A memorable scene from Back To The Future has been recreated in the city that built the
famous DeLorean car immortalised by the filmOctober 21, 2015 is the date Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) travelled forward to in the seconden instalment of the movie trilogy. They arrived to a futuristic world of flying cars and hover boards.
While the film's vision of the future has not wholly materialised, fans of the movies are marking the day in the style.
In Belfast, where the silver gull-wing DeLorean cars were manufactured, two local actors have reimagined the zip line scene - with a comic twist - at the clock tower in the Gasworks area of the city centre.
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, Claudia Wells
Gerard McCabe took on the role of the Doc, with his character whizzing from the Gasworks clock tower down to Belfast's own Marty McFly, Dan Gordon, waiting in the DeLorean below.
At the start of the 1980s controversial US industrialist John DeLorean brought his car manufacturing plant to Dunmurry in west Belfast with the lure of significant Government financial support.
Although the factory initially injected some much needed optimism in Troubles-era Northern Ireland, its stay was shortlived and ultimately ended in failure.
When the first Back To The Future film was released in 1985 the DeLorean plant had already been closed for three years. Fewer than 9,000 cars had rolled off the production line at the Dunmurry plant.
The film stunt was created by Northern Ireland lager brand Harp.
Lisa Ronayne from Harp said it was a tribute to the enduring characters of Marty and Doc.
"In 1985 two of the most celebrated characters in film history took to the skies in a Northern Ireland-built time machine and travelled 30 years into the future, eventually arriving today: October 21, 2015," she said. She added: "We wanted to thank them for their outstanding contributions to science fiction and thought the best way of doing this was by paying homage to their original time-travelling journey which took place at the Hill Valley clock tower in 1955.
"I look forward to thanking them both in person, in the future, if I haven't already done so."
The video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/0t2Tmw1wfaM
Three local celebrities tell Laura Abernethy about their memories of the first Back To The Future film in 1985
Frank Mitchell, UTV and U105 presenter
“I went to the film with a television director called Robert Lamrock and he had his own DeLorean. We turned up at the cinema in it and people going in didn’t seem to realise the significance of the car, but on the way out Lamrock was mobbed like a pop star. That’s my memory of the film.”
Cate Conway, Q Radio breakfast show presenter
“I remember the film really well. I’m a big fan. It’s one of those films that you were completely blown away by. Although it was far-fetched, it seemed sort of believable because he was travelling in a car. I think I went to see it for the first time when I was nine and I didn’t know what the future would be like.”
Paul Clark, UTV Live presenter
“I remember the movies and I have the set on DVD at home. At that time I didn’t think about what 2015 would be like. There was too much going on because that was the year I got married. I enjoyed the film for what it was. All I wanted for the future was still to be married to the same woman, and that has happened.
You may remember Marty McFly, played by Michael J Fox, leaving 1985 behind and flying into an unbelievable world in a head-turning and scientifically souped up DeLorean car.
Now, some 30 years on, and to the day, thousands of fans of the hit trilogy, Back to the Future, are marking the anniversary of when the characters Marty and Doc Brown landed in the future.
The films will be screened in cinemas around the country and DeLorean owners will dust off their treasured cars for some time travel.
Of the 9,080 cars built in Belfast in the 1980s, 6,500 cars with the famous gull wing doors still survive. In good condition, they can make anything up to €50,000.Michael Hickey, who helped produce the car’s steel panels at the hight of production in Carlow said: “There was a major reunion in Belfast last May and it was wonderful to see so many of the cars on the road. There are around 6,500 of these cars still on the road and another 2,000 in storage.
“I always hoped one day, when I use to look at the car panels hanging on the wall in work that I would own one and now thankfully I do. It’s a rare twin engine of which there are only around four in the world.”
Stephen Armstrong managed to source his DeLorean in Canada and did the deal this week. “My interest came from watching the original Back to the Future movie when the DeLorean DMC-12 reversed out from Doc Browns truck at the Twin Pines Mall parking lot, aka car park in Hillvalley, and I thought to myself wow. That’s a cool car
“I’ve just became a DeLorean owner this week. It dates back to 1981 and it’s currently in Canada. I’m in the process of shipping it back and I really can’t wait. Then, finally, my DeLorean Dream will become reality.
“I’m planning use it for special events and bringing it to the DeLorean Eurofest event next year for the DeLorean`s 35 year Anniversary in Belfast/Dunmurry, and other car shows.”
The famed car became unstuck after a mere 28 months in production. And according to the longest serving employee and final CEO of the company, Barrie Mills, with a few modifications, the cars could still be used today.
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