Great Scott! ‘Back to the Future’-style DeLorean on display Tuesday for Bama Art House Film Series
By WVUA 23 Digital Reporter Ben Smith
TUSCALOOSA – The Mystery Machine. The Batmobile. James Bond’s weaponized Aston Martin. Certain car models are eternally tied to the feelings of nostalgia created from seeing them in movies, whether they are completing death-defying stunts or simply serving as a favorite character’s primary means of transportation. One of the most iconic of all movie cars, the shiny silver DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” will be present at the Bama Theatre Tuesday as the movie hits the big screen.
The movie-accurate replica will be on display outside the Bama Theatre. It is outfitted to look exactly like the prop used in the second and third BTTFs, from neon blue lights wrapped around the stainless steel body, to the oversized rocket-boosters on the rear and a vanity plate reading , “OUTATIME.”
Attendees can pose with and take pictures of the iconic vehicle before enjoying Doc and Marty McFly’s shenanigans in the original 1985 film.
The summer series has proved successful for organizers with the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa. Attendance numbers have been much greater than in years past, and residents have expressed a largely positive response to the movie selection. Publicity representative Kevin Ledgewood said he believes this year’s theme hits close to home for many Tuscaloosa residents.
“When you go back to a particular time period with entertainment, like movies and music, it kind of takes you back in time,” said Ledgewood, with no pun intended. “And for most people that brings back pleasant memories of their teenage years or childhood, and there’s a whole nostalgic thing that’s connecting people to that time and place. And I think that’s one thing that makes stuff like this popular. You know, they were good movies to begin with. But yet, at the same time, it takes people back to a particular time and place.”
Organizers hope the success of the 2023 film series will generate more involvement with other Bama Theatre events, such as dance recitals, comedy shows, plays and concerts.
“We’re hoping that this one thing that the movie series will do is bring people in that have never been here before, so they can develop an appreciation for this theater and what it does for not just downtown Tuscaloosa, but the whole area,” said Ledgewood. “And then maybe go out on a limb, and you know, change their routine and come back for a different type of movie.”
Ledgewood said the Arts Council is announcing the theme and lineup of the next film series at the screening Tuesday.
He hinted the next few flicks will closely resemble the “Nostalgic Blockbusters” series.
“People have had such a positive response. We can’t help but react to it,” said Ledgewood. “We might go for a very specific theme within that nostalgic category. You know, that’s always a possibility. I’m not saying we’re gonna do that, but that’s always a possibility.”
The doors, box office, and Bama Bar open at 6 p.m., and “Back to the Future” begins screening at 7 p.m.
General admission is $10, $9 for students and seniors, and $8 for Arts Council members.
This movie concludes the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa’s “Nostalgic Blockbusters” film series, which included a Steven Spielberg-heavy lineup of 70s and 80s movies such as “Jurassic Park,” “Jaws,” and “Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
