Since his Parkinson's disease is now also affecting his memory, Michael J. Fox will probably no longer make films.
“What if?” – Questions are usually idle. Every now and then, however, even the most rational person cannot avoid facing them. For example with regard to actor Michael J. Fox (59). In the 80s and 90s it was part of the inventory of the dream factory, and in the two decades it made at least one film a year. And that despite the fact that for almost half of that time he had suffered from an insidious illness that made his job increasingly impossible. Would Fox be wrestling with actors like Tom Hanks (64), Sean Penn (60) or Tom Cruise (58) for roles these days, if he hadn't been diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991?
In the past 20 years Fox has barely been able to make films because of the nervous disease. And the sporadic guest appearances in TV series that he has had since then will probably no longer exist in the future. Fox has told the US site "People" that because of Parkinson's, his short-term memory is now "over". Instead of acting, he wants to concentrate fully on writing in the future. His new biography "No Time Like The Future" is due to appear in the USA this year. The "Back to the Future" star will probably never be seen on the big screen again. How good that he was much more than just Marty McFly in the past – his best films here.
"Back to the Future"
Of course, the clever sci-fi comedy "Back to the Future" is the first association people have with the name Michael J. Fox. After all, the first part represented the actor's breakthrough in 1985 and found worthy successors in two further parts in 1989 and 1990. Marty McFly's journey into the past, future and the past is still considered the perfect trilogy and should not be missing from any time travel film evening.
"Teenwolf"
In the same year as "Back to the Future" Fox was seen in another film. In the youth comedy "Teenwolf", 17-year-old Scott Howard (Fox) learns that he is the son of a werewolf and that he has supernatural powers. And of course the skinny teenager uses it promptly to get started on the basketball team at his school! Predicate: Charming coming-of-age story with a nice message at the end.
"The secret of my success"
In 1987 there were a lot of mistakes and confusions in the comedy "The secret of my success". Brantley Foster (Fox), actually just a simple employee of the Pemrose company, poses as a board member of the company. Too bad that his own uncle got him the job and from now on Foster alias Carlton Whitfield has to be careful not to run into the ignorant relatives in the corridor.
"The Damned of War"
Fox can be serious too. In 1989 he proved this with the haunting anti-war film "The Damned of War". He plays the soldier Eriksson at the side of Sean Penn, who witnessed a bestial crime committed by his entire unit against a young local woman during the Vietnam War. Should he report the incident and risk becoming a victim himself – or save his life and lose his conscience in return?
"Mars Attacks!"
Probably the most unusual film in Michael J. Fox's biography is the sci-fi horror comedy "Mars Attacks!" As a weird answer to Roland Emmerich's (64) "Independence Day" from the previous year, Tim Burton lets the sadistic Martians loose on an absolute star ensemble. In addition to Fox, these are: Glenn Close (73), Danny DeVito (75), Jack Nicholson (83), Annette Bening (62), Sarah Jessica Parker (55), Natalie Portman (39), Jack Black (51), Pierce Brosnan (67) and yes, even Tom Jones (80), to name a few. Most of them, however, come to an inglorious ending …
"The Frighteners"
The last big film in which Fox was seen also came out in 1996 and was made by the later "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson (59). In the horror film "The Frighteners", Fox plays a man named Frank Bannister who has had the gift of communicating with and seeing ghosts since his wife's death. But instead of using this ability for good, he prefers to rip off people together with three undead accomplices. But the tide turns when it suddenly appears the incarnate death to target the charlatan.