This guy is a complete nutjob, he's not just your average bully, he's also your average asshole. What makes the character interesting is not just because he's a comical villain; there are also many different versions of him in the series. For those who don't know about the "Back to the Future" movies, they star Michael J Fox as teenage boy Marty Mcfly and Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown. Doc Brown has created a time machine car out of a Delorean and takes them back not only to the future, but also the past and alternate time lines too. Whatever time period they go, they don't just have problems, they also bump into Biff or someone related to Biff. To make things a little interesting, I'm going to talk about this character in chronological order plus with the alternate time lines, visits to different time periods of his ancestors and his Grandson (All Played by the same actor).
WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS
1885-Bufford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Back to the Future Part 3)
Biff is related to gunslinger town outlaw Bufford Tannen. Bufford is one of the meanest and roughest outlaws you'll ever meet! You call him by his nick name "Mad Dog" you're dead; you tick him off, you’re dead; you make one wrong move you’re dead! Bufford does all that western villains are known for, such as killing people constantly for making him mad; hanging people; dragging people along on the ground while riding a horse; robbing places; insulting people; challenging people to a draw; and even making people dance for his own amusement while your feet are being shot at. He's even responsible for killing Doc Brown if our main character Marty didn't travel back to save him. In a deleted scene, he also kills Marshal Strickland in front of his son, that's really cold. He also tries to make dirty love to women, even while dancing. He may have a lack of education (Like most versions of Biff), but he's always prepared to kill you, either with a gun or a knife. He even keeps a small gun under his hat just in case if he has to remove his weapons to get into certain places. His gang is also tough too, but not as tough as Bufford Tannen.
1955-Marty's first visit to the past (Back to the Future)
When we first meet Biff as a teenager, we get the same introduction as we did when we first met the character (1985-The beginning of the first film), by making Marty's dad George do work for him (Home Work); constantly teases him; and insults Marty. Only this time he's not alone, he's with his gang, who each have their own distinctive features. One wears 3-D glasses, one has very short, close-cropped hair, and the other one is Billy Zane in his film debut. In the cafeteria scene, we learn more of the character such as his lust for women (especially for Marty's Mother Lorraine); why he's so threatening (When he's about to beat up Marty); and his lack of education ("Why don't you make like a tree and GET OUT OF HERE!"). In the diner scene when everyone is having a good time and just when George is about to ask Lorraine out to the dance, everybody goes silence and the music is suddenly off because Biff sees George and does not want to see him in the diner. Wow everybody (Including the music) is going silent all because of Biff, that's one Major Badass. Biff is not only a badass, he can also be a psycho at times like in the scene when tries to hit Marty with his car. The last time we see teenage Biff (In the first film) is the scene when Marty's father stands up for himself. The scene starts out with Marty planning on pretending of taking advantage of his mother (because his Mother has the hots for him), so that his Dad can beat him up and be a hero so they can fall in love with each other. Unfortunately the plan was changed when Biff shows up. Biff has his gang lock Marty in the trunk of a car with the keys inside it; tries to rape Lorraine; and is about to break George's arm off. This part of the film in my opinion defiantly shows what a Psycho Bully Badass he is, but this scene also shows what a weak wimp he is when George knocks out Biff with one punch to the face.
1955-Marty's second visit to the past (Back to the future part 2)
Biff from 2015 steals the Delorean with no one looking and travels back to the year 1955 to give his young self "Gray's Sports Almanac", a book that details the results of major sporting events from 1950 to 2000, which will make him rich if he just bets on the winner. I'm going focus on Young Biff, I'll talk about Old Biff later. In this second visit, we get to see more of Biff's life. Biff lives with his grandma (An off-screen character voiced by Wilson too) in a not so friendly looking house. Biff doesn't just Bully people in High School, he also Bullies little kids, by taking their stuff; pushing them around; and even insulting them. We also get to see more of Biff's gang in action as they get ready to beat up the first time Marty traveled while he's playing "Johnny B. Goode", while the second Marty tries to keep them away from his past visited self. We even get to see more of Biff's Psycho reckless driving as he tries to ram the second Marty into the walls of the tunnel so he won't get the book, and even tries to run the second Marty over at full speed. I think the funniest scenes in this time period is when he argues and yells at his older self, man talk about a real asshole.
Back To The Future: The Ride
Yes, I am including the ride too, why, if you read my
reviews on "Terminator 2 3D: The Battle Across Time" and "Shrek
4-D", I count 3-D movies and simulation rides as movies too. Doc
Brown now has a place to show his inventions including his new 8 passenger
DeLorean at "The Institute of Future Technology" in 1991. However,
teenage Biff stowed away while one of the team members of the
Institute was traveling back from 1955. Biff has penetrated into
the Institute as a guest and is after the flying time traveling Delorean. He
gets the Delorean by smashing cameras with his fist and spray painting the lens;
ties up the security (Which by the way is the lamest security I ever saw);
unplugs the power; and locks Doc Brown in his office. My favorite scene has to
be when he's looking at the camera trying to persuade you to tell him where the
Delorean is (How he and the rest of the characters can see you through a camera makes no sense, but that's just part of the Theme Park element, like how we are able to see the footage from the films when the characters are talking about the events. It's something that I don't suspending my disbelief to enjoy). Instead of Marty going back, it's you and you're mission
is to go back on the new Delorean and bump Biff at exactly 88 miles per hour to
bring him back to the present. Biff first travels to the future
and he tries to make you crash into buildings, flying cars, Billboards and the
clock tower, while making jokes. Next is The Ice Age and Biff gives the riders
twist and turns so they can crash on the solid Ice and he starts an avalanche
of snow to crush you. He gets away and you run out of power, but
don't worry, you get your power back. The climax of the ride
takes place in the Age Of The Dinosaurs. Biff leads you into a
Volcano so you can be burned by the lava and he sicks a T-REX on you. Biff is
pretty funny and badass throughout the ride, but here's
something you don't see in the three movies. Biff loses all his
cockiness when he's about to fall down a lava fall. When Biff gets punched out,
or covered in Manure he still acts tough. In this, however, he shows a
side we never saw in any of the films. Oh and when I rode this ride a
second time, when Biff says "Ha Sta La Bye Bye", I can remember
hearing my little brother saying "It's Ha Sta La Vista Baby".
1985-The beginning of the first film (Back to the Future)
Before our hero Marty changed his present, Biff was not only a Bully to his father in High School, but he's also his supervisor in the same company they work in. He still bullies and intimidates his Father by making him do all his work; constantly teases him; and even helping himself with his food and beer without even asking. He's also an alcoholic; still has the hots for Marty's Mom; and he even insults Marty as well. When we first meet him in the series, we all know right off the bat he's not only a jerk, but he's also going to be the villain of this trilogy.
Alternate 1985 (Back to the future part 2)
This is my favorite time version of Biff. After when Old Biff gave his young self the "Gray's Sports Almanac", Biff now is a Millionaire and claimed as an "American Hero". He owns a toxic waste company called "Biffco"; owns a real estate firm; turned the supreme courthouse into a hotel/Casino; and even has a museum dedicated to himself. Biff also has legalized gambling; has married the beautiful actress Marilyn Monroe (Lucky); he "owns the police"; and turned the town of Hill Valley into a sleazy town full of crime, corruption and gang warfare. He's kind of like another favorite villain of mine, who will be seeing later on the list and he also kind of reminds me of combination between Donald Trump and Tony Montana when he has his power. Biff is now married to Lorraine and threatens to put her kids behind bars if she doesn't stay with him. He doesn't love her, all he does is beat her up and use her for sex. His gang is also rich too and serves as his bodyguards. Biff is not just a greedy man, he's also a murderer. He murdered Marty's Dad George so he can be with Lorraine and he tries to murder Marty after when he found out about the book, and there's no one stopping him. Biff also had Doc Brown committed to an insane asylum because he knew about the book too.
1985-Marty's changes from his visit in 1955(Back to the Future, Back to the Future part 2, Back to the Future part 3)
Thanks to Marty's visit in 1955, everything has changed for the best. One of the best changes thanks to George for punching out Biff; Biff is now nice to them and fears George. Biff is still an asshole though, it is not only shown in the future, it is also shown when Biff tries to con George into thinking he's done waxing the car when he just started the second coat. In the end of the series, Biff accidentally called Marty a "Butt Head"(Thinking it was someone else) before quickly being nice to Marty. He also witnessed the flying Deloarnen (Time Machine) in the beginning of the 2nd film which led to older Biffs’ major scheme.
2015-Old Biff (Back to the future part 2)
Biff is not as nice as he was in 1985; he's completely a mean old man who constantly hits Marty (Thinking he is Marty's son) with his cane (That has a Gold Fist on top of it); constantly insults people; and is still in love with Lorraine. Biff has a Grandson named Griff (I'll talk about him later) and he still waxes cars, including his grandson's. Biff maybe old and cranky, but he's much wiser and a lot smarter now. After witnessing the flying Delorean in 1985, he recognizes it when he sees it and also notices that there are two Marty Jrs. He also recognizes the similar situations he's been through when Marty visited his teenage years in 1955, like in the whole hover board chase scene for example. When Biff meets his young self, he just says we're related and shows him how the book will make his young self-rich. He also corrects his young self when he tells him "To make like a tree and get out of here!" by saying "It's leave you Idiot!”. Biff is also very sneaky so he can listen into conversations and after finding out that the flying Deloearn is a time machine, he follows our heroes in a Taxi Cab, steals the Delorean with no one around, and giving his young self the "Gray's Sports Almanac".
2015-Griff (Biff's Grandson) (Back to the future part 2)
Griff (played by the same actor) is a lot like Biff. He's a badass psycho bully; he has a gang; and has the same lack of education. Griff, however, is a lot meaner then Biff was when he was a kid. When he first enters the 80's cafe, you can tell that this guy is not going to be the average bully. Already he starts bossing around Biff; starts beating up Marty's future son; telling everybody to back off; and has plans to rob the Hill Valley payroll substation, which will put Marty's son in Jail and his sister for trying to break him out. One thing you may notice about Griff's gang is he has a girl on his team, and if you notice in the history of his family, there hasn't been a girl in any of the Tannen's gangs. Another thing you may notice about Griff is he's not as predictable and gullible as his Grandpa, when you tell him to look the other way, he'll look, but he'll be ready to strike at you before you strike him thanks to his technology to make him bigger and stronger. Griff also has a Futuristic Baseball Bat and a mean looking Hover Board. It's a pity he's not in the film for a very long time, but if he was we wouldn't be able to see the other versions of Biff including my favorite version.
Biff is defiantly a Villain I enjoy watching. With his funny quotable catchphrases; his enjoyment of being bad; and his downfall always has something to do with getting knocked out or crashing into Manure. Thomas F Wilson is a nice and funny man in real life (Except when you keep asking him questions about "Back To The Future", which made him, write a song about it.) and helped create the character of Biff from the years when he was bullied. I also love the guys acting on how he portrayed the many different time versions of Biff. Cinemassacre (James Rolfe) placed Biff as his number one Baddest Badass on his list of "Top Ten Baddest Badasses" which I have to admit made me want to look at this character. A lot of Bully characters in Cinema are usually just punks with no development and are just in it to be jerks or the main Villains. Biff starts out like that in the first film, but the other films make him different to the other Bullies because he's not just causing problems to our main character, he also is causing problems to time itself!
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT BUTTHEAD"-Biff Tannen
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