Delorean Time Machine Replica To Appear At Film Festival

Jan. 28, 2010

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, Ala. - Filmmakers and movie buffs are going back in time March 4-7 as the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival hosts a faithful working replica of the famous DeLorean time machine. The time machine, as seen in the "Back to the Future" trilogy, will be available to guests many times during the festival, including its appearance at the Shoals Theatre just prior to the 25th anniversary "Back to the Future" reunion, which begins at 7 p.m. March 5. The reunion will include actors Lea Thompson, James Tolkan and Claudia Wells and screenwriter Bob Gale. Tickets are $17 each and are available at www.lindseyfilmfest.com or at the UNA bookstore. The film festival will also include Michael Scheffe, construction supervisor for the DeLorean time machine used in the "Back to the Future" films. He will participate in a special-effects workshop March 5. Scheffe is also designer of the "Knight Rider" talking car K.I.T.T. and the flying taxi seen in "Back to the Future II." The BTTF.com DeLorean time machine coming to UNA was built by husband-and-wife team Oliver and Terry Holler, of Myrtle Beach, S.C. It was carefully built to match the original time machine seen in the "Back to the Future" trilogy, featuring the famous flux capacitor and functional circuit displays. The exotic DeLorean automobile is a sports car manufactured by the DeLorean Motor Company from 1981 through 1983 in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. It was the only model ever produced by the company. The unique car features gull-wing doors with a brushed stainless steel body. Today, about 7,000 DeLoreans are believed to still exist. The car was a central character throughout the popular "Back to the Future" films, used by the character Dr. Emmett Brown. Brown's rationale for choosing the DeLorean was stated in the first film: "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" In addition to elaborate enhancements for time travel, the iconic vehicle was later modified with flying capabilities and a Mr. Fusion, a fictional home-energy reactor from the year 2015, about the size of a coffee maker. The Hollers' time machine has been featured in national publications and music videos, won numerous awards and has even appeared with many of the creators and stars from the hit movie. The replica "star car" stays busy on the road, as the Hollers also travel the country with their DeLorean to raise funds and awareness for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival is partnering this year with BTTF.com and the Hollers to raise donations for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Information on the Hollers and their car is available at ToTheFuture.org. More information about the car may be found at www.DeLoreanTimeMachine.com. The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival is one of the few film festivals hosted by a university. The event was founded in 1998 in part by UNA alumnus and celebrated actor and entertainer George Lindsey. Lindsey's own film career has included several important roles, including the character Goober Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show." For more information on the 2010 George Lindsey UNA Film Festival, visit www.lindseyfilmfest.com, or contact the festival staff at lindseyfilmfest@una.edu or 256-765-4592. PHOTO AVAILABLE: For a photo of the DeLorean time machine replica, contact the UNA Office of University Communications at 256-765-4225 or jlwoods1@una.edu.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.