Quite Literally from the Future — This 'Back to the Future' Movie Mistake Even Devoted Fans Missed

We all know that even cult classics and widely beloved films are not immune to silly plot holes. However, this amusing moment, while not altering the storyline, quite literally fits into the film's atmosphere and aligns perfectly with its title.

This movie mistake in Back to the Future (1985) is related to the guitar played by the protagonist, Marty McFly.

An Easy-to-Miss Mistake

In the 1955 high school dance scene, Marty McFly performs Johnny B. Goode on a Gibson ES-345 guitar. However, there's a problem — this model wasn't released until 1958, three years after the events of the film.

For viewers who aren't familiar with music history, this might have slipped by unnoticed, but guitarists and retro music fans immediately caught the error.

How It Affects the Film

While this slip-up doesn’t alter the plot, it creates a paradox effect that ties into the theme of time travel. Marty brings elements of the future into the past, and though it happened by accident, one could humorously argue that his presence in 1955 'sped up' the invention of this guitar.

This example is one of many instances where filmmakers make mistakes with props that hadn't been invented yet in the depicted time period. However, in Back to the Future, it’s especially amusing given the film’s very premise.