our situations, invent new solutions and fulfill Doc Brown's mandate. Make mistakes, learn from them, experiment, and then move forward. The past does not have to trap you; it is only a platform for a better future.

You cannot leave the movies without feeling more empowered about your own life. And it does not get any better than that.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a fitting end to a wonderful trilogy, February 26, 2004

By	Joe Sherry (Minnesota) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A film by Robert Zemeckis

"Back to the Future Part III" is the third and concluding chapter to the "Back to the Future" trilogy. For many years this was my least favorite film in the trilogy, but watching it again for the first time in years I have new appreciation for it. "Back to the Future Part III" is a satisfying and worthy end to this trilogy.

At the end of the second movie the DeLorean is struck by lightening (which we already know provides the necessary 1.21 gigawatts of energy required for time travel) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) is sent somewhen in time. Marty (Michael J Fox) is stuck in 1955 Hill Valley, but just after Doc and the DeLorean disappears a letter arrives for Marty. The letter is from Doc and was written in 1885. It was left as the post office with the instructions to be delivered on that particular date at that particular time. The letter says that Doc is alive and well in 1885 and under no circumstances is Marty to try to go back and rescue him.

Marty returns to the 1955 Doc Brown and enlists his help to recover the DeLorean which was left in a cave for 70 years. While recovering the DeLorean Marty discovers a tombstone with Doc's name on it...and the date that Doc died was only a week after he wrote the letter! The tombstone reads "shot in the back by Buford Tannen (Thomas F Wilson) over a matter of $80". There is no way Marty is going to let this happen, so he puts gas in the DeLorean and travels back in time to 1885 to help Doc. Of course, if it was that simple, we wouldn't have much of a movie, so complications evolve. The DeLorean ruptures its gas line, so that it leaks gas and can no longer be driven under its own power. Part of the movie is Doc and Marty trying to get the DeLorean back up to 88 miles per hour, but there is also the matter of Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen who still intends to shoot Doc over that matter of eighty dollars...or will history change and will Marty's name on that tombstone? This final installment also introduces a love interest for Doc Brown in the person of Clara Clayton (Mary Steenburgen), the new school teacher with an interest in science.

This movie is much more of a straight forward action/adventure/comedy (whatever) movie. The time travel serves to get Marty in the past and back to the present, but there isn't as much playing around with time travel as there is in the second movie. I still think this might be the weakest of the movies, but it is a very fun ride. While this movie will never reach the "classic" status that I feel the first one will, this is a very enjoyable movie and is a fitting end to the trilogy. Good stuff.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The End Of A Brilliant Trilogy, February 19, 2002

By	Barry "Barrybgb" - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This 1990 sequel was shot back to back with Back To The Future 2. Again, it was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starred Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. In this, the third and final chapter in the series, Marty McFly(Fox)is transported, thanks to the delorean, to the year 1885. The Old West. There, he tries to save Doc Brown(Lloyd)who is to be shot and killed by a mad gunmen. Is it any surprise that the guy who is supposed to kill Doc Brown is a relation to Biff?. No, it isn't. But there are a few other problems as well. On his trip to 1885, the delorean gets a hole punctured in the fuel tank. They are trapped there. The other, is that Doc has fallen in love with a sweet school marm(played by Mary Steenburgen). Doc is conflicted between leaving and saving his life, or staying and being with the woman he truly loves, and face the chance of getting shot. The two find a way to gain enough speed to get the delorean in motion and send them back to 1985. If you haven't seen it, I won't say how. This chapter in the brilliant series is a real fun, crowd pleaser. However, it lacks a lot of the punch the first two had. The effects and everything are mild and tame in this one. Not as exciting as the previous ones. Still, it is a wonderfully made and put together film. It is thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. A very satisfying end to the whole saga. Fox and Lloyd are, as always, top notch. Thomas Wilson as Biff's ancestor is, well, he's still Biff. Would we want him any other way?. Probably not. Steenburgen does the best with what she's given. It's too bad that Lea Thompson, who had such an important and prominent role in the first and second, was relegated to almost 'cameo' status in this one. Oh well. In the end, a good romp for the whole family. Watch and enjoy!!!.