Eric Stoltz terrorized tourists at Universal Studios while filming Back to the Future

For any “Back to the Future” fan, the fact that Eric Stoltz was the original actor to play Marty McFly in the 1985 classic before being replaced by Michael J. Fox deep into filming is well known. In most cases, it is used as an example of how filmmaking is an almost alchemical process, especially when it comes to casting actors. Images of Stoltz in the role (what’s left of it, of course) also became a bit of a white whale for fans curious about what the actor’s performance was like and how different it could have made the finished film. This brings us to the most compelling element of the situation, which is the way it surrounds “Back to the Future,” a movie about how the space-time continuum is shifting, with several “what ifs?” questions. Never mind the fact that the film’s two sequels probably wouldn’t have happened if Stoltz had stayed in the role, but what would a world with a Stoltz-led “Back to the Future” have looked like?

Most of us will never know the answer to this question, but a few do. In addition to director Robert Zemeckis, other members of the cast and crew, and Stoltz himself, there is a group of everyday people who had a very up-close and personal experience with Stoltz as Marty McFly. According to a 2014 interview with “Weird Science” star Ilan Mitchell-Smith, he and Stoltz were both on the Universal lot filming their respective films in 1984, when one day Stoltz got a golf cart and playfully terrorized a group of tourists on the Universal Studios trolley tour. Little did these tourists realize that they were getting a little glimpse into an alternate 1985.

As Mitchell-Smith saidhe blogs Kickin’ It Old School (via Rediscover the 80s)the day of his tram strafing run with Stoltz began harmlessly:

“I was on my lunch break and saw Eric Stoltz coming up in one of the golf carts that the assistants and crew use to get around the parking lot. Turns out he had stolen that thing and he asked me if I wanted to ride around for a bit. At first we just walked around the studio, talking and looking at all the sets and actors from the other movies and shows.”

However, once Stoltz spotted the Universal Studios tram filled with tourists, something possessed him. Mitchell-Smith continued:

“For the next half hour, Eric attacked that tram like a WWII fighter pilot chasing a bomber. He first circled around to charge the side of the thing at maximum golf speed (which is faster than one would expect), only to break away at the last minute amid the screams of fear from the tram passengers. Circled again, we charged another part of the tram, then another, then another, and the tourists shouted and raised their hands and got up from their seats to avoid what they thought was going to be an accident at any moment.

The irony and pop culture quirk of the encounter was not lost on Mitchell-Smith. As he observed, those tourists may have been panicked at the time, but these days many people would gladly take their place if it were possible: “Any ’80s fan today would have absolutely loved to see, in their wardrobes full, Marty McFly and Wyatt Donnelly relentlessly attacking the Universal Tour in a stolen golf cart.”

Beyond the surreal nature of this incident, perhaps there is something we can use to infer what Stoltz’s Marty would have looked like if he had completed “Back to the Future.” Lea Thompson (who, with Mitchell-Smith, starred with Stoltz in 1984’s “The Wild Life”) and other ‘Back to the Future’ co-stars and filmmakers have publicly stated that the biggest factor in Stoltz’s loss of the role was his commitment to method playing.. Thompson told Vulture that “Eric had such intensity,” and his method allegedly included insisting that he be called Marty off-camera and other similar eccentricities. What little footage of Stoltz’s performance has been made public speaks to this intensity, as his Marty appears to have none of the same feelings. the lighter, more affable qualities that Fox brought to him.

With that in mind, it makes a little more sense that Stoltz’s idea of ​​a good time was to steal a golf cart and “attack” a tourist trolley with it. This implies that his Marty was less of a good-natured but insecure “slacker” and had more of a rebellious streak on his shoulder. This isn’t entirely Stoltz’s fault, however, as “Back to the Future” has extremely high life-or-death stakes built into its premise and plot. Yet his casting was not right for the character or the film, as it required the comedic element that Stoltz did not bring. Fortunately, the actor finally found his place, notably by being part of the cast of 1990’s “Memphis Belle,” in which he played a crew member of the titular World War II B-17.. Considering the above story, it seems like this movie is the one that was really meant to be for Stoltz.