Michael J. Fox made one of the most famous automotive flops cool 30 years ago this month.

“Back to the Future” turned a silver DeLorean into a time machine in the now-classic comedy that first hit theaters July 3, 1985. The film spawned two sequels, made Fox a superstar and gave us not one but two infectious Huey Lewis and the News tracks. Yes, the second film in the trilogy attempted to predict the future with mixed results — does anyone send faxes these days?

Still, the franchise is warmly remembered for most of the right reasons. Here are five you don’t need a souped up DeLorean to recall:

  1. Doc Brown: In the ’80s, Christopher Lloyd was best known for playing space cadet the Rev. Jim Ignatowski on “Taxi.” His turn here as a similarly addled inventor gave the movie an extra layer of humor.
  2. Pop Culture Nuggets: Author Stephen King famously peppers his prose with cultural markers, brands that speak to our common consumer interests. “Future” did just the same, from gags about Marty McFly’s other name (Calvin Klein) to the fish-out-of-water gags when Marty goes back in time (“Gimme a Pepsi Free,” “You want a Pepsi, pal, you’re gonna pay for it”).
  3. Second Chances: We all wish we could re-live our high school days. Marty McFly does just that, but he ends up helping his troubled family in the process. It’s a very appealing twofer.
  4. The Past Is Imperfect: Film and TV shows often romanticize the past, forgetting that the people who lived decades ago were just as flawed as we are. Marty’s Mom (Lea Thompson) is an incorrigible flirt, Thomas F. Wilson’s Biff never runs out of goons to assist his bullying. The school principal (James Tolkan) is a grade-A jerk.
  5. Our Parents Are People, Too: Marty gets to know his future Mom and Dad in ways we could never duplicate. They’re well-meaning but confused, typical high school kids unsure about the future. Too often we put our parents either on a pedestal or dunking booth seat, forgetting that they were just like us years ago. “Back to the Future” upended that by showing the future McFlys in a very real light.

Just don’t expect a “Future” reboot anytime soon. Director Robert Zemeckis, who helmed all three films in the trilogy, told The Telegraph he won’t approve a remake under any circumstance, even though such a film would be a commercial success.

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