While he's kissing his mom.

Technically, it's two-pronged (i.e. "Why Not Both?"), but if I had to pick one, I'd pick the Clock Tower. To get super screenwriter-y...

Traditionally, the climax almost always comes AFTER the protagonist finally figures out the answer/solution to his or her Inner Need (what the writer is trying "teach" the main character). The climax is then when the protagonist has to apply what he or she has learned, "prove" their newly found belief, and achieve their External Goal. Back to the Future is a little different, though, in that Marty is obviously the protagonist, but his dad, George, is the one who must change. Usually, those two characters are one and the same. But considering Marty needs his dad to change in order to save them both (Marty from being erased and George from being a push-over for the rest of his life), their goals are essentially one and the same. So once George finds the courage within himself to confront Biff, punch him, and save Lorraine, he now has the answer/solution to his Inner Need. From there, armed with that ammo, we then enter the climax where Marty must achieve the External Goal (getting back to the future).

All in all, it's a bit more nuanced and complicated than that, but that's the basic gist.

Return of the King had like 15.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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It hit me that I've always thought of them both as climaxes, and never even realized there's two of them.

Is there any other movie that has that?

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I'm sure pornhub has a few

Nice. Was hoping you'd weigh in from a screenwriter perspective. Especially considering this often mentioned as a "perfect" script.

What's brilliant about it is that Marty and George are clearly two very distinct characters, but Zemeckis weaves their stories together so expertly that they essentially become two sides of the same character, obviously aided by the fact that they're father and son. But even that dynamic is turned on its head, to where the son essentially becomes the mentor to the father, and then each of their fates depend wholly on the other in this really cool, twisty way. It's why the two-pronged climax is needed, and the fact that even that is executed so flawlessly is a minor miracle.

It all boils down to George being the "hero" while Marty is the protagonist. Kind if crazy to realize that all these years later.

Thinking about it a bit more, it really is the only movie I can think of that does this...

Basically, a traditional arc has the protagonist reluctantly accept a Call to Action at the end of act one and then enter the foreign, somewhat "upside down" word of act two. Upon entering this new world, a guide of some sort - traditionally either a mentor or love interest - then leads the protagonist on their journey, and is usually the voice of the writer in that sense, coaxing the protagonist to realize his or her Inner Need.

The Matrix is the perfect example of this, with Neo reluctantly accepting the Call to Action by entering the real world at the end of act one, with Morpheus serving as his guide into act two, all while trying to convince Neo that he's The One (which Neo essentially rebuffs until the end).

I'm sure there are others, but Back to the Future is the only movie I can think of where the protagonist who reluctantly answers the Call to Action at the end of act one (Marty traveling back to 1955) instantly/conversely BECOMES THE GUIDE in the foreign world of act two, one who leads George on his journey, telling him, in so many words, he needs to man up (which George essentially rebuffs until the end).

It really is a bold conceit, all things considered, but one that works so incredibly well because of the time travel nature.

"Hey you...get your damn hands off her!"

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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This. When George hits Biff is the exact moment where everything through the end has to flow through.

Marty is starting to disappear while playing during the dance. The plot of BTTF once Marty is accidently back in the past is two-fold, trying to get back, but also trying to manage the butterfly effect he created by meeting his parents in the past.

To me the moment George hits Biff is the payoff for all the work Marty put in to saving his parents' relationship, the clock tower scene is just suspense during the falling action. Marty can't really go home without saving his parents' relationship, it's higher on the priority list, which is why the punch is the climax.

It's fun to nit-pick what is close to a perfect movie, and probably my single favorite film of my childhood, it never gets old.

Interestingly, I always saw the Earth Angel scene as the climax, the moment George kisses Lorraine and Marty and his siblings re-appear on the photo.

Though I guess that can be seen as the secondary climax to the punch itself. (Like a two-pronged climax that TC was talking about.)

Gigem314 said:

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"Hey you...get your damn hands off her!"

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Do you really think I ought to swear?

Yes, ******* it George, swear.

Completely forgot about the kiss scene. It's been forever since I've seen it. But yeah, that's definitely/obviously George's climax. So let me amend my answer a bit...

To keep using The Matrix comparison, Neo finally believing in himself in the subway, right before he decides not to run and instead face off against Agent Smith directly ("He's beginning to believe"), is the equivalent of George finally punching Biff. It's the moment the hero is finally able to embrace the lessons learned and realize his or her Inner Need. But the embrace isn't quite enough. The hero must then apply/act on that new-found belief to achieve his or her Exterior Goal. So, Neo finally stopping the bullets is the culmination of that decision realized in-full to achieve the External Goal (defeating Agent Smith / becoming The One). Similarly, George now has the bravado to earn Lorraine's love, but he needs to apply that newfound bravado, or it's all for naught. So once he realizes his Inner Need (to man up) he can finally achieve his External Goal (win over Lorraine), but he must do so with a kiss (the act that cements the relationship). I had forgotten about his pining after Lorraine throughout the movie. For all intents and purposes, the climax begins when the hero finally embraces the lessons learned/their Inner Need, and ends ends when the hero applies those lessons learned/Inner Need to achieve their External Goal. So, yes, punch-to-kiss, for George, is HIS climax, which happens to brilliantly overlap with/directly affect Marty not being erased.

Again, it's been forever since I've seen it, but I'm wondering if Marty likely has an Inner Need as well (something he needs to learn), even if super subtle, before he can finally go back to the future at the clock tower. Maybe it has to do with not being erased, or maybe it has to do with the whole "chicken" thing, as that obviously ties into George's plight as well. But Marty obviously then gets HIS climax at the clock tower.

Either way, it all hinges on the decision to make Marty the "guide" character going into act two. Again, that tweak is what gives the movie its two-pronged climax, because any other movie would essentially be over the moment George kisses Lorraine, as George and Marty would be one and the same/the sole protagonist.

Best movie ever?

I always assume people know this movie as well as I do.

I have watched it countless times and know every beat by heart. I just never get tired of it.

Man, that's crazy. The "chicken" thing is so synonymous with Marty for me that I'm legit shocked it wasn't a part one thing as well.

Btw, for the record, as much as I love part two - I was OBSESSED with hover boards and 2015 Hill Valley as a kid - that whole plot has never made any damn sense to me. Fixing something in the future is one of the weirdest, most inconsequential plots to build a movie on. Once they're there, and the whole sports almanac thing with Biff is BRILLIANT, and I love all of it, I just wish they had figured out another way into the movie/the future other than, "We've got to do something about your kids!"