It's 35 years on from its release. But it seems the debate surrounding a certain plot hole in 'Back to the Future' (namely, why don't Marty's parents remember him from high school) has been resolved. It's all thanks to the film's screenwriter, Bob Gale.

'Back to the Future' has returned to the zeitgeist thanks to the "5 Perfect Movies" trend on Twitter this week.

As people offer their recommendations, it has led to movie fans, stars and filmmakers arguing what constitutes a "perfect" filum.

James Gunn, best-known for writing and directing the Guardians of the Galaxy' movies, brought up the classic in question.

He wrote: "What is a "Perfect Film"? For me, a perfect film can be different from a favorite film, or a great film. A perfect film is something that sings from start to finish with no obvious mistakes, whether they be aesthetic or structural. There are no logical lapses."

He added: "Back to the Future SEEMINGLY could be imperfect (why don't Mom and Dad remember Marty?), but I would still argue it's a perfect film because there are reasons why this could conceivably be the case (time protects itself from unraveling, etc). Or maybe I'm in denial. Who knows."

 

Actor Chris Pratt chimed in: "Maybe they do remember him tho, not as Marty, as Calvin. When Marty returns to present day 1985, it could have been years since his parents would have perhaps originally noted the uncanny resemblance between their son and that kid from high school 20 years previous."

 

In the end, it's the aforementioned Bob Gale who has had the final word.

Which seems fair given the guy actually wrote the 'Back to the Future' script.

He told THR: "Bear in mind that George and Lorraine only knew Marty/Calvin for six days when they were 17, and they did not even see him every one of those six days. So, many years later, they still might remember that interesting kid who got them together on their first date."

He continued, "But I would ask anyone to think back on their own high school days and ask themselves how well they remember a kid who might have been at their school for even a semester. Or someone you went out with just one time. If you had no photo reference, after 25 years, you'd probably have just a hazy recollection."

In conclusion, Gale says: "So Lorraine and George might think it funny that they once actually met someone named Calvin Klein, and even if they thought their son at age 16 or 17 had some resemblance to him, it wouldn't be a big deal. I'd bet most of us could look thru our high school yearbooks and find photos of our teen-aged classmates that bear some resemblance to our children."

And that's that.