Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: back to the future, Back to the Future Part 2, biff, bob gale, James Tolkan, Marty McFly, michael j fox, netflix, thomas wilson, Tom Wilson, Universal Pictures

Netflix Corrected Back to the Future Error, Writer Says

Published Sat, 23 May 2020 15:15:45 -0500

by Tom Chang

Comments

Astute Back to the Future fans took to social media to take exception of a scene edited out of the streamed version from Part II (1989) on Netflix. The scene in question involved when Marty (Michael J. Fox) returned to 1955 steal back his 2015 sports almanac from young Biff (Tom Wilson). Outside on high school grounds during the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, Marty followed Principal Strickland (James Tolkan) to his office after believing he confiscated the book from Biff. After inadvertently getting his hand crushed in an attempt to snatch the almanac from Strickland's desk, the principal dropped it into the trash and left his office. When picking the book up, Marty discovered under the cover of the almanac was a risqué magazine called "Oh La La". The Netflix version at the time edited passed the reveal. Screenwriter Bob Gale spoke to The Hollywood Reporter asking fans to go easy on the streamer and not blame them for the honest mistake.

Netflix Corrected Back to the Future Error, Writer Says — Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future Part 2. Image courtesy of Universal

Clearing the Air on Back to the Future Part II

"The blame is on Universal who somehow furnished Netflix an edited version of the movie," Gale said. "I learned about it some ten days ago from an eagle-eyed fan, and had the studio rectify the error. The version now running is the uncensored, unedited, original version." The writer clarified how the studio missed their error. "Apparently, this was a foreign version which neither director Robert Zemeckis nor I even knew existed, for some country that had a problem with the' Oh La La magazine cover'. I asked that the studio destroy this version. FYI, Netflix does not edit films — they only run the versions that are supplied to them. So they're blameless. You can direct your ire at Universal, but I think they will be a lot more careful in the future — and with 'the future.'"

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!