Emmett Brown Explained

Series:Back to the Future
Emmett Brown
First:Back to the Future (1985)
Creator:Robert Zemeckis
Bob Gale
Portrayer:Christopher Lloyd
Occupation:Scientist
Spouse:Clara Clayton
Full Name:Emmett Lathrop Brown
Nationality:German American
Home:Hill Valley, California
Extra-Hdr:Time travel
Lbl31:Original time
Data31:1985, 1955
Lbl32:Known years visited
Data32: 1885, 1931, 1955, 1985, 1985A, 2015, 2015A

Emmett Lathrop Brown, commonly referred to as "Doc Brown", is a fictional scientist in the Back to the Future franchise. He was created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. In Back to the Future, he introduces his friend Marty McFly to the DeLorean time machine that he invented using a DMC DeLorean. In Back to the Future Part III he builds another time machine using a steam engine locomotive.

The character is portrayed by Christopher Lloyd in all three films, as well as in the live action sequences of the animated series. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta in the animated series. The character's appearance and mannerisms are loosely inspired by Leopold Stokowski and Albert Einstein. He is of a benevolent mad scientist archetype, with his madness being visionary and eccentric enthusiasm rather than insanity or evil. He is the only character to appear in all Back to the Future media.

Development

Casting

During development of Back to the Future, several actors were considered for the role, including John Lithgow. Jeff Goldblum auditioned for the part but lost out when Christopher Lloyd was cast as Emmett Brown.[1] Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh also recalled being approached by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg for the role, but turned it down because he was not interested in acting.[2] Producer Neil Canton suggested Lloyd to Bob Gale and Zemeckis, as he had previously worked with him on The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. Lloyd initially turned it down as he was not familiar with Zemeckis, but was encouraged by his wife to reconsider.[3] Despite his reluctance, Zemeckis knew immediately that he was the right actor for the role, commenting "He just had everything the character needed."[4] Lloyd was significantly younger than his character, being 46 years old at the time of filming Back to the Future, so the makeup artists made him look older. The Back to the Future novels state that Emmett Brown was born in 1920, placing him at the age of 65 in 1985. The character's appearance was inspired by Albert Einstein and Leopold Stokowski.[5] Lloyd recalled discussing his inspirations with Zemeckis, after he was influenced by an album cover depicting Stokowski in front of the cosmos with white hair.[6]

Production

The script for Back to the Future was written by Gale and Zemeckis. They wrote two drafts and pitched the second draft. Although the script was rejected more than 40 times, Steven Spielberg showed interest in producing the film at Amblin Entertainment. Sid Sheinberg, the head of Universal Pictures also liked the story but wanted to make certain changes. Originally Emmett was given the title "Professor Brown" but Sheinberg thought viewers would dislike it and changed it to "Doc Brown". He also rejected the idea that Emmett should have a pet chimpanzee, so this was changed to a dog, because he believed that "no movie with a chimpanzee ever made any money". In the second draft of the script, Doc's time machine was a "time chamber" similar to a refrigerator, which he would have to transport in the back of his truck. Zemeckis conceived an alternative solution by making the time machine mobile and incorporating it into a vehicle.[7] Storyboard artist Andrew Probert said that Doc Brown's car was designed to be a DeLorean, but Gale had to reject various offers from automotive companies that wanted to be included in the film. At one point, a member of the production team responsible for product placement approached Gale with a deal from the Ford Motor Company which suggested that Doc Brown should drive a Ford Mustang. Gale rebuffed the offer stating, "Doc Brown does not drive a f-cking Mustang".[8] For the character's signature expression, Gale stated that Zemeckis had come up with the idea of using "Great Scott!". He initially thought Doc Brown would use the phrase "Great Caesar's Ghost!" because it was from a Superman television series they had grown up watching. The phrase "Great Scott!" was spoken by another character that he could not remember.[9]

Filming for Back to the Future took place in late 1984 and early 1985 in a variety of locations. The scenes involving Doc Brown's 1955 mansion home, which in the film is located at the fictional address of 1640 Riverside Drive in Hill Valley, California, were shot at the Gamble House in Pasadena. The Gamble House's carriage house was used for Doc Brown's garage, which by 1985, has become his residence after the mansion is destroyed. The garage's exterior was replicated for the scenes. For the interior of his home, the Robert R. Blacker House was used for filming.[10] When Eric Stoltz was replaced by Michael J. Fox for the part of Marty McFly in the sixth week of filming, Lloyd was initially worried by the casting change, as he was concerned about having to reshoot the scenes.[11] Despite these reservations, he found that he had a natural chemistry with Fox that meant it was easy to work with him.[12]

In Back to the Future Part III, Doc Brown develops a relationship with Clara Clayton in 1885, a character portrayed by Mary Steenburgen. Despite being an experienced actor of 15 years, Lloyd needed to speak to Zemeckis before filming a scene in which he kisses her, to explain that he had never before had an onscreen kiss.[13] Gale opined that Lloyd was effective in the part of a romantic male lead. Zemeckis said that during production of the first film, they decided to write a scene to explain Doc Brown's disinterest in women, in which he is forced to choose between a relationship and science and ends up choosing science. The scene was eventually left out of the second film. Zemeckis explained that the third film illustrates the character's growth from an eccentric to a man capable of falling in love: "he gets in touch with that boyish, romantic, innocent part of himself".[14]

Characteristics

Emmett Lathrop Brown[15] is a white-haired scientist who is called "Doc" by his teenage friend Marty McFly. He was created as a mad scientist archetype.[16] Despite his many failed inventions, he successfully makes time travel possible, by building a DeLorean time machine out of a DMC DeLorean.[17] Gale stated that Doc Brown met Marty when the teenager was about 14 years old. Marty sneaked into Doc's lab after learning that he was considered a lunatic and was discovered there by Doc. Marty considered Doc to be cool and this resulted in Doc hiring Marty as his part-time lab assistant.[18] Doc was born into a wealthy family and in 1955 lives in a mansion, but spends thirty years burning through his wealth to realise his vision of time travel.[19] By 1985, his mansion has been destroyed by fire, so he subsequently resides in the mansion's garage.[20] Doc's garage is packed with gadgets and he has an impressive clock collection. Although he is American and a baseball fan, Doc's father was German and his family name was Von Braun.[21]

Doc Brown's friendship with Marty is a central aspect of the film trilogy. Marty typically seeks out his friend each time he finds himself in a perilous situation, knowing that Doc will provide a solution. Doc not only takes the role of Marty's sidekick, but also provides much of the comic relief.[22] He is shown to be selfless by nature, often putting his life in danger to help his friend because he believes in doing what is right.[23] Whenever he makes a new discovery, he typically expresses his astonishment by exclaiming the catchphrase "Great Scott!".[24] Lloyd described Doc Brown as a positive character who is inventive and energetic. He said that he loved the character's passion and excitement in discovering new things.[25] Doc's positive influence on Marty encourages him to mentor his father George in 1955 and influence him into becoming a novelist, which in turn results in the success of the McFly family in 1985. This positivity is articulated in Doc's line, "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything", which Marty later repeats to George.[26] Gale said that Doc's friendship with Marty is based on mutual respect, as both characters find a connection with each other being rebellious by nature. He explained, "Doc thinks, 'Hey, Marty is a kid who maybe I can give him something, he's the son I never had. He's inquisitive, he doesn't judge me'."[27]

Doc Brown is eccentric but also a genius.[28] He tells Marty that he invented time travel in November 1955 by accident. While trying to hang a clock in his bathroom by standing on the toilet, he slipped, banged his head and while he was knocked out had a vision of the flux capacitor, the component that makes time travel possible.[29] In 1985, he uses stolen plutonium to create a "nuclear reaction to generate 1.21 gigawatts of electricity" to power the DeLorean and enable it to time travel. Upon realising that plutonium is impossible to obtain in 1955, the younger Doc decides that the only other way to power the DeLorean is with a bolt of lightning.[30] When conducting his science experiments, Doc Brown often uses his pet dogs as test subjects. In 1985, he tests the DeLorean by sending his dog Einstein one minute into the future. When Marty meets up with the younger Doc Brown in 1955, his dog is named Copernicus and is used as a test subject for Doc's "brain wave analyzer". When Doc and Marty travel to 2015, he leaves Einstein in a "suspended animation kennel".[31]

When Doc Brown meets Clara Clayton in 1885, he finds romance with a character who is similarly eccentric and interested in science.[32] Doc starts a family with Clara and they have two sons, Jules and Verne. He eventually builds another time machine out of a steam locomotive and together they set off on new adventures.[33]

Other Back to the Future appearances

Other appearances

Reception and influence

Emmett Brown has been described by critics as Lloyd's greatest or most iconic film role.[45] [46] Rotten Tomatoes described the role as Lloyd's "biggest legacy".[47] MovieWeb named Doc Brown as "one of the greatest movie characters of all time" and the "greatest sidekick in film history". GamesRadar+ listed Doc Brown as one of the greatest movie characters of the 1980s alongside Marty, particularly praising their onscreen chemistry.[48] He was selected by Empire magazine as one of the greatest movie characters of all time.[49]

Paste noted that the character was responsible for reviving the phrase "Great Scott!", which returned as an internet meme, having fallen out of use since the 1800s.[50] Rick Sanchez of the American animated series Rick and Morty (voiced by Justin Roiland) began as a parody of Doc Brown.[51] In September 2021, Christopher Lloyd portrayed Sanchez himself in a series of promotional clips for the series' two-part fifth season finale, alongside Jaeden Martell as Morty Smith (also voiced by Roiland in the series), a character inspired by Marty McFly.[52]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Evans . Bradford . 2012-09-20 . The Lost Roles of ‘Back to the Future’ . 2024-08-03 . Vulture . en.
  2. Web site: Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh Was Almost Doc Brown in ‘Back to the Future,’ but Just Wanted to Score It . The Wrap - YouTube.
  3. Web site: Lambie . Ryan . 2015-07-10 . 25 Things We Didn't Know About Back to the Future . 2024-08-04 . Den of Geek . en-US.
  4. Web site: 2021-08-26 . Christopher Lloyd is still playing characters who are unhinged — and larger than life . 2024-08-19 . Washington Post . en.
  5. Web site: Austin . Henry . Russell . Tom . 2022-07-18 . How Old Was Christopher Lloyd In Back To The Future? . 2024-08-12 . ScreenRant . en.
  6. Web site: 2013-09-27 . Entertainment Lloyd: `Back to the Future' still gratifying Seattle Times Newspaper . 2024-08-14 . The Seattle Times.
  7. Web site: Going 'Back to the Future,' 25 years later . 2024-08-15 . www.cnn.com . en.
  8. Web site: 2023-11-17 . Back to the Future Concept Artist On How DeLorean Time Machine Changed . 2024-08-16 . SYFY Official Site . en-US.
  9. Web site: Holmes . Adam . 2020-10-21 . Back To The Future’s Bob Gale Explains The History Of The Trilogy’s Two Best Catchphrases . 2024-08-19 . CINEMABLEND . en.
  10. Web site: Blake . Lindsay . 2015-07-09 . Doc Brown’s House from Back to the Future . 2024-08-14 . LAmag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles . en.
  11. Web site: Parker . Ryan . 2022-01-31 . Christopher Lloyd Had Serious Reservations About Eric Stoltz’s ‘Back to the Future’ Firing . 2024-08-14 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  12. Web site: Christopher Lloyd Was 'Worried' About Michael J. Fox Replacing Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future . 2024-08-14 . Peoplemag . en.
  13. Web site: 2020-05-22 . 'Back to the Future Part III' at 30: 10 things you might not know about the sci-fi classic . 2024-08-15 . uk.movies.yahoo.com . en-GB.
  14. News: Smith . Laurie Halpern . 1990-05-20 . FILM; After 15 Years, a Kiss for Christopher Lloyd . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112022932/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/20/movies/film-after-15-years-a-kiss-for-christopher-lloyd.html . 2020-11-12 . 2024-08-15 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  15. Web site: 2015-06-30 . 30 geeky facts about Back to the Future . 2024-08-16 . Digital Spy . en-GB.
  16. Web site: 2024-01-31 . Back to the Future's Doc Brown Was Almost Played by a Very Different Kind of Star . 2024-08-19 . Yahoo Entertainment . en-US.
  17. News: Lamont . Tom . 2011-12-01 . My favourite film: Back to the Future . 2024-08-14 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  18. Web site: How Marty McFly Met Doc Brown . IGN.
  19. Web site: Ayala . Nicolas . 2023-01-09 . Why Doc Brown Is So Rich In Back To The Future . 2024-08-20 . ScreenRant . en.
  20. Web site: Johnston . Rich . 2015-11-11 . Doc Brown Didn't Burn Down His House For The Insurance In Back To The Future (SPOILERS) . 2024-08-14 . bleedingcool.com . en.
  21. Web site: Parker . Ryan . 2020-10-21 . ‘Back to the Future’ Screenwriter Bob Gale Explains Doc’s Denver Broncos Clock . 2024-08-14 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  22. Web site: Furzan . Federico . 2023-02-26 . Why Doc Brown Is One of the Greatest Movie Characters of All Time . 2024-08-14 . MovieWeb . en.
  23. Web site: Crews . Dyler . 2021-12-03 . Back To The Future: 10 Ways Doc Brown Is Actually The Main Character . 2024-08-14 . CBR . en.
  24. Web site: Press . Lindsay . 2024-02-12 . 10 Best Back to the Future Quotes For Instant '80s Nostalgia . 2024-08-14 . MovieWeb . en.
  25. Web site: 2015-10-20 . Christopher Lloyd loves Doc Brown just as much as you do . 2024-08-15 . Los Angeles Daily News . en-US.
  26. Web site: Silverio . Ben F. . 2021-12-08 . Back To The Future Ending Explained: If You Put Your Mind To It, You Can Accomplish Anything . 2024-08-15 . SlashFilm . en-US.
  27. Web site: Wojnar . Zak . 2020-10-19 . Bob Gale Interview: Back to the Future 35th Anniversary . 2024-08-16 . ScreenRant . en.
  28. Web site: Iyengar . Rishi . 2015-10-21 . Watch Doc Brown's Message for "Back to the Future" Day . 2024-08-15 . TIME . en.
  29. Web site: Barros . Marie . 2022-11-07 . Back To The Future 3 Paid Off A Doc Brown Story (& Made A Plot Hole?) . 2024-08-15 . ScreenRant . en.
  30. Web site: 2024-03-19 . How Much Power Is 1.21 Gigawatts, Anyway? The Science Behind Back to the Future . 2024-08-15 . SYFY Official Site . en-US.
  31. Web site: Tombs . Jen . 2023-09-17 . 10 Clues Back To The Future's Real Villain Was Doc Brown All Along . 2024-08-14 . ScreenRant . en.
  32. Web site: Ryan . Danielle . 2024-01-24 . Great Scott! Could Back To The Future 3 Be The Best Back To The Future Movie? . 2024-08-15 . SlashFilm . en-US.
  33. Web site: Colucci . Brian . 2023-07-20 . What Happened After Back to the Future 3 (According to the Original Writer) . 2024-08-17 . ScreenRant . en.
  34. Web site: BTTF 2-Disc Special Edition DVD coming in February!. 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081216014326/http://www.bttf.com/forums/blogs/timetraveller/19-bttf-2-disc-special-edition-dvd-coming-february.html . December 16, 2008 . dead. Universal [...] will be re-releasing the Back to the Future Trilogy on DVD this February as individually released editions. [...] The classic original film will be a two-disc special edition collection which also contains Back to the Future...The Ride[.].
  35. Web site: Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray Review. R.L.. Shaffer. IGN. October 25, 2010. December 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20101116224032/http://uk.bluray.ign.com/articles/112/1128134p1.html. November 16, 2010. dead. Classic extras include [...] the complete Back to the Future: The Ride simulation (right down to the lobby videos)..
  36. News: 17 May 2019 . Back to the Future musical sets date for world premiere in Manchester . BBC News . 26 November 2021.
  37. News: 10 September 2020 . 'Broken-hearted' Back to the Future producers issue statement on Manchester musical . Manchester Evening News . 26 November 2021.
  38. News: 15 March 2021 . Back to the Future confirms new West End opening date . WhatsOnStage . 26 November 2021.
  39. Web site: 2023-01-27 . Cory English to take over from Roger Bart in "Back to the Future the Musical" in the West End . 2023-06-11 . en-US.
  40. Web site: March 1, 2023 . Casey Likes Will Star in Back to the Future On Broadway .
  41. Web site: REVIEW: Busted bring energy and nostalgia to Bournemouth in 'Greatest Hits' tour . 7 September 2023 .
  42. Web site: Christopher Lloyd Suits Up as Doc Brown for Back to the Future Series: 'It Was Kind of An Adventure' (Exclusive) . 2022-11-05 . Toofab . en.
  43. Funko Fusion Teaser Features Properties Like The Thing, Child's Play 2, Jurassic World, And More. https://web.archive.org/web/20230425150754/https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/04/25/funko-fusion-teaser-features-properties-like-the-thing-childs-play-2-jurassic-world-and. dead. April 25, 2023. Game Informer. Kyle. Hilliard. April 25, 2023. November 18, 2023.
  44. Web site: Funko Fusion guide — every character and IP in the upcoming PS5 game. TrueTrophies. Sean. Lawson. May 9, 2023. November 18, 2023.
  45. Web site: Johnson . Rachel . 2022-06-04 . The Best Christopher Lloyd Movies, Ranked . 2024-08-19 . MovieWeb . en.
  46. Web site: 2023-10-22 . Christopher Lloyd at 85: His best movie roles . 2024-08-19 . uk.movies.yahoo.com . en-GB.
  47. Web site: Christopher Lloyd Rotten Tomatoes . 2024-08-19 . www.rottentomatoes.com . en.
  48. Web site: published . Eric Francisco . 2024-03-08 . The 32 greatest '80s movies characters . 2024-08-19 . gamesradar . en.
  49. Web site: Empire's The 100 Greatest Movie Characters . 2010-05-21 . Empire.
  50. Web site: Cultural Legacy: Back to the Future . 2024-08-19 . Paste Magazine . en-US.
  51. News: Hudson . Laura . You Need to Be Watching Rick and Morty. Seriously . 2024-08-19 . Wired . en-US . 1059-1028.
  52. Web site: Guttmann . Graeme . 5 September 2021 . New Rick & Morty Live-Action Clip Has Christopher Lloyd Eat a Pickle . 5 September 2021 . Screen Rant.

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