Back To the Future: With Eric Stolz

sunama

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sunama

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I think we all know and love how Michael J Fox brought Marty McFly's character to life in the Back To The Future movies. However, did you know that originally, it was Eric Stolz who was originally cast for that role?
I didnt.

I just stumbled across this short video and thought that some of you might want to take a look at some of the film footage, where Stoltz plays Marty McFly.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/video/back-future-eric-stoltz-as-original-marty-mcfly-3020

EDIT: correct surname spelling: Stoltz
 
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I saw this somewhere some time ago. Probably because it was some feature on actors who were the first choice for a role, but didn't end up taking it, for whatever reason.

Call it fate, or whatever you like, there are a few roles where the first choice actor wouldn't have seemed right, when you look at who eventually got the part. Michael J Fox was the perfect choice as Marty McFly. Stoltz might have done a reasonable job, maybe even a good job, but he didn't look right in that clip, IMO.

Ian McKellan as Gandalf, is another. I'm rather glad Sean Connery turned down the role.
 
Marsman said:
Call it fate, or whatever you like, there are a few roles where the first choice actor wouldn't have seemed right, when you look at who eventually got the part. Michael J Fox was the perfect choice as Marty McFly. Stoltz might have done a reasonable job, maybe even a good job, but he didn't look right in that clip, IMO.
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It would be the other way round if Stoltz had the main lead and Michael J Fox was the first choice...

He doesn't look right because Michael J Fox has set the image as Marty McFly.
 
What the director said is that Eric Stolz was a little too serious.
They wanted someone who was more comic and less serious. Michael J Fox was their choice.

From the images of Eric Stolz, you can see that his portrayal of Marty was a lot more serious. With MJF, even when he is about to die, it looks like he is about to crack a joke. Obviously, this is what they wanted.

It is strange though, that they would film for 5 weeks before making the change. This rarely happens. Normally, all changes are done before filming begins. Once filming starts, the cost (time and money) to re-cast, is simply too high.
 
Possibly the most famous piece of recasting ever, up there with Harrison Ford replacing Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones.

IIRC he is actually still in the scenes in the car park at the begining in the long shots.
 
Viggo Mortenson was not originally cast as Aragorn either. They started shooting with a different actor when they all came to the conclusion he was too young to be playing the role.
 
Wonder how the conversation went when they told Stolz about him being replaced?

Wasn't Will Smith originally supposed to play Neo in the Matrix?
 
Banzai_Joe said:
Wonder how the conversation went when they told Stolz about him being replaced?
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This would've been very uncomfortable...especially after filming for 5 week.

Banzai_Joe said:
Wasn't Will Smith originally supposed to play Neo in the Matrix?
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Yes. Will Smith was on the short list, but he hadnt started filming.
What makes the Eric Stolz situation so bad, is that they had started filming and decided after 5 weeks (which is a long time) into filming that they needed to get rid of Stolz.
 
You can see the footage on the special edition of the DVD, alongside interviews with the crew etc too.
 
Washout said:
Viggo Mortenson was not originally cast as Aragorn either. They started shooting with a different actor when they all came to the conclusion he was too young to be playing the role.
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It was a bit stronger then that, basically he was complete rubbish! :D
 
Stolz's big break, I thought was The Fly 2.
That was the first time I truly heard of him.
He was also VERY good in The Mask (as pointed out, not the J.Carey movie, but a drama about a boy with severe disfigurement).
If you haven't seen The Mask, I urge you to watch it. It will get you hooked in the first 15 minutes.
 
sunama said:
Stolz's big break, I thought was The Fly 2.
That was the first time I truly heard of him.
He was also VERY good in The Mask (as pointed out, not the J.Carey movie, but a drama about a boy with severe disfigurement).
If you haven't seen The Mask, I urge you to watch it. It will get you hooked in the first 15 minutes.
Click to expand...
 
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