Fox says the incest angle helps Back to the Future last

Back to the Future remains one of the most beloved movies ever. Nearly 40 years since its release, it continues to dazzle, charm and amuse audiences, from those who saw it in theaters to those just now discovering it. We all have our favorite scenes, lines and behind-the-scenes tales, but Michael J. Fox has his own theory as to why Back to the Future has stood the test of time and remains a favorite among audiences…and it ain’t the DeLorean.

Speaking with Variety, Michael J. Fox said it’s the odd and off-kilter aspects of Back to the Future that help it last–you know, like incest. “There’s something about it that people still respond to because it’s so weird…Not to be crude, but it’s a movie about almost f*cking your mom and she’s totally ready for it. Even at the time, I realized it was bizarre — plus Lea was pretty cute.”

One of the plot points, of course, from Back to the Future comes when Fox’s Marty McFly travels back to 1955. It’s there he meets the younger version of his mother, played by Lea Thompson, who develops a lust for Marty, unaware who he really is, thus putting his very existence in jeopardy. All that over some plutonium!

Following becoming the highest-grossing movie of 1985, Back to the Future went on to garner four Academy Award nominations, winning for Best Sound Effects Editing. Back to the Future received the same amount of nods at the Golden Globes, with Fox even earning a Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) nomination. The film sparked a full-on franchise. Other than the beloved sequels, there was a short-lived animated series, numerous video games and a blast of a theme park ride (RIP), while a Broadway musical is set to premiere later this year. The first film itself has been recognized by numerous organizations as one of the best ever, even being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Fortunately for fans, there have been numerous Back to the Future reunions as of late, with Fox, Thompson, Christopher Lloyd, and Thomas F. Wilson getting back together as recently as February.

What is your favorite scene from Back to the Future? Let us know!