The clock tower scene in ‘Back to the Future’ remains a defining moment in cinematic history, showcasing masterful storytelling and suspenseful filmmaking techniques.
Why the Clock Tower Scene in ‘Back to the Future’ is a Masterclass in Suspense and Payoff
Forty years later, we’re still captivated by Marty McFly and that iconic lightning bolt.
During a recent appearance at Toronto’s Fan Expo for the film’s anniversary, Michael J. Fox expressed the enduring love fans have for this ’80s sci-fi classic. He remarked, “We were all just obsessed with the film while we were making it, and I’m not bragging to say that I’m proud I was there. It really happened. We were all part of making one of the greatest movies of all time.”
The film builds to an unforgettable climax, and we revisit it here as a prime example of exceptional filmmaking in our anniversary celebration.
Watch the scene below, and then join us as we explore why Back to the Future’s clock tower scene stands as a benchmark for cinematic suspense.
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Marty McFly (Fox) eagerly awaits his chance to return to 1985 after being stranded in the ’50s. Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) has pinpointed the exact moment lightning will strike the Hill Valley clock tower, providing the DeLorean with the necessary power.
However, a cable comes loose, and while Marty navigates the rain-soaked streets to his designated spot, Doc Brown rushes to reconnect the wires.
Every second counts, and it still makes me lean forward in my seat.
What Makes the Story Exceptional
This sequence is brilliant because it layers multiple ticking clocks—both literal and metaphorical.
Doc must reconnect the cables. Marty needs to reach 88 miles per hour. The lightning must strike at 10:04 PM. Missing any of these beats means our hero remains trapped in 1955. We understand the stakes and the setup, and the scene’s simplicity allows us to root for both Marty and Doc.
Utilizing ticking clocks effectively is one of the simplest tools to build suspense in a scene.
The clock tower sequence also exemplifies strong editing rhythm. Editors Arthur Schmidt and Harry Keramidas create escalating tension through increasingly rapid cuts as the deadline looms.
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Moreover, Zemeckis cleverly planted the seeds of the final act early on.
Observant viewers may notice that in Doc Brown’s initial laboratory scene, one clock depicts a man hanging from the clock hands, foreshadowing his later pose (via CBR).
Now that’s what we call plant and payoff.
What Makes the Effects Remarkable
The visual effects have stood the test of time. The lightning was animated, as ILM’s Wes Takahashi explained to fxguide.
“Animating the lightning was as simple as hand-drawn black ink lines on white paper,” Takahashi noted. “In the animation department, we could flip the polarity of our video animation test system, record each illustrated lightning bolt for one frame, and immediately play back the series of frames in real time.”
Visual effects supervisor Ken Ralston shared with American Cinematographer that the original ending was meant to involve a nuclear explosion in the desert, but budget constraints necessitated a rewrite.
Ralston said, “It was better for the show: a lot more intimate and you can have a lot more fun with the character of Doc Brown up on the clock tower than getting him involved in an atomic explosion. And it was far better for the producers, because their budget wouldn’t allow what we wanted to do, and they couldn’t build the sets in the desert with what they had. So they changed the whole concept and rewrote the ending, and it turned out to be a much more suspenseful and fun kind of show.”
Sometimes, limitations foster innovation. Keeping the action small and intimate allowed for character moments we wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.
The key takeaway is that great suspense isn’t about larger explosions or higher stakes; it’s about making every moment count and keeping the narrative focused on the characters.
