“Back to the Future” fanboys have long craved the futuristic self-lacing shoes Michael J. Fox wore as Marty McFly. Now the coveted Nike “Mags” are finally here, according to the Daily Mail, which says the production designer who created the original helped design the contemporary footwear. “The glowing blue LED soles, which light up with a pinch at the top and glow for five hours, have been described as one of the biggest technical challenges the company has ever faced,” the Mail reported.
Only 1,500 pairs will be available, and the shoes are being auctioned off on eBay. Proceeds will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
One pair already sold for $37,500, TechCrunch says.
The idea of making a real product on something from the world of fiction is inspired. Just think of all the classic tales about things you’d love to have — except they don’t really exist. Yet.
Let’s see, how about those dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park”! On second thought, maybe that’s not such a good idea. Or maybe one of those James Bond briefcases full of … oh no, we really don’t want that on sale at the toy store.
But some ideas floating around could come in mighty handy in real life. Here are a few other products I’d like to see made to replicate stuff currently available only in movies and television:
A functioning Light Saber. Come on, we’ve waited long enough. We promise not to use them for the Dark Side.
One word: Flubber!
The “Men in Black” memory eraser. (Might need to use that one on myself.)
The “Get Smart” Cone of Silence: single-user model for cell phone shouters.
The “Back to the Future” car, man. Who needs shoes when you’ve got a flying DeLorean DM-12?