Supposed BTTF parody met with substantial apprehension from fans

When Aint-It-Cool-News.com posted a report that a BTTF parody/spoof was supposedly in development, the BTTF.com mailbox was flooded with opposition from concerned fans.  I read AICN's post, and was immediately distraught with the report, if it turns out to be true.  Naturally, I don't always believe the hype and false reporting I read at AICN, but I found it quite odd that someone would make up something this unbelievable, especially considering that BTTF really isn't on the forefront of the movie-going public's mind at the moment, with some 10 years between the present and the last sequel.

You can read the report by clicking here, but please allow me to warn everyone to proceed with caution due to the crude language and imagery contained in the report and supposed snippet of script, which is a prime example of AICN at its worst.  Anyone familiar with the site knows of its rebellious nature, lack of morality and infamous absence of journalistic integrity, and this report is no different.  Consider yourself warned.

The report names writer Timothy Dowling and director Joe Nussbaum as the persons responsible for this unfunny sendup.  The post identifies a draft of a script dated September 6, 2000 titled Back to the Teen Movie, which takes its main plot from the first Back to the Future movie and uses it to spoof teen-related films of the '80s and '90s.  It's main characters are reportedly named "Matty McFox" and "Doc", and they travel in time using a time traveling Jacuzzi.  This seems to be a real odd choice for Nussbaum, whom is responsible for the critically acclaimed film short George Lucas In Love, to make as his first feature-length directorial debut.

One thing that really concerns me about the report is the filmmakers' supposed attempt being made to court Christopher Lloyd to the project to reprise the role of "Doc".  Surely, this cannot happen, as if it did, it would certainly taint the franchise, especially with a supposed sequel being in pseudo-development.  I just cannot imagine that Lloyd would participate in any capacity, as he's very particular as to the projects he selects to accept.  Plus, he's gone on record in the past stating that the character of "Doc" is one of his top favorites to have portrayed, which is evident in the fact that he has reprised the role in every BTTF incarnation so far.  But this spoof project just wreaks of bad taste to begin with, not to mention the dark shadow it would cast over the otherwise positive BTTF property.  Certainly, the filmmakers' wishes to cast Lloyd is nothing more than a pipe dream at this point in time.

I would suspect that Universal & Amblin would have a strong opposition against such a project, and could quickly make it go away.  In 1995, there was a report in The Hollywood Reporter that an independent company called "Black Sheep Productions" was making a sci-fi movie called Goin' Back to the Future that was to star Gary Coleman and a cast of unknowns.  It quickly vanished.  Back in early 1998, Warner Bros. announced a time-travel comedy about a couple of rappers who take a wild journey back in time called Black to the Future.  Soon afterwards, it was promptly renamed to This Ain't South Central, and the film continues to sit in perpetual development with no visible progress since it was first announced.  Both projects' demise lead me to believe that upon their initial announcement, Universal and/or Amblin quickly put a grinding halt on plans for these projects going under the originally selected titles.  Thus, I hope and expect to see the very same halt being put to this project really quick if it's indeed for real.

So the question still remains — is this script for real, or is it a hoax?  To be honest, I really do not know.  None of my inside contacts have replied to my repeated requests for additional information, and I have no idea as to how to get in contact with the filmmakers to confirm the report's claim.  Until further reports come in that give some shred of evidence that this is a real project, I'm going to chalk it up as nothing more than rumor.  Should AICN's report turn out to be anything more than fluff, you'll certainly read about it here.

Official BTTF.com caps being sold for charity

In an effort to do our part in raising funds for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research, we are now selling official BTTF.com caps.  These hats are top quality products that are fully adjustable to fit anyone.  The full-color BTTF.com logo is embroidered with over 14,500 stitches onto a durable black cap.  Proceeds from the sale of these limited edition caps will be donated to charity — at a price of $19.88 each plus shipping/handling, we'll donate $10.00 of that price to Michael's Foundation.  Please, help us make a difference, and purchase one of these hats from our online catalog today!

Whazzup with the cast & crew

The Public Service Announcement for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research which originally aired on May 24, 2000 immediately following Michael J. Fox's final episode of ABC's Spin City is now viewable at his official site.  The 30-second spot is available in both Windows Media Player and Quicktime formats.

Tom Wilson has recently recorded his first album collection of contemporary Christian music, called “In the Name of the Father”.  The collection is available on CD and Cassette, and can be purchased directly from his official website.  Tom's previous recording “Tom Wilson Live!”, a collection of his comedy routines, available on Cassette-only, can also be purchased from the site.

Michael J. Fox appeared on the November 29, 2000 ABC special David Blaine: Frozen in Time.  Here, Fox gestures to the media that he is cold as magician David Blaine smiles from inside a six ton block of ice in New York's Times Square. Blaine, who was encased in the ice for nearly 62 hours, was cut out of the ice during his television special later that evening. (Photo courtesy of the Associated Press)

Michael J. Fox and his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, attended the premiere of the movie State and Main on Monday, December 4, 2000 in New York. The David Mamet movie tells the story of a Vermont town turned upside-down by a movie crew that shoots in the small town for seven days. (Photo courtesy of the Associated Press)

Huey Lewis and The News taped a segment this past week for an upcoming episode of VH1's "Behind the Music".  Producers of the show reached out to fans of the group on their semi-official website to assist in gathering information for the special, which VH1 reportedly plans to air in February.