National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Back to the Future Part II arrived in November 1989 from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, directed by Robert Zemeckis. A direct continuation of the 1985 original, it pushed the franchise into ambitious new territory with its depiction of 2015, an alternate 1985, and a return to 1955. The film was a major commercial success and remains a cultural touchstone for its imaginative production design and the seamless chemistry at its center.

This three-frame sequence captures Marty and Doc together in a brightly lit setting, the radiation symbol on Doc's white suit placing the moment within one of the film's charged story beats. The consecutive frames offer a rare look at a single cinematic instant held across the strip, with the third frame carrying a distinctive oval lens artifact — a natural characteristic of the original 35mm element.