MovieChat Forums > Back to the Future Part III (1990) Discussion > Why didn't they just pay Tanen?

Why didn't they just pay Tanen?

posted 11 years ago by monstermaniac
23 replies | jump to latest

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's thought of this.

I really love these movies, and I know it wouldn't have been heroic at all, but at the dance, if I were Doc, right then and there I would have told Tannen, alright, you win, I'll pay you, how much do you want, will you PLEASE just spare my life.

Yeah, kind of cowardly but when it's you friggin life on the line, and they are already putting so much bother into trying to get back to the future because of it, you'd think he would have at least tried that. I'm sure Tannen might have still just been like, no, I'm just going to kill you, but honestly, given his character, if Doc actually took it upon himself to humble like hell in front of him, it would probably please him enough to say, "Make it a hundred dollars! Tommorrow! No pay, you get the bullet boy!"

I know it would be lame, but if we're being honest, I think we'd all offer some dough to save our skin.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jeffcox31 11 years ago

Doc offered to shoe the horse for free, since the horse threw the shoe that he put on it. He couldn't because Buford shot the horse. Anybody that would shoot his horse because it threw a shoe isn't going to be rational enough to just take some money and go away after he gets pissed at somebody. Buford liked shooting people. In fact, he likely would have shot somebody straight away who acted like a coward in front of him. After he made fun of him and possibly beat him for a while.

[–] Redart27 10 years ago

Yeah, why didn't they? $80 may have been huge amount in 1885, but it's not much for someone from the 1980's.

Why didn't Marty just shoot him? He shot Marty first, so why couldn't he use his 7-11 video game shooting skills to shoot Tanen back? Self defense, no? Ok, it's a kids film but at least take a shot at Tanen's shooting arm and disable his killing abilities for life.

---

http://youtu.be/oHg5SJYRHA0

[–] cyberdynesystems101 10 years ago

He shot Marty first, so why couldn't he use his 7-11 video game shooting skills to shoot Tanen back? Self defense, no?

Because Marty can't just go killing people in the past...

I an't afraid of no ghosts!

[–] MikeHunt1075 10 years ago

If he shot Bufford, then Biff wouldn't exist, and so on and so on and who knows if his parents would have met, maybe they did, maybe they didn't? But they have no way of finding out, and have one shot to get back to their own timeline as they know it... why would they gamble on seeing what future percussion's killing Mad Dog has?

[–] Littlebitsofgaming 10 years ago

If he shot Bufford, then Biff wouldn't exist

But one could say the same about Buford being locked up in jail at the end of the film.
If he's in jail then the future timeline would have changed as he would not be able to ensure Biff would eventually be born...

And so, God came forth and proclaimed widescreen is the best.
Sony 16:9

[–] brifitz1980 10 years ago

He was locked up for robbing "The Pine City Stage(coach.)" That was planned before Marty showed up. That's why he postponed his shootout with Marty. Robbery doesn't carry a life sentence.

In Doc's first timeline he was shot in the back at the dance. Tanen said that nobody would hear his lil pop gun if he buried deep enough in Doc's back before shooting. He also says that the last time he used it it took the victim 2 whole days to die, which fits the date of the 1885 tombstone Marty saw in 1955.

The authorities could never pin Doc's murder on Tanen. Hence why Clara insisted they mention "shot in the back by Buford Tanen over a matter of $80" on his headstone.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7393) 5 years ago

For all we know, he may have already had a son or daughter/Biff's distant relative. He doesn't really strike me as the kind of guy who would ever get married. For all we know he may have gotten hundreds of women pregnant and left them to deal with it by themselves.

[–] TM1617-2 (595) 5 years ago

Oh, that was what that joke was about! I didn't know that convenience stores ever had arcade games. I had never seen one with such a feature. Even though you weren't talking to me, thank you, Redart27.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Me and a friend used to debate wether that line was referring to the video games in 7-11 , or the gun toting holdup bandits you were likely to encounter if you went into an american convenience store (late at night in a bad area i guess)

[–] buddyboy28 10 years ago

80 dollars was a lot of money back then.

And if he pays them then what? Who's to say he then wouldn't demand more stuff because he sees Doc as a pushover. That's how it starts. That's what happened with Biff and George in 1955.

Or he probably would have taken the money and still shot him considering Doc had p!ssed him off for saving Marty, and made him look small in front of some of the townsfolk by standing up to him and his men with the rifle.

What the hell is a gigawatt?!

[–] Utpe (658) 5 years ago

Or he probably would have taken the money and still shot him considering Doc had p!ssed him off for saving Marty, and made him look small in front of some of the townsfolk by standing up to him and his men with the rifle.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Buford would've murdered Doc because that's what he does. I wouldn't put it past him to also search his business and home for even more money.

And $80 USD in 1885 would be about $2k nowadays. That's still a nice piece of change. People have killed for far less.

[–] stevenackerman69 10 years ago

Doc does wish that when he sees the photo of the tombstone with his name on it, remember? I guess he figured there was no way to reach Buford and give him the money. And he didn't think Buford was going to be at the dance, remember? Could he have said something then? Maybe, but he was surprised and had a gun in his back. Would you think of doing it then?

[–] speccyboy 8 years ago

Even if Doc did give Buford the $80, what's to stop him from asking for more next time?

[–] jtmovies 8 years ago

Buford just needed an excuse to shoot people. He still would've wanted to kill Doc after that.

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[–] Crustacean_Predation 8 years ago

Even if Doc did give Buford the $80, what's to stop him from asking for more next time?

There wouldn't be a next time. You pay him off to get him off your back and then high tail it back to the 1980s where you're safe. It wouldn't be a good plot for a movie but if in real life you found yourself in that situation it's worth a try.

[–] EightiesKid 7 years ago

Buford probably already had a kid by then (and in the original timelines, before either Doc or Marty showed up in 1885, he was arrested for robbing the Pine City Stage) so anything done to him wouldn't stop Biff from being born down the road. Still wouldn't have been a good idea, but it wouldn't change that.

And while Buford got a kick out of shooting people, and might've decided to kill Doc anyway, it would've at least possibly bid him some time if he gave Buford $80. He could've just taken it and said "Now watch your back Smithy, or next time I'll done shoot ya right away!"

[–] The LA Baker (799) 4 years ago

At some point MadDog married Biff's Grandmother who had sore feet. We never see her but we hear her tell Biff to hurry back because she wants a foot rub in part II.
MadDog seemed like more of a bang a prostitute and never look back kinda guy. Not the get married and settle down type.

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[–] Volley (3366) 5 years ago

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[–] movienchill31 (222) 4 years ago

Like someone mentioned, he already shot his horse for throwing the shoe. Do you really think he would have let Doc and/or Marty go scott free when they paid him the $80? More than likely he would take the money and still kill them.

[–] strntz (10779) 3 years ago

I think Tannen would have been happy with the $80 actually.

As for shooting the horse, he didn't say, but if the horse sustained a broken leg when it threw the shoe, it was a dead horse walking anyway. Could he have shot the horse just being pissed it threw a shoe? Maybe, but he didn't shoot it the first time it needed Doc to shoe it.

[–] movienchill31 (222) 3 years ago

Yeah he would have been happy with the 80 dollars but I guarantee he still would have killed Doc and/or Marty