Training Wheels

Rating: Null/10 (25 March 2010)

I enjoy groups of films, in a sort of "mix tape" way. Of particular interest are sequels and series where different writers and filmmakers are involved. I find the first three Frankenstein films differ in amazing ways for instance, ways that deepen the experience for each film.
Here we have Spielberg clone Zemeckis in control of all three in the group. The first was apparently intended as a single project which had a risky creation, involving many changes. Some lack of coherence was introduced because of major changes introduced by the curse of test screenings.
The second and third, however were written and filmed together. This was the first big Hollywood project designed in response to questionnaires. You can see it in the recipe. Need more love interest? More actual action? Less Biff? Costumes? Chop, chop, chop.
There is a clever thing this movie has that the others did not. It knows it is a movie. It sends our travelers back in time not into an earlier version of their world, but into a movie world. Specifically, it is the most stable genre of all: the western. As soon as Marty arrives, we have the most common trope in westerns: wild Indians yelping as if it were 1955, chased by the cavalry. There are a few jokes about being not in the real world but in a movie world, including the requirements for what happens next.
It is not enough. By this time, we are tired of the whole thing.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.