National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment released Back to the Future Part II in November 1989, reuniting director Robert Zemeckis and producer Bob Gale with one of the decade's most beloved properties. The film pushed into ambitious territory, depicting multiple timelines and a then-futuristic 2015, and became one of the year's highest-grossing releases. Its production design and visual effects set a benchmark for science fiction sequels of the era.

This cell, titled DeLorean, captures a close detail of the iconic time machine's front wheel and lower body panel amid dissipating steam or smoke — the atmospheric signature of a time-travel sequence. No characters appear in frame. A circular light artifact is visible at the right edge, a natural consequence of the production's dramatic practical lighting. The frame rewards the collector interested in the film's mechanical and cinematic craft.