We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy

When Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale started out as budding filmmakers, little did they expect to write a sf comedy that would capture the imaginations of moviegoers at the time Back to the Future was released in 1985, let alone still be enjoyed by future generations. Gaines (A Christmas Story) takes the reader on an action-packed, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie and its two sequels. He details how the filmmakers struggled to get a studio to create the picture until they got the support of their mentor, Steven Spielberg. After production started, their troubles continued as they realized that Eric Stoltz was not the right fit for the lead role of the fun-loving high schooler Marty McFly, opting instead for successful sitcom star Michael J. Fox. By conducting extensive interviews with cast and crew, the author sheds light on why this well-written story with its endearing characters, flux capacitors, hoverboards, and a flying DeLorean time machine still resonates today.