Rebuilding Rob

As WordPress continues to recycle old prompts, I pulled another prompt from The Coffee Monsterz Co to respond to today

What is something silly you believed to be true as a child?

I’ve always been a fan of the Back to the Future trilogy. In fact, I recently wrote a “retro review” of the first movie HERE and shared my thoughts on the musical I saw last November HERE.

The Vision of 2015

While I loved the original, it was Back to the Future Part II that truly captured my teenage imagination. I was 15 in 1989, and I was obsessed with the filmmakers’ vision of 2015. Chief among the breakthroughs—beyond the self-lacing Nikes—was the hoverboard.

Magnetic Dreams and Water Hazards

It was the ultimate upgrade: a skateboard that defied gravity. In the film’s logic, “magnetic energy” allowed it to float. Of course, as Marty painfully discovers, “those boards don’t work on water, unless you’ve got power!”

The “Zemeckis Troll”

Right around the movie’s release, I watched a “making-of” special where Director Robert Zemeckis pulled off one of the greatest “trolls” in movie history. He looked right at the camera and claimed hoverboards were 100% real. He insisted they weren’t on the market only because parent groups had successfully banned them for safety concerns.

Even at 15—an age where I should have been jaded—I completely bought it. I was outraged! I spent years waiting for those “banned” boards to hit the market.

Reality Crashes Down

It wasn’t until much later that I heard Zemeckis backtrack, admitting it was just a joke to avoid explaining the complex crane and wire rigs they used on set. To say I was deflated is an understatement.

Today, we have “hoverboards,” but they’re a far cry from the dream. They’re mostly self-balancing scooters on wheels.

The Audacity of Potential

While companies like Mattel eventually released official 1:1 prop replicas, they are strictly for display. Looking back, I don’t know if I truly believed they existed, or if I just wanted to believe. I’ve always been moved by the “Audacity of Potential”—imagining where humanity might go. Whether it’s Star Trek or Hill Valley, I’m still a fan of a future where we finally figure out how to get off the ground.

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like 👍, comment, and subscribe below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media and check out my recent posts!

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AI art created with Google Gemini

The article: “The Hoverboard Hoax: A Lesson in Cinematic Optimism” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.