MovieChat Forums > Back to the Future Part III (1990) Discussion > Couple of plot holes

Couple of plot holes

posted 5 months ago by fani (430)
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In BTTF pt 3 I noticed these 2 plot holes.

1. As Mcfly, still in 1955, is speeding towards Wild West of 1885 in his delorean, his car shows all the sparks and sizzles that time travel brings but his car dash still shows 70mph. It shouldn’t do any of that till it hits 88mph

2. When he ends up in 1885 and tumbles down the hill into the fence and faints and is woken by Mrs Mcfly, he looks at her and says “you’re my…you’re my…” as in prior movies implying she’s her mother since she obviously looks like her. And then says “who are you”. However this can’t be possible since his mother married George Mcfly and Marty’s great grandfather here has no relationship to Lorraine’s family at all. So it shouldn’t be possible for his great grandma on father’s side to look like Lorraine at all. (No weird shenanigans here)

So these were not correct.

There’s probably lot more but just caught this

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

1. Even Einsteins first trip, the Delorean lights up and shows signs of "about to travel" well before it actually does. Even if not, that's not a "plot hole" at all. It would just be continuity at worst (which it's not)

2. All this means is that the Mcfly men down the bloodline were attracted to similar type of women. Nothing more. Not a plot hole.

[–] fani (430) 5 months ago

No.. both are plot holes. The plot establishes that time travel special effects begin at 88mph. Besides being inconsistent it is incorrect of its own established rule.

The women not just look similar type, they look the same. Evident from the same actress playing the roles and him making that comment to accentuate the point that she looks like Lorraine.

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

Nope. Not a plot hole. Lol sorry you don't understand the word.

The time machine doesn't go anywhere until 88, which is what the plot says. It doesn't say anything about when the lights start. For all you know it has to do with Mr Fusion being installed in 2015. Sorry. You lose.

And nope, the actress has nothing to do with anything. For example in Indiana Jones, the big plane guy Indy fights in Raiders is the same actor who Indy fights on the rock conveyor in Temple. That doesn't mean they are related. They never once said that is part of the Bains bloodline. They always maintained it was McFlys bloodline. There are tons of people who look the same, on earth, in your country, even in the town you live in, let alone a century apart. Sorry, you lose again.

[–] fani (430) 5 months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_hole

"Types of plot hole include:
...
Continuity errors
Events in the story which contradict those established earlier.[3]
"

You yourself wrote "It would just be continuity at worst (which it's not)"

So you clearly do not even understand what a plot hole is. A continuity error IS a plot hole. And to put it in your childish 12 year old tone - So you're the ultimate loser.

The fact that Marty makes that comment and she looks like his mother which is what the character is implying as well is inconsistent with the plot. Ergo plot hole. You lose.

The fact that time travel does not commence till 88mph with all the flashing lights is a plot hole again. You clearly see that in BTTF 3 where the train is pushing the Delorean and it hits 70mph+ as the super fuels burn in sequence but there's no jazzy lights. Ergo plot hole. You lose again.

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

Lol really reaching there.

Nobody has ever considered these plot holes before except you. Know why? Because they're not. You haven't found some secret that nobody has ever thought of. You give yourself too much credit.

It's actually amusing

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

Also, the Delorean isn't being accelerated under its own power while being pushed. You don't know the science behind it. Doc does, but you don't.

No plot hole. Doesn't poke any holes in the plot.

But you keep at it, you little go getter👍

[–] fani (430) 5 months ago

When you're clearly ignorant of what a plot hole means despite being sent a link and definition, you should just give up and let someone smarter than you respond instead of filling up the page with your drivel when you can just edit your post instead of making multiple replies.

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

No...

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

Multiple replies...

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

Is more fun for me.

You can double down and die on this hill all you want. Doesn't make you right. Like the other guy said, Lea Thompson taking that role has been discussed since 1990. Nobody considers that a hole except for you.

It's just funny to me to watch you think you've unearthed some crazy secret🤣

Thanks for playing!

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

And Marty NEVER says she looks like his mom.

He even can't finish the sentence because he has no idea who that is.

[–] strntz (12224) 5 months ago

"Types of plot hole include:
...
Continuity errors
Events in the story which contradict those established earlier.[3]

But the sparks flashing before 88 don't contradict anything that was established earlier. And even if there was a scene that showed the DeLorean moving through time below 88, it's still not a "plot hole" despite what some dolt edited Wiki to say.

[–] strntz (12224) 5 months ago

Everybody and their aunts have been saying since the day the movie was released that Marty's grandmother shouldn't look anything like his mother. All that means is that they wanted to use Lea Thompson for those roles, or, as blindfolded says - maybe it's in the McFly men's genes to pick women of the same exact type.

As for whether it's a plot hole, only Millsey can make that call.

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

Agree. And the actress is playing a different character, that's all that means.
Just as it's not a plot hole that Jennifer looks completely different in part 2.

Unless they say it has anything to do with Lorraines family, which they don't, it's not a plot hole

[–] fani (430) 5 months ago

Marty's girlfriend looks nothing like his mother so no, it's not in the Mcfly genes at all to pick similar looking women.

It's a plot hole that they let in to make the cute reference as in pt 1 with the "you're my moh...you're my....moh..."
He doesn't even complete the sentence in part 1 either. In that established universe, it is clear they wanted to show Mrs. Mcfly of 1885 looked just like Lorraine and hence that remark. But it shouldn't have any relationship to the Bains.

These are 2 plot holes. I've even posted the definition of plot hole as generally accepted. A break or hole in the established plot is a plot hole by definition.

[–] blindfolded (1618) 5 months ago

All that means is that he's now accustomed to waking up with a concussion with somebody next to him that he should recognize.

No plot hole.

I do appreciate the level of mental gymnastics it's taking though 🤣

[–] strntz (12224) 5 months ago

Marty's girlfriend looks nothing like his mother so no, it's not in the Mcfly genes at all to pick similar looking women.

Even genetics end or go latent from generation to generation. Sorry, no plot hole.

A break or hole in the established plot is a plot hole by definition.

Correct, but neither of your examples come close to meeting that standard as neither affect the plot. But that's not surprising - there are very very very very few examples of actual plot holes in cinema history.

[–] fani (430) 5 months ago

No, these BTTF movies have multiple plotholes itself. Besides the ones I mentioned above, some others others have brought up are

* George and Lorraine recall all details of 1955 and the Enchantment of the Sea dance and events leading to it except the pt 2/3 George and Lorraine don't recall Marty at all and never seem curious how come Lorraine's crush in 1955 looks exactly like her 1985 son Marty.

* 1885 now has 2 Deloreans (one from doc going back in) and other that Marty brought with him. Doc would surely have kept the 1885 Delorean safe/fixed or stashed and they would've had all the parts between the 2 instead of the whole train drama.

One movie can have many plot holes (breaks in established plot itself) so it's not "very very very very" few examples.

In any case, let's hear what you think are some of these examples from other movies in cinema history?

[–] strntz (12224) 5 months ago

Trying to call something a plot hole in a movie that features time travel (an impossibility) is silly. The machinations of time travel in any given movie are established by the writer as he/she sees fit, not the viewer.

Further, any alleged plot hole that can be explained with a "what if" (not shown on screen but could have happened) isn't a plot hole.

In any case, let's hear what you think are some of these examples from other movies in cinema history?

I honestly can't think of a single one right now, but I've seen maybe 0.5% of all movies ever filmed.

[–] fani (430) 4 months ago

The what if means nothing is a plot hole in any movie. So it’s zero per you.

The whole thing here is speculation of someone’s thoughts rendered as a movie really.

So we aren’t discussing any reality here.

The point of plot hole finding is that in the established universe of the movie there are rules it sets and if it breaks them it is a plot hole.

Bttf has many.

I’ll raise a new one for another big one I just thought of

[–] blindfolded (1618) 4 months ago

They knew Marty for a single week in 1955, literal decades before Marty looks like that. They don't have a picture of him. They may think there's a passing familiarity, but it isn't a plot hole. I don't remember what half the people looked like in high school anymoren and I knew them for four years, not just a single week. Recalling peoples faces is different than recalling events. I can remember events that happened in childhood, but you would need photographic memory to recall perfectly somebody's face.
ALSO Who's to say they DIDNT notice? So what? They're not going to say "hmmm I bet my son is a time traveler!" Of course not. Theyre just going to be like "well he looks a lot like Calvin." And thats going to be the end of it.
No plot hole.

The problem in 1885 wasn't parts. It was gas. Marty's gas all leaked out in the bear cave. And the one stashed in the mine was drained of gas. How do I know? Because Doc is smart and surely knows that draining gas for long term storage is common practice, even if storing for the season, let alone the for 70 years of storage, as keeping old gas will damage the tank. Not only that, 55 Doc tells Marty he needed to fill it.
And they don't have the means to find crude oil and refine it into gasoline in the time they need to escape from 1885. And Gasoline wasn't invented yet.
Again no plot hole.

All this has been covered extensively over the past 30 years, and you obviously haven't thought these through

[–] blindfolded (1618) 4 months ago

I'll keep going because I know what else you're going to say.

You're going to say it's a plot hole because doc would've kept the gas.
No. He wouldn't have, for that long at least. Yes, He would've put it in a container for sure.... but he's been established in Hill Valley for at least eight months. During that eight months he's obviously been busy tinkering. He's not expecting Marty to come back because he instructed him back to 85.
Doc would've had two choices with his container of gas.... let it sit there for no reason and let it go bad. OR use it up in some useful practical way with all the tinkering he's been doing.

You need to face it.... no matter what, the first gas is all gone.

You lose again!
Thanks for playing