A ‘Back To The Future’ Writer Settled A Long-Standing Fan Debate After Chris Pratt Got Involved

To pass the time, and because it’s more fun than arguing with someone’s aunt about politics on Facebook, #FivePerfectMovies has been a frequent hashtag on Twitter.

The concept is simple: name five movies you think are perfect. Or at least it should be, as everyone has a different definition of “perfect.” Some believe #FivePerfectMovies should be your five favorite films, while others, like Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, describe a “perfect” film as “something that sings from start to finish with no obvious mistakes, whether they be aesthetic or structural. There are no logical lapses.” He used Back to the Future as an example: “Back to the Future SEEMINGLY could be imperfect (why don’t Mom and Dad remember Marty?), but I would still argue it’s a perfect film because there are reasons why this could conceivably be the case (time protects itself from unraveling, etc). Or maybe I’m in denial. Who knows.”

Chris Pratt thinks he knows:

The question of why Marty’s parents don’t remember him has been debated among viewers for decades, so the Hollywood Reporter asked Bob Gale, who co-wrote the script with Robert Zemeckis, to settle the dispute for good. It turns out, Pratt is right.

“Bear in mind that George and Lorraine only knew Marty/Calvin for six days when they were 17, and they did not even see him every one of those six days. So, many years later, they still might remember that interesting kid who got them together on their first date,” Gale explained, adding, “I would ask anyone to think back on their own high school days and ask themselves how well they remember a kid who might have been at their school for even a semester.” That’s one positive for being in quarantine: if you can’t leave the house, you can’t meet your future child, who you later forget.

Gotta look on the bright side, y’know?

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

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