Back to the Future Part III: The Ultimate Geek Quiz

By: Olivia Cantor
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Back to the Future Part III: The Ultimate Geek Quiz
Image: tmdb

About This Quiz

The first two Back to the Future movies took us from the 1980s back to the 1950s, then forward to the 2010s. The third installment took us further back into the past. Think you know enough about this third film? Take this quiz and find out!
To tie up the BTTFII and BTTFIII stories, the second film mentioned that Doc was transported back to what earlier year?
1500
1655
1775
1885
Just when Doc disappears, Marty immediately gets word of Doc's whereabouts. The same scene that starts the third movie, ended the second movie.
As Marty gets stuck alone in 1955, he runs to help 1955 Doc and finds him where?
in his house
at the clock tower
1955 Doc is in the clock tower, busy sending Marty back to 1985. Imagine his surprise upon seeing Marty back so soon!
in Hilldale
at the library
Marty brought what futuristic item with him to 1985 and now to 1885, which proves to be a helpful tool for his adventures?
walkie-talkie
watch
hoverboard
After Marty's encounter with Griff in 2015, he just took the hoverboard with him. It was very helpful when he escaped from Biff in 1955 and it will be very helpful in 1885 as well.
sneakers

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How does Marty discover that the present Doc got transported to 1885?
through a phone call
through a hidden note in the car
through a letter
Immediately upon the Doc's disappearance, a letter is delivered to Marty where he stands. The letter contains Doc's detailed instructions for repairing the DeLorean.
through telekinesis
Which communication company delivers the 70-plus year-old letter to Marty in 1955?
Western Union
Western Union was established way back in 1851. Therefore, the film's authenticity about this courier service's existence in 1885 was spot on.
DHL
Postal Service
At&T
The 1985 Doc has a dog, named what?
Tesla
Edison
Einstein
Einstein was first seen in the first BTTF film. It is Marty's friendly duty to feed him sometimes.
Curie

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The 1955 Doc has a different dog, though. What is his name?
Mendel
Tesla
Copernicus
Clearly, Doc loves dogs. And he also loves naming them after scientists like himself.
Nostradamus
Who is Doc's favorite sci-fi author?
Bram Stoker
Jules Verne
Doc later falls in love with someone who also likes Jules Verne's works. In fact, they name their kids after the author.
Philip K. Dick
William Gibson
In 1955, what do Doc and Marty discover happened to the 1885 Doc?
he got lost in the woods
he got shot and died
Doc and Marty chance upon this information of Doc's 1885 death as they both try to repair the DeLorean. But instead of going back to 1985 as instructed, he changes this plan bigtime.
he became a businessman
he created the atom bomb

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Marty decides to go back to this era so he could rescue Doc?
New West
Old West
Hill Valley in the 1800s turns out to be an Old Western type of settlement. Doc and Marty did some research prior to the trip.
holocaust
World War II
Doc always gets frustrated that Marty doesn't "think in” what number dimension?
fourth
A scientist can think beyond the normal dimensions of the first and second levels. Thinking in the third dimension may not be enough for time travel, though, so Doc requires fourth-dimension thinking.
fifth
sixth
eighth
Upon time traveling to the Old West, who does Marty first encounter?
buffalo riders
Indians
Marty lands right smack in a desert, where American Indians are riding horses. They are being pursued by the US Cavalry.
horsemen
police

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The 1985 Doc now lives in the Old West, with what occupation?
goldsmith
silversmith
blacksmith
In his letter to Marty in 1955, Doc mentions that he is happily making a life in 1885. Being a blacksmith requires him to be a scientist of sorts.
willsmith
Marty accidentally discovers his ancestors when he runs into what territory?
McFly ravine
McFly house
McFly Farm
Marty runs away from a bear he encounters in a cave. He accidentally knocks himself out on the fence of what turns out to be the McFly Farm.
McFly river
Marty encounters which maternal ancestor at the McFly farm?
Misha McFly
Monica McFly
Maruca McFly
Maggie McFly
Lea Thompson still plays the maternal McFly character in this Old West version. She plays Maggie with a thick Irish accent.

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Hiding his real identity, Marty introduces himself by what name?
Clint Eastwood
Before flying off from 1955, Doc dressed Marty to blend in with the old west. His inspiration was Clint Eastwood, so it stuck with Marty, too.
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Warren Beatty
Marty also meets which eldest male ancestor at the McFly farm?
Shonda McFly
Sirius McFly
Seamus McFly
Seamus McFly is Marty's great-great-grandfather. It turns out that he had a brother named Martin, who died earlier.
Salvador McFly
Seamus and Maggie McFly have a baby named William, said to be what kind of McFly?
first McFly to be baptized in America
first McFly to be raised in America
first McFly to be brought to America
first McFly to be born in America
William is Marty's great-grandfather - the first McFly born in America. They bond together well.

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Marty encounters which of Biff's ancestors in the Old West?
Oxford Tannen
Buford Tannen
Buford is Biff's great-grandfather. He is still played by Thomas F. Wilson.
Redford Tannen
Glenford Tannen
Buford Tannen has what nickname, which he despises?
Mad Dog
It is mentioned that he drools a lot when he gets mad, and his anger is monumental. Hence, the nickname "Mad Dog Tannen” stuck.
Big Foot
Loch Ness
Cool Hand Luke
Since the DeLorean's gas tank has leaked, Doc thinks about pushing it to give it speed, but what will they use to push it?
horse carriages
pulley system
steam engine train
Gasoline still has to be "invented," so Doc needs to improvise on a source of power. He and Marty concoct a plan to get themselves a train.
trolley system

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While inspecting their future time travel route, who does Doc rescue?
Mara Clayton
Sarah Clayton
Lara Clayton
Clara Clayton
Clara Clayton is portrayed by Mary Steenburgen. Her presence prompts another side of Doc to surface.
Marty mentions that what land formation was named for Clara Clayton?
valley
bridge
river
ravine
Clayton Ravine is well-known to the 1985 kids, as Marty tells Doc. It's rumored that a teacher fell in there and it was named for her.
Why did Clara come to Hill Valley?
to practice law
to teach
Teachers travel to where they are needed the most. It's part of the job, to go to where the students and schools are located, even in the Old West.
to be a doctor
to be a nurse

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Clara and Doc bond under the stars, as they share their love for which type of science?
physics
astronomy
Clara and Doc share their love for astronomy one night under the stars. They use Clara's telescope and knowledge to stargaze and find constellations.
trigonometry
biology
Doc laments the loss of Clara's love at what sort of Old West establishment?
funeral parlor
saloon
Doc tells the truth to Clara, as he is about to time travel again. But Clara is hurt, and he is hurt by her hurt, so he ends up in the saloon to drown his sorrow away.
barbershop
horse stable
At the saloon, Doc passes out after downing a single shot of what kind of alcohol?
vodka
wine
beer
whiskey
The saloon bartender serves whiskey to people a lot. But apparently, it only takes one shot to knock out Doc!

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Marty ends up taking Doc's place in what challenge, posed by Buford?
fencing
fisticuffs
duel
Since Marty interrupts Buford's attempt to shoot Doc, Buford turns his vengeance on the teenager instead. Marty agrees to the duel after being challenged and called names.
horseracing
Doc and Marty use a snapshot of what thing they took in 1955 to help them determine their future?
twig
leaves
tombstone
Doc and Marty use a photo of a tombstone with Doc's name on it. This is how they determine if their Old West actions and plans affect their future.
hourglass
Marty tricks Buford by letting the latter shoot him, but he ends up unscathed. What protects Marty from the bullet?
kevlar vest
prayers
steel plate
Buford shot Marty in the chest, but he was protected by a steel plate hidden under his clothes. This was actually a trick Clint Eastwood used in his Western movie, A Fistful of Dollars, continuing Marty's cowboy inspiration.
utility belt

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Doc and Marty's plan to use the train involves doing what first?
hijacking it
Doc and Marty hijack the morning train to divert it toward the unfinished bridge in the ravine. This is where they plan to drive through to return to the present.
derailing it
stopping it
riding it
Upon returning to the present, what happens to the DeLorean?
it malfunctions again
The tires get flat
it gets hit by a modern train
Since the DeLorean was pushed by a train, Marty ends up on a railroad track in 1985. But an oncoming train hits it and smashes it to pieces - just what the Doc wanted to happen, actually.
it disappears
Back in the present, when Marty picks up his girlfriend, Jennifer, what does she say will happen to him in the future?
get fired
In BTTFII, Jennifer witnessed how the 2015 Marty got fired. She kept a fax paper reminder of it.
get promoted
get a raise
get shot

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Teen Marty's 2015 future got altered when he avoided crashing into what kind of vehicle, during a race challenge with the teen Needles?
Honda
Mitsubishi
Rolls-Royce
In BTTFII, it was mentioned that Marty's 2015 life was ruined by this Rolls-Royce mishap. Jennifer overheard this and remembered that fact.
Toyota
Doc Brown comes back from the Old West, using what new kind of time machine?
toboggan
locomotive
The locomotive time machine now runs on steam. As the Doc says, "You can't keep a good scientist down!” He built this new one to time travel with his new family.
sled
horse carriage
You Got:
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