Back to the Future (1985) – Filming Locations
Adventure / Comedy / Science Fiction · Directed by Robert Zemeckis · Starring Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson
Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.
Where was Back to the Future filmed?
- Universal City, USA, Universal City – Hill Valley town square in both 1985 and 1955, including the clocktower and the Twin Pines Mall parking lot. The iconic Courthouse Square backlot set was used for Hill Valley's town center in both time periods, and the mall parking lot where Doc demonstrates the DeLorean time machine was also filmed on the Universal backlot.
- Pasadena, USA, Pasadena – The exterior of Doc Brown's 1955 mansion, where Marty arrives seeking help after traveling back in time. The landmark 1908 Arts and Crafts bungalow designed by Greene & Greene was chosen for its eccentric, period-appropriate appearance befitting the brilliant but unconventional Doc Brown.
- Whittier, USA, Whittier – Exterior shots of Hill Valley High School in 1955, where Marty finds his teenage parents. Whittier High School's classic 1950s American school architecture perfectly evoked the period setting, and its gymnasium was used for the Enchantment Under the Sea dance climax.
- Puente Hills, USA, Puente Hills – The Twin Pines Mall / Lone Pine Mall parking lot where Doc and Marty first test the time machine at night. The large open parking lot of this San Gabriel Valley shopping mall provided the wide, dark, cinematic space needed for the DeLorean's dramatic first time-travel sequence at 1:15 AM.
- Pasadena, USA, Pasadena – Additional exterior shots used for Doc Brown's 1955 estate. This neighboring Greene & Greene masterpiece in Pasadena was used alongside the Gamble House to provide additional angles for Doc Brown's sprawling 1955 property.
- Arleta, USA, Arleta – The McFly family home in 1985, where Marty lives at the start of the film. This quiet San Fernando Valley residential street provided the quintessential 1980s suburban American neighborhood feel for the McFly family's modest home.