We've been doing this for five years???
Back to the Future was released forty years ago on July 3rd 1985, and every July for the past five years we've gotten together this way to celebrate!
There’s a prompt each day - try one, some, or all. Poetry, fanfic, songs, friendship bracelets, cosplay, aesthetics, anything BTTF is welcome!
Just tag your creations #mcflyjuly so we can find and share them!
This year: 🎉
Because it's Back to the Future's 40th birthday, there are 40 prompts! The last 9 are secret, and will be revealed randomly throughout the month. Each one will post at 12 noon EST on this blog, so keep an eye out--you never know what day a surprise prompt will drop. 👀
and
Because it's McFly July's 5th birthday, we're gonna party like Doc & Marty! 🍔👑 No one should know too much about their future, so I can't say much here, but if I reblog/reply to a McFly July post of yours with a burger emoji, that's a sign you'll be getting a little something in your inbox!
OKAY SO I caved in and I’m hosting a back to the future zine… anyone can join as long as you’re willing to write or draw !
The deadline for submissions will probably be August 28th or around then, and I’m planning to have it up September 7th.
If you join, (you have until the 25th of June to do so!) you’ll receive a prompt on the first of July. You will be able to interpret it however you want!! they’ll be vague on purpose
if you want to help me run this please reach out!! I’d definitely love if someone would help me :)
the interest check / how to join!!
just an interest check for the bttf zine!!
@chainsaw-headache I think you said you wanted to be tagged on bubbles post abt making this
“[My favorite memory was] when Michael put his hand in the back pocket of my jeans — like a real boyfriend! When I was in high school I never had that. I would always see the girls with the guys and they’d be cuddled together and I’d be sitting on the side, alone, eating my sugar cookies thinking: ‘why can’t that be me?’ I thought I was invisible. I was the eighth person who got asked to the prom and I ended up going with my best friend without a date! So, when he did that I thought: ‘this is how they must have felt.’”
Ok, are y'all ready to see the super cool MJF item I mentioned the other day? It arrived yesterday in the mail, and I'm particularly excited not only to add it to my own collection but because it's truly something the fandom can enjoy together.
Behold: The Vintage Michael J. Fox Scrapbook
Will delve into this in a read-more. Guys. This is amazing. It's a treasure trove.
So! Here's the short version of how I came across this. Was perusing an online vintage shop, and found this. It was listed as being filled with articles and posters of MJF that a fan collected through Michael's career in the 1980s. The shop owner found it at a thrift store. And WHAT A FIND.
Friends. This fan was thorough. There are a total of 92 FULL PAGES. Original articles, posters, and clippings from seemingly every teen magazine available at the time, all carefully tucked away in the pages of this massive photo album. It's a time capsule, and I was thrilled to be able to purchase it.
Anyway, here are some highlights! Will try to make this as organized and easy to read as possible. Did my best to take clear photos and also adjusted the color on many of the pictures, as the pages have gotten yellowed with age. A lot of the protective, plastic coverings for the pages have also become unglued with time, so I was able to (very carefully!!) peel them back and get some pictures without reflection from the plastic. The pages of the articles themselves, however, are glued down firmly in place, and I have no intention of messing with them.
Ok, highlights!
● First off, some great posters
● Going along with this post I had made a while back, I kept a tally of how many articles referenced Michael's height. Twelve of them in total, and many writers had their own unique way to phrase it. Among my favorites are: "decidedly short", "short-stemmed", and "long in talent, short in height".
Also, HUGE shoutout to the film critic who obviously didn't like Michael and, in expressing doubt as to if he'd ever be able to take on larger roles, stated, "When was the last time anyone that small became a leading man?"
There's also an entire interview with Michael solely about his height. It's titled, "How Has Michael Coped with Being Short?" In it, he refers to himself as "un-tall", which I love.
● This article has some gems, including a note that he's 5'5" (lies!).
Interesting to note that many other interviews scattered throughout the album also include Michael mentioning that acting helped him channel his hyperactivity into something productive, along with a comment by him that he needs "constant input" and spontaneity. Couple that together with him mentioning in interviews that Marty is the character closest to what he's actually like in real life, and it makes a whole lot of sense.
● This cute little article
Obsessed with: "I don't even know how to tie a tie, and I play the most tie-wearing character ever!"
Also, not just a height mention but a weight mention too. So, if you've ever wondered about that, well...there ya go.
● OH!!! This one was super interesting to me. A magazine held a contest apparently where a fan won the actual denim jacket Michael wore in BTTF? I'm not sure if there was more than one made for him (I had thought it was just a single jacket but could be mistaken), but whatever the case, what a prize. Congrats to Trudi H. I want to know more about this.
● Several intersting things in this one, such as Michael being voted one of the ten "best-tressed men" by the National Hairdresser and Cosmetologists Association, and all the info on "Born in the USA", which then turned into (in future articles) "Just Around the Corner to the Light of Day" and then, finally, just "Light of Day" (which I still have not ever seen).
● This is a very cute article written by a fan who personally knew Michael's parents and then got to have a few interactions with him. Gives a good glimpse into who he was (and still is) with his fans.
● This fun facts page
Brb, going to watch that "Love Boat" episode right now. Also, the second picture is especially funny considering that the FT actors said they wanted the series to end with the whole family dying in a plane crash so that they wouldn't have to do any reunions or spin-offs in the future.
● Was quite amused by this very enthusiastic ad for "The Marvelous Michael Fox Fantasy: An Unauthorized Biography".
They are really selling this thing. "What could be better than this?!" "Yes, that's right! Every little detail on Michael J. Fox will be yours for the super-low price of $3.00!" "You can surprise your friends with all the details you'll know about Michael and then they'll want a book too!"
● I did not know that he tried to gain weight to play Marty
● These two pages
It's so interesting having seen scans of so many of these pictures online and now seeing the originals!
Especially this poster that was split into two so that it could fit into the book
● Wait, I haven't mentioned the very bizarre multiple instances of articles getting his eye color completely wrong. Like his height, his eyes are mentioned a lot, and most of the writers get it right. But one notes Michael is, "freckle-faced with twinkling hazel eyes" and another says they're, "hazel-flecked brown"??? HELLO?
● Some miscellaneous other pages that I liked
● This one is cute because of the little comment to the left of the picture
So don't worry, everyone. They're just friends!
● Last but not least, this picture and caption that feel vaguely threatening
No, there wasn't any context. It's just this clipping. Be careful, or he might take you out for some Japanese food! (sounds delightful)
That's it for now. If anyone wants a higher quality, more nicely cropped version of any of these pages, feel free to shoot me a message. These are only glimpses at 22 of the 92 pages, so if people seem interested, maybe I'll do another post at some point with some more of the content.
Also just want to say that I hope the person who made this scrapbook is happy and living a good life somewhere. I hope the book was donated because she wanted it donated. I wonder what the teenage version of her in the 80s would say if she knew there would be people in 2025 enjoying it. This was such an amazing find.
VERY last minute but I had to post something for back to the future day! technically I made the marty one the other day but I just finished the doc one so I'd say it counts :)
