BACK TO THE FUTURE By Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale FOURTH DRAFT Revised 10-12-84INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY A WEIRD FLICKERING WHITE LIGHT strobes the screen, accompanied by PROJECTOR NOISE and an OFFSCREEN CONTROL VOICE. CONTROL VOICE +3+0.2+4e1,.detonate! The light becomes brighter as we pan over to MARTY MCFLY, 17, a good looking kid wearing Porsche mirrored sunglasses. The mirrored lenses reflect the MUSHROOM CLOUD of an ATOMIC EXPLOSION. THE RED HOT OPENING MUSIC KICKS IN; MAIN TITLES BEGIN. Marty starts bopping along to the rock and roll: he’s plugged into a WALKMAN STEREO. We are in a contemporary HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM where 30-odd STUDENTS are watching a 16mm documentary about nuclear tests of the 1950's. SERIES OF SHOTS -~ MAIN TITLE SEQUENCE BORED STUDENTS watch the black and white movie. Only MARTY is enjoying himself as he listens to his stereo. MARTY’S FOoT taps in time to the music. The teacher, MRS. WOODS, 45, looks around the classroom, making sure the students are paying attention. She has her “Classroom Planner" in hand. The DOCUMENTARY depicts preparations for another atomic test, noting that as many as 20 were done per year in the 1950's. Footage shows how tract houses were constructed and peopled with mannequins to measure the effects of radiation. MARTY continues bopping along. MRS. WOODS notices the one head in the classroom bobbing. MARTY’S FOOT continues tapping in time. Now a PAIR OF WOMAN’S SHOES step into FRAME. MRS. WOODS is standing next to Marty, arms crossed, staring at him. But Marty is oblivious to her. SUZY PARKER, 17, an attractive girl, looks over at the situation in horror. Mrs. Woods waves her hand in front of Marty’s sunglasses. No reaction.Suzy turns her head -- she can’t bear to watch. Mrs. Woods gently removes Marty’s sunglasses. His eyes are closed. Now Marty opens his eyes. He looks up at Mrs. Woods and smiles weakly. Mrs. Woods does not smile back. She rips the headphones off =- the MUSIC abruptly stops. MRS. WOODS Mr. McFly: detention! cur TO: INT, STRICKLAND’S OFFICE - DAY CLOSE ON MARTY’S WALKMAN in a pair of ELDERLY MALE HANDS being placed in a WOODWORKING VISE mounted on the corner of a desk. WIDER -- STRICKLAND’S OFFICE Marty fidgets uneasily in an uncomfortable wooden chair in the sparse office as MR. STRICKLAND, a humorless disciplinarian, tightens the vise. Strickland looks 60, but he could be 160 -- he was born old and stayed that way, and has been at this school forever. Strickland gazes at Marty, then gives the vise a hard, mean wrench. The Walkman CRUNCHES... it sounds like bones breaking. Marty cringes. Strickland smiles sadistically and hands it back to him. MR, STRICKLAND That’s number three, isn’t it, McFly? MARTY Four. MR. STRICKLAND You don’t like school, do you, McFly? Marty rolls his eyes. Is this question for real?